Mumbai, September 13, 2017: The fourth industrial revolution is leading the world into a foreseeable digitised space, which is paving the way for assimilating automation into pre-existing systems.In view of this trend towards automation, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) giving rise to opportunities in India, Michael Page India conducted a survey to evaluate sentiments from the Indian workforce.The India Automation Report, released by specialist recruitment firm – Michael Page India, narrates the attitudes of Indian professionals with regards to the influence of automation on their respective industries. The report surveyed 1,034 employees in India and demonstrates a largely positive attitude towards digitisation.The key result of the study indicates that 87% of those surveyed view automation as a positive impact on their current work situation, with 78% stating confidence in their future job prospects. An interesting insight, despite market reports of the fear around automation taking over jobs, majority of the professionals surveyed were optimistic about retaining their employment. In addition, 83% of the respondents indicated that they were not anxious of displacement from their current job and further specified that they do not anticipate robotics replacing their jobs. Incidentally, of the 17% who conveyed job security concerns, 78% affirmed that this change would not be immediate and would take place over the next decade.Commenting on the implications of automation, Nicolas Dumoulin, Managing Director of Michael Page India, says, “India has embarked on a journey of transformation to become a digital and innovation hub with its various initiatives like “Digital India” and “Skill India". The government’s vision to build an integrated learning platform to upskill the workforce at different career stages plays a key part in mitigating employment risks.”Other notable observations from the India Automation Report include:Respondents were realistic about the possible challenges of automation and 85% were considering the acquisition of new skills to stay relevant in their respective industries In the wake of automation, respondents expect the data security (38%), e-commerce (28%), financial technology (25%) and mobile communications (9%) industries to be the greatest job creators According to the findings, the top three possible benefits of automation and robotics are increased speed (27%), accuracy (24%) and higher cost-efficiencies (24%)“Corporates embracing automation will open doors for newer skilled force at the strategic and entry levels. As we head towards 2030, there will be a paradigm shift towards the next digitisation revolution, where the demand for additional speed and power to produce more will grow. Organisations will play a vital role in enabling their talent to adapt to new changes. The workforce needs to be armed with innovative tools and training to empower themselves in the new digital world,” observes Nicolas Dumoulin.The professionals surveyed were from varied industries such as banking and financial services (17%), engineering and manufacturing (11%), finance and accounting (11%) and healthcare and life sciences (10%). Additionally, they were largely concentrated in the large metropolitan cities of Mumbai (34%), Delhi (26%) and Bengaluru (26%).****END****
