ABSTRACT
This chapter challenges the conventional belief that increased attentional processing is key to productivity. Instead, it explains the concept of cognitive automation, where subconscious information processing can replace conscious attention to achieve the same, or even better, outcomes. This has the potential to free up scarce attentional resources, which can then be used where they are irreplaceable. The chapter builds on the premise that some functions requiring employee attention can be automated subconsciously. This is not reliant on artificial intelligence integration or invasive technology but is a progression towards optimizing human cognitive functioning in organizations. By shifting processing from conscious to subconscious, cognitive automation can enhance performance akin to technological automation in self-driving cars and auto-pilots in planes. The chapter reviews the literature on automated cognition and connects it with work functioning, suggesting that primed, subconscious goals can be effective as conscious ones are in guiding behaviors, thus offering new avenues for competitive advantage in the workplace.
