Remote work
Remote work, also known as telecommuting or telework, refers to a working arrangement in which an employee, contractor, or service provider performs their job duties from a location other than the employer's physical premises, typically from a remote or off-site location, often a personal residence or another remote work facility. This arrangement is facilitated through technology and communication tools that enable the individual to fulfill their work responsibilities without needing physical presence at the employer's place of business.
Remote work may be subject to legal and contractual agreements, including employment contracts, labor laws, and workplace policies, which govern various aspects of the arrangement, including working hours, compensation, data security, and compliance with applicable regulations.
Trends and management practices in remote work
Covid restrictions have dramatically affected the popularity of remote work. Now, almost two years after the pandemic’s end, we can analyze new trends.
Hybrid work models. Many organizations adopt hybrid work models that combine both remote and in-office work. This approach offers employees flexibility while maintaining some level of physical presence in the office.
Digital transformation. Businesses invest in digital tools and technologies to facilitate remote work, including collaboration platforms, project management software, and virtual communication tools.
Focus on employee well-being. Companies recognize the importance of supporting employees' mental and physical well-being in a remote work environment. This includes offering wellness programs, mental health resources, and flexible scheduling options.
Results-oriented performance management. Performance management shifts towards results-based assessment rather than tracking hours worked. Goals and objectives are emphasized, allowing employees to demonstrate their productivity regardless of location.
Virtual onboarding and training. Remote onboarding processes become more comprehensive with the use of digital training modules and virtual orientations for new hires.
And here are some management practices that help remote work stay efficient, comfortable, and profitable.
Data security and privacy. As remote work involves handling sensitive data off-site, organizations are emphasizing data security and privacy measures, including encryption, secure access, and cybersecurity training.
Remote work policies. Companies are formalizing remote work policies to provide clear employee guidelines regarding expectations, communication, availability, and remote work expenses.
Global talent pool. Remote work allows organizations to tap into a global talent pool, enabling them to hire the best talent regardless of geographic location.
Communication and collaboration. Enhanced communication and collaboration tools are essential for remote work, with video conferencing, chat platforms, and project management tools playing a central role in keeping teams connected and productive.
Performance metrics and analytics. Companies are utilizing data analytics to monitor remote employee performance, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions about remote work effectiveness.
Flexible work hours. Flexibility in work hours is becoming more common, allowing employees to adapt their schedules to their individual needs and preferences, enhancing work-life balance.
Training for remote managers. Managers are receiving training and resources to effectively lead remote teams, including coaching on virtual leadership, communication skills, and team-building strategies.
Legal and compliance considerations. Organizations are ensuring compliance with labor laws, tax regulations, and employment regulations in various jurisdictions when managing remote workers across borders.
Performance recognition and rewards. Remote workers are recognized and rewarded for their contributions through virtual recognition programs, performance bonuses, and career advancement opportunities.
Remote work tools
Effective remote collaboration relies on various tools and technologies that facilitate communication, project management, document sharing, and team coordination. These are some of the most popular tools for effective remote collaboration with some notorious examples.
Video conferencing software (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet)
Instant messaging and chat apps (Slack)
Project management software (Trello, Asana, Notion)
Document collaboration (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365)
File sharing and storage (Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive)
Virtual whiteboards (Miro, Microsoft Whiteboard)
Screen sharing and remote control (TeamViewer, AnyDesk)
Time tracking and productivity monitoring (Toggl, Clockify, Hubstaff)
Email and calendar apps (Gmail, Outlook)
Collaborative design and creativity tools (Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma)
Password managers (LastPass, 1Password)
Virtual private networks (NordVPN, ExpressVPN)
Collaborative code and development tools (GitHub, GitLab)
The tools are all here – better and more efficient than ever. Selecting the right combination will be quite beneficial for effective remote work and collaboration.
MWDN has been working according to the remote model long before the Covid, so we have a full range of expertise on how to make your dedicated remote teams efficient and productive. Leave us a message to find out more about ways in which we can help your business grow.
RPA: robotic process automation
Robotic process automation is a bunch of technologies that help businesses automate repetitive, algorithmic, and rule-based tasks with software robots or "bots." These bots mimic human actions – they log into applications, enter data, copy files, process transactions, etc. Unlike traditional automation, RPA doesn't require complex coding or integration into IT systems—it operates on the user interface just like a human would.
