Zurich Insurance has implemented a new robotic operating model (ROM) provided by Blue Prism, allowing them to accelerate automation across the business. The company also established an Automation Academy as a way of supporting employees by encouraging them to reimagine the working process.
Zurich Insurance, amongst the leading insurance providers in the world, realized the importance of innovation by automation and in 2018 brought its continuous improvement and automation teams together, providing a faster and more efficient operating model. This change allowed Zurich to automate 140 processes, carried out by 68 Blue Prism robots, supporting 85% of Zurich UK’s functions.
The Automation Academy was established with workforce sustainability in mind. Graduated employees become active developers or business function automation advocates, identifying automation opportunities, shaping the future of the business and the industry. The high demand for Academy places promises even faster automation and the business aims to fit specific business function requirements by establishing at least one automation pod in all business functions.
Stephen Aldred, continuous improvement & automation manager at Zurich Insurance, said: “To get any kind of success in automation, you need to understand the human element. You need to understand why people are fearful about it. You need to understand what training is required. Our CEO is passionate about workforce sustainability and we are immensely proud of the automation academy program that we have delivered. There’s now no exec member that doesn’t have automation as a topic on their agenda.”
Blue Prism is also continuously working to provide and improve the AI-empowered digital workforce. These workers will facilitate automation processes and will drive intelligent automation at scale across the business.
Eric Tyree, head of AI and innovation at Blue Prism, said: “Zurich Insurance is a quality example of what can be achieved with top-down buy-in for intelligent automation and a clear vision for its workforce. With a robust, agile, and ever-improving robotic operating model, Zurich and its workforce are well prepared for the increasingly competitive environment that lies ahead.”
