Bengaluru, Jul 29 (IANS): About 48 per cent of businesses around the world will increase Robotic Process Automation (RPA) adoption due to Covid-19, show results of a survey.

Companies are increasingly using RPA and other intelligent automation technologies to address new business and market pressures stemming from the pandemic, said the study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of RPA firm UiPath.

The results showed that companies are using RPA to increase agility, diversity, and resilience in their supply chain operations, address extraordinary cost pressures by automating back-office and operational tasks and support remote workforces.

"The pandemic has turned the world upside down, and the shock has greatly accelerated businesses' march toward the future of work. Automation has emerged as an invaluable asset for organisations to embrace this changing way of work. The time to automate is now," Tom Clancy, Senior Vice President, UiPath Learning.

"Now more than ever, digital skillsets are necessary. To enhance retention and produce productivity, it's employers' responsibilities to offer digital training -- specifically automation training -- as part of career development initiatives."

For the study, Forrester conducted an online survey of 160 process automation decision-makers from operations groups, shared services, finance, and other lines of business in organisations spanning France, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the US.

The results of the survey showed that the pandemic has expedited digital transformations and created a surge in automation investment.