RPA consists of four features. These are:
Rule-based automation. It handles predictable and structured tasks.
Software-driven solutions. RPA works on existing systems and doesn’t alter the underlying infrastructure.
Efficiency and accuracy. RPA reduces errors, speeds up processes, and increases consistency.
Applications across industries. Robotic process automation is used in finance, HR, healthcare, customer service, and many more.
A short history of RPA
The concept of RPA emerged in the early 2000s; however, its roots can be traced to earlier technologies. For example, workflow automation and screen scraping (basic data extraction from applications) laid the foundation for RPA in the 1990s. In the early 2000s, tools like Blue Prism (founded in 2001) and UiPath started formalizing RPA as a distinct technology.
In the mid-2010s, bots were able to handle more complex and cognitive tasks thanks to the advancements in AI and ML. Today, RPA is a key component of digital transformation strategies. It helps companies with operations optimization, reduces costs, and improves employee productivity by automating boring, repetitive tasks.
Core components of RPA
Robotic process automation, like any other technology, consists of several key components. Here are six of the most important ones:
I. Bots (robots) – software programs that mimic human actions, such as clicking, typing, and navigating applications. Bots can be attended (work alongside humans and require human intervention) and unattended (Operate autonomously without human involvement).
II. Workflows – predefined processes or rules that guide the bots on what tasks to perform and in what sequence. The workflows are often intuitively understood thanks to RPA visualization options, which make them more user-friendly.
III. The orchestrator is a central system that manages and monitors bots. It also schedules bot tasks, tracks their performance, and provides analytics.
IV. Integration tools. RPA integrates with ERP, CRM, databases, and other software via APIs, screen scraping, or connectors.
V. The recorder captures human actions like keystrokes and mouse clicks, which can be used to train bots to perform repetitive tasks.
VI. Analytics and reporting – Tools to track bot performance, measure ROI, and generate insights about automated processes.
How does RPA differ from traditional automation or AI?
In a nutshell, RPA stands out for its simplicity, speed of deployment, and ability to handle repetitive tasks without fundamental changes to existing systems, whereas traditional automation and AI serve broader, more complex roles. Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
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Industries that benefit from RPA
What is the practical use of RPA? This technology can be used almost everywhere. Here are just some examples.
Banking and finance
The high volume of repetitive, rule-based processes like transactions and compliance reporting make RPA quite valuable in banking and finance. With RPA, banks and financial institutions can detect frauds, get assistance in loan application processing, and account reconciliation.
For example, RPA can automate credit card application approval by extracting and validating customer data from forms, while bots can monitor transaction patterns in real time, flagging suspicious activity for further review.
Healthcare
Healthcare and medicine need error-free processing of sensitive patient and administrative data. RPA can help with insurance claim processing, patient appointment scheduling, data entry into EHR systems, and many more. For example, appointment reminders can be automated by scanning patient schedules and sending notifications.
Retail and E-commerce
RPA in retail can manage inventory, supply chains, and customer service demands. More precisely, automate order tracking, inventory updates, and personalized marketing campaigns.
Imagine an RPA that processes refunds and returns, including validating purchases and updating inventory records or automatically adjusting prices in response to competitor changes or supply-and-demand fluctuations.
Manufacturing
Why? Because it constantly requires optimization of the supply chain and quality control processes. RPA can help with many more tasks, from inventory management, invoice processing, and vendor communications to automating invoice matching by comparing purchase orders and receipts. Another benefit of RPA for manufacturing and production is its predictive maintenance. You can integrate RPA with IoT sensors and automate the scheduling of machine repairs before the machinery breaks down.
Telecommunications
The high demand for customer support and back-office efficiency in telecommunication makes RPA a perfect match for this industry. It can help with customer onboarding, service request automation, and billing adjustments with chatbots that automate FAQs or routing complex issues to human agents.
Human resources
HRs have a lot of repetitive administrative tasks in recruitment and employee management that can be given to an RPA solution. Resume screening, onboarding processes, payroll management, and many more tasks can be completed more efficiently with a robot. Apart from that, you can automate the extraction of key clauses and terms from contracts to expedite legal reviews or automate scanning emails, documents, or financial transactions to ensure regulatory compliance.
