Automation has gotten a bad rap as something that will take over human jobs. But in a modern organization, automation isn’t meant to replace people, it’s meant to enhance their work experience. 

In fact, according to automation expert and Zentist co-founder Paulina Song, automation can actually help employees feel challenged and engaged.  In this episode of PIVOT, Paulina explains why automating tasks can help employees do more of the work they love. You’ll hear her journey as a consultant for dental practices, her approach to automating people ops, and the most common automation mistakes she sees in small businesses.

On this episode, you’ll hear:

• [00:33-03:07] Meet Paulina Song, automation expert and Zentist co-founder
• [03:20-04:30] How automation helps employees feel challenged and engaged
• [04:50-06:40] When it’s time for a small business to operationalize its people work
• [06:42-07:56] How to think about new hires as long-term business investments
• [09:01-11:26] Small business obstacles to automation
• [11:49-15:43] How the pandemic changed the dental industry
• [16:59-19:54] Empowering employees to be “mini engineers” using technology
• [20:34-22:57] How to talk to your people about using technology to work smarter
• [23:32-26:28] Enhancing the employee experience through expectation- and goal-setting
• [26:28-29:35] Where small businesses should start with automating people ops
• [29:43-31:19] Why Paulina is optimistic about small business: refreshed perspective

After you listen: 

• Pre-order your copy of our book People Operations: Zenefits.com/pops-book
• Follow the podcast
• Submit your People Ops questions: https://www.zenefits.com/workest/ask-a-question/