Robotic Process Automation Gaining Importance

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has been a rapidly growing concept and sector worldwide, particularly in recent years. Although Turkey entered the process somewhat later, we are increasingly seeing more robots being deployed in the country as well. According to recent analyses, by 2019, the number of companies selling RPA in Turkey exceeded 50, and the number of companies using RPA surpassed 70. Ege Genç İş İnsanları Derneği (EGİAD) closely monitors technology and business processes and organizes informational events to help its members adapt more easily to the Industry 4.0 process. Within this scope, EGİAD organized an important event where developments in robot technology and forecasts on how robots will be integrated into working life in the near future were evaluated. The event was moderated by AGC Yazılım founder Alper Can, while speakers included Neslihan Çift, Marketing and Business Development Specialist at Istanbul-based Robusta, and firm consultant Özgür Cengiz. At the event, it was explained how RPA—a system capable of performing daily tasks like actual personnel—can be used in many areas such as sales marketing, operations, production, supply chain, and human resources.

Division of Labor Between People and Machines

EGİAD Board Chairman Mustafa Aslan delivered the opening remarks of the meeting. Noting that such technological innovations have been on EGİAD's radar following the process that began with Industry 4.0, Aslan stated that RPA fundamentally means focusing the available workforce on higher value-added tasks rather than routine work. Describing RPA as an approach used by companies to generate more value, Aslan said: "Since the 1990s, an increasing number of firms have been trying to reduce operating costs by outsourcing certain white-collar jobs to developing countries with low-cost labor, such as China and India. However, in recent years, the rising trend in labor costs in developing countries makes it increasingly difficult to reduce costs by exploiting labor cost differentials. Ensuring adequate quality in work outsourced to developing countries also presents additional challenges. With the increase in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and intelligent automation, a significant shift is occurring in the division of tasks between people and machines," he said. EGİAD Chairman Aslan emphasized that nearly two-thirds of the USD 9 trillion knowledge worker market between 2019 and 2025 will be affected by this situation. "The World Economic Forum's latest research on the 'Future of Work' reveals that currently an average of 71 percent of existing jobs are performed by people and 29 percent by machines. This distribution is expected to shift toward 42 percent of jobs performed by machines against 58 percent performed by people. This change in task distribution within the workforce requires adequate management intervention. While jobs need to be redesigned, the role of good management in human-robot interaction is becoming increasingly important. It is up to us to prepare our employees for this collaboration with automated systems," he said.