Pros and cons of RPA for your businesses
Obviously, RPA’s potential extends far beyond just reducing costs as it helps people do their jobs better and faster. But what are the other benefits of RPA? Does it have bad sides? Does your company need it? Check out some pros and cons of RPA first:
It seems like the notion about the impact of RPA on employees needs an additional word. While RPA can lead to some job displacement, its primary impact is to enhance roles and create new opportunities. To get all the benefits and minimize the resistance of your employees, be sure to address concerns and offer training.
Leading RPA tools and platforms on the market
As of December 2024, there are ten most popular and widely used RPA tools:
UiPath is one of the most popular and user-friendly RPA platforms that offers an end-to-end solution for automation. Its use cases include invoice processing, customer service, data extraction, and IT operations.
Automation Anywhere is a leading RPA platform known for its cloud-native approach and enterprise-grade automation. It can be used in supply chain management, HR automation, and finance workflows.
Blue Prism is known as a pioneer in RPA. It focuses on enterprise-level automation with robust governance and scalability. It is widely used in banking, insurance, healthcare, and telecom.
Microsoft Power Automate is a part of the Microsoft Power Platform. It offers RPA as a natural extension for businesses already using Microsoft products. Use cases include document processing, email automation, and approval workflows.
Pega offers RPA as part of its broader Business Process Management suite. It is used for customer onboarding, compliance tracking, and claims processing.
IBM Robotic Process Automation solution benefits from its expertise in AI and cloud to provide intelligent automation. Among use cases are customer service chatbots, IT automation, and fraud detection.
Nintex RPA is known for its focus on ease of use and business process automation. Used in marketing, HR, and finance workflows.
WorkFusion is a platform that combines RPA with AI-driven automation. It is popular for insurance claims, document processing, and customer onboarding.
Kryon is known for its process discovery and attended automation solutions. It is used for front-office operations, call centers, and IT support.
Appian RPA is a low-code platform that integrates RPA with BPM and AI. Used in retail, logistics, and healthcare operations.
How much does it cost to implement RPA?
The cost will depend on an immense amount of factors, starting with the complexity of processes (simple rule-based tasks are cheaper to automate than processes requiring AI or ML), customized needs (tailored workflows or unique integrations increase costs), the number of bots required, and the chosen vendor, as licensing fees and pricing models vary across platforms. Let’s have a more detailed breakdown of the RPA implementation costs.
Software licensing
Cost range: $5,000 to $15,000 per bot annually.
Most RPA platforms (e.g., UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism) charge based on the number of bots or processes automated.
Cloud-based option: Subscription-based models (RPA-as-a-Service) may lower upfront costs but involve recurring payments.
Development and implementation
Cost range: $5,000 to $30,000 per bot or process. It includes designing, developing, testing, and deploying automation workflows.
Complex processes requiring integrations with multiple systems or AI may cost more.
Infrastructure costs
Cost range: $1,000 to $10,000 (initial setup). On-premise RPA requires hardware, server, and storage investments. Cloud-based RPA typically reduces infrastructure costs but may incur monthly fees.
Maintenance and support
Cost range: 10–20% of annual software costs (average $1,000–$3,000 per bot/year). Covers software updates, bug fixes, and technical support. Includes monitoring and refining bots to maintain optimal performance.
Training and change management
Cost range: $500 to $5,000 per employee. Companies often need to train employees to work alongside bots and manage RPA tools.
Consulting services
Cost range: $10,000 to $50,000 (project-based or hourly rates). You may hire RPA consultants to assess processes, design strategies, and ensure smooth implementation.
Total estimated costs
Based on the above sums, these are the average totals for different-sized solutions.
Small-scale implementation will cost $20,000 to $50,000 for 1–3 bots.
Medium-scale implementation will cost $100,000 to $250,000 for 10–20 bots.
Large-scale implementation can cost $500,000+ for enterprise-wide automation with advanced features.
How can you cut these costs? Hire a skilled RPA consultant with staff augmentation! Contact MWDN, and we will help you find and hire an expert with up to 60% lower direct labor costs!
