Companies across the European Union are ready to invest in automation of IT processes to cut costs, according to IDC.

The analyst surveyed staff who make IT purchasing decisions in about 500 organisations. Half the respondents said IT process automation was a likely response to current financial pressures.

Those whose companies consider staff cuts or centralisation of IT as beneficial in tough times were even more likely to favour IT process automation also.

Martin Canning, EMEA vice president of software and services research at IDC, said the poll showed that European organisations of all sizes are now more seriously considering investing in IT process automation.

“IT organisational change is fuelling interest in process automation,” Canning said.

“IT groups may have to deliver existing levels of service to their organisations, but with fewer personnel. Employing process automation techniques is likely to be their best shot at achieving this.”

A quarter of respondents also said reduction of IT staff numbers is a distinct possibility, with that proportion rising to 33 per cent in the UK and France.

Larger organisations were keener on IT process automation, but SMBs also indicated strong interest.