, the provider of integrated digital services and print and imaging solutions, has published new research revealing that one of the biggest factors negatively impacting employee productivity and fulfilment is a lack of financial process automation. 

Across Europe, wider legislative changes and mandates around e-invoicing are being explored, spurring many organisations to want to implement automation to avoid potential financial penalties. According to the research, many employees feel this change and implementation is long overdue, as Ricoh reveals that slow adoption of process automation has put talent retention at risk.

From a financial leader’s point of view, Ricoh found that process automation under investment was the joint top factor impacting employee productivity, alongside outdated collaboration tools and the pressure of achieving high growth targets (27 per cent). A similar sentiment is shared by employees, as 32 per cent who do not have access to automation technologies stated they wanted them.

While these processes are being developed, employees must instead spend time on manual processes. Not only does this use up one of the most valuable resources a company can utilise – employees’ time – but it also increases the risk of human error and potential delays.

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel as Ricoh found that financial leaders are evolving their attitudes towards automation. Thirty-four per cent have said they are placing a higher priority on investments in tools to help staff do their job more efficiently than they did in the previous year.

Productivity and morale are not the only risks organisations face if they don’t look to integrate automated processing into their infrastructures. Financial penalties loom for firms failing to improve their e-invoicing capabilities.

The EU Directive 2014/55/EU is expanding to cover B2B payments, and individual EU member states are setting their own mandatory e-invoicing deadlines. Germany enforced its own as of January 2025, with Spain and France expected to follow suit by 2026.

Even businesses based in countries without imminent mandates should consider the early adoption of e-invoicing and financial process automation as a strategic business priority. Regulatory changes are likely and expected across other regions too, particularly as governments look to align with EU and global standards. Organisations operating cross-border will also increasingly need to comply with international e-invoicing rules.

Stuart, chief financial officer of Ricoh Europe, said: “As financial leaders, we have a responsibility to prioritise the wellbeing of our teams and ensure organisational compliance. Automation is key to both.

“Not only does automation enhance productivity and job satisfaction, it also brings wider business benefits, from improved data accuracy and real-time financial insights, to reduced risk exposure. While concerns around financial data sensitivity and privacy aren’t without warrant, partnering with a reliable digital expert, with proven technical expertise, will ensure data remains secure. With the right support, businesses and their finance teams can adopt automation confidently and reap its benefits with minimal disruption.”

Where to begin?

Employees will do better work, and fines will be avoided by implementing process automation technologies. But despite the awareness of the benefits the change could bring, 30 per cent admit they don’t know where to start when it comes to altering workflows without disrupting productivity.