Sometimes, a hands-off approach is the most effective way to address IT challenges, as well as complete certain projects.

As a term that has achieved buzzworthy status in the IT profession, IT automation represents a series of instructions that define the strategy for performing repetitive processes. Automation for IT professionals removes any type of manual work required to execute commands, as well as achieve the technical objectives that require little, if any participation by a human being. IT automation can be a one-time-only process that enhances organizational performance or a large number of complex operations that deploy a wide variety of IT resources.

The tools used to achieve full IT automation include frameworks, software programs, and advanced machines. For example, an IT automation platform like Windows PowerShell combines every variable possible to form a script that triggers the initiation of a series of digital instructions that a human administrator otherwise would have to complete manually. Although automating IT functions have many applications, the most common applications concern deployment, compliance, security, and incident management functions.

What Are the Benefits of IT Automation?

Automation is universally known to deliver a faster response to the generation of data, as well as enhanced security for cloud-based operations. Let’s review six more reasons to automate your company’s repetitive IT operations.

Enhanced Accuracy

We all have encountered the term “human error” as the primary cause of a technical malfunction, which happens occasionally when executing complex technical instructions. Because of monotony or lack of employees, human error also negatively impacts the execution of repetitive tasks.

IT automation executes repetitive tasks without any mishaps.

No Need to Outsource

The use of less human labor to complete IT tasks results in a sharp drop in the demand for outsourcing IT responsibilities to independent contractors. Because the IT industry is one of the industries that rely heavily on outsourcing, automating certain technical tasks helps lower labor costs.

Improved Employee Safety

Removing the human element from performing repetitive tasks strengthens the workplace measures implemented by your company. From the development of Carpal Tunnel Symptoms (CTS) to sustaining an injury caused by electrocution, automated IT tasks improve worker safety. Automation also contributes to the execution of virtual employee safety training programs.

Optimal Productivity

Automated IT processes increase production, while at the same time lowering the demand for employees to complete technical processes. The result is an increase in efficiency, which has a direct impact on productivity. Automating your company’s technical processes allows you to assign employees to handle much more complex projects.

Optimal productivity also means you can reap the benefits of production capacity that runs 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

More Flexibility

IT automation allows your team to quickly retool and reconfigure the network to accommodate the completion of new functions. Automation in the form of deploying robots can help your company quickly change work assignments depending on production variations, as well as change the sequences used to execute different instructions.

IT automation also reduces the time it takes to switch project priorities.

Consistent Results

Automating technology functions ensures a much higher level of outcome consistency. You can expect the same quality results every time you automate a task previously handled by an employee. Machines are programmed to meet or exceed several metrics, with quality representing the most important measure of success.

What Are the Challenges of IT Automation?

For all the many benefits delivered by IT automation, your company can expect to overcome a few challenges. Despite the advances in technology, you might still have to remove errors and/or address the consequences of the errors committed by a software program. The members of your IT team assigned to automating your IT network also can commit mistakes when setting up the process.

The key is to implement the same metrics for automated IT functions that you implement for functions previously completed by employees

The Bottom Line of IT Automation

IT automation has emerged as the key component to complete the process of digital transformation. Different parties, including partners, customers, employees, and investors, benefit from automating repetitive IT tasks. According to projections released by Gartner, nearly 40 percent of IT infrastructure in the private sector should be fully automated by the end of 2023.

Lower costs combined with increased production lead us to perhaps the greatest benefit of fully automating IT functions. That is an increase in your company’s return on the investment in technology.