From Assistants to Strategists

The philosophy of enhancement, not replacement

Central to understanding this transformation is the philosophy that AI serves as a tool for enhancement rather than replacement. This perspective shifts the narrative from one of worry to one of opportunity, emphasizing the potential for growth and development in administrative roles.

Humans bring unique strengths to the table: emotional intelligence, complex problem solving and adaptability. When paired with AI's data processing and analytical capabilities, these qualities can be amplified. The result is a workplace where administrative professionals are empowered by technology, not replaced by it. Leveraging AI as a collaborative augmenter rather than a competitor empowers employees to do less repetitive menial work, freeing up time for more strategic, creative, complicated and interpersonal tasks that machines cannot replicate. This approach does not just lead to more cost-effective and efficient operations; it also creates opportunities for enhancing workplace experiences. This symbiotic relationship between human intuition and AI efficiency has the potential to elevate administrative roles, making them more impactful and fulfilling.

The revolution is underway

For example, a workplace experience manager is in charge of food expenses across six offices - a complex task that includes budgeting the daily cost per person, how this varies between locations, and how these expenses can be efficiently tracked and controlled. But the job also requires staffing the front desk to greet, check in and assist visitors, which presents a challenge when trying to negotiate with vendors and optimize per-person food costs across all offices.

Automating check-in with an AI-powered virtual front desk can enhance efficiency and improve user experience without necessarily replacing human jobs. In this example, the system guides visitors through the check-in process and notifies the appropriate staff members, allowing the workplace experience manager to focus on the more strategic task of multi-office budget management.​​ This leads to better cost oversight without sacrificing the quality of service provided to both employees and visitors.

While the efficiency gains are undeniable, agentic AI is by no means a set-it-and-forget-it strategy for workplace operations. The workplace – much like the universe – is an ever-expanding, evolving continuum of data points and patterns unstructured data, and AI provides the power to harness this unstructured data into intelligence to support better decision making. Large language models powering AI workplace insights will need to be governed, instructed and trained (by humans) to generate increasingly better and more relevant output. Administrators and facility teams are more adept at extracting this intelligence will deliver greater business value than those who cannot or will not.

Emerging skills & roles

Within this evolving dynamic, administrative professionals are developing new skills to thrive in an AI-enhanced workplace. These include data analysis, AI system management, advanced problem solving and strategic thinking. New roles are emerging: former receptionists are expanding their responsibilities to include complex tasks like budget management, employee engagement initiatives and workspace optimization.

As generative AI becomes more widely adopted and integrated into workplaces – or any business operation – what will differentiate highly skilled administrators from the pack is their sophistication in instructing the model. Unlike a search query on the web, natural language “prompts” retrieve data from various sources and modalities (like text, video, image, audio) and organize this data in a generated response that makes meaning of that data. Imagine gathering all the data for a typical workplace – from day-to-day operations (e.g., on-site working hours, meetings, company holidays) to human interactions (e.g., meeting audio, email, etc.) to behavior and motivations (engagement survey results, event participation) to space planning (e.g., parking capacity).

Suddenly a whole new world of unlimited data points (or unstructured information) can be organized and made available to the administrator for better decision making (i.e., intelligence). This is the era of administrative intelligence, where the brightest admins are those skilled at knowing which data sets to feed the large language model, knowing how to prompt the model to get to the insights needed, and most importantly, continually instructing the model so that it can deliver greater value.

For example, a workplace experience manager is in charge of food expenses across six offices - a complex task that includes budgeting the daily cost per person, how this varies between locations, and how these expenses can be efficiently tracked and controlled. But the job also requires staffing the front desk to greet, check in and assist visitors, which presents a challenge when trying to negotiate with vendors and optimize per-person food costs across all offices.

Automating check-in with an AI-powered virtual front desk can enhance efficiency and improve user experience without necessarily replacing human jobs. In this example, the system guides visitors through the check-in process and notifies the appropriate staff members, allowing the workplace experience manager to focus on the more strategic task of multi-office budget management.​​ This leads to better cost oversight without sacrificing the quality of service provided to both employees and visitors.

Collaboration & progression

With more time to devote to complex tasks that require human insight and decision making thanks to AI handling more routine tasks, employees can make better use of their hours in the office, collaborating with colleagues and engaging in face-to-face interactions that can drive their career growth and benefit their companies. This shift allows employees to naturally progress toward more impactful roles and responsibilities.

The potential applications of AI in the workplace are vast, ranging from predictive analytics that identify when an employee might need additional support or training to AI-driven onboarding processes tailored to each new hire's needs. It is essential to communicate these advancements as tools that enhance employee capabilities and create new opportunities for growth and innovation, rather than threats to job security.

As workplaces become more flexible and dynamic, with factors like parking and office occupancy changing daily, there is an increased need for smart, AI-driven solutions to manage these variables effectively. By embracing these technologies, companies can hope to find a middle ground between employee preferences and business needs, creating a more productive and satisfying work environment for all.

The democratization of AI assistance

Ambient AI is one interesting concept gaining traction in the workplace: essentially AI systems that operate in the background, supporting and enhancing human work without being intrusive. As this evolves, there can be an always-available AI personal assistant for everyone, handling tasks like scheduling rooms and desks, managing catering and cleaning for events, and checking in external guests.

This technology aims to enhance the office experience, potentially making in-person work more appealing and beneficial for career growth. Accessible through a mobile app, the AI provides real-time office information and responds to user requests, automating various aspects of office management. By offering these tools to all employees, not just executives, the approach democratizes access to personal productivity assistance, helping streamline work life and facilitate proactive decision making.

A period of ongoing change

Looking ahead, the role of AI in administrative functions will only grow. Companies need to prepare their teams for these ongoing changes. It is crucial for companies to develop thoughtful policies regarding AI integration. While the intent may not be to replace employees, the reality is that some roles may become obsolete. Companies should prioritize retraining and reskilling programs to help employees transition into new roles that leverage their existing knowledge and skills in combination with AI tools, fostering a mindset of continuous learning and adaptation. Some key strategies include:

• Retraining programs: Invest in upskilling current employees to work alongside AI systems effectively.

• Developing new AI-leveraging roles: Create positions that focus on managing and optimizing AI systems.

• Change management techniques: Help employees understand and adapt to the changing nature of their roles.

• Clear communication: Emphasize that AI is a tool for enhancement, not replacement.

A new era for administrative roles

As AI is embraced in administrative roles, it is crucial to maintain a balance between efficiency and the human touch. While AI can handle many routine tasks, there will always be a need for human judgment, empathy and creativity in the workplace.

The goal is not to create a fully automated office devoid of human interaction. Instead, it is about using AI to enhance human capabilities and create a more efficient, effective and enjoyable work environment. This approach is particularly vital in today's economic climate, where companies are looking to optimize their resources rather than spend on nonessential amenities and leads to more efficient operations as well as opening new opportunities for professional growth and innovation.

The key to success will be adaptability. Administrative professionals who can work alongside AI, leveraging its capabilities while bringing their uniquely human skills to the table, will thrive. The future of administrative roles is not about humans versus machines, but about humans and machines working together to create more value than either could alone.