I keep seeing posts patting assistants on the head.
“Not everyone wants to be strategic, and that’s ok.”
“There’s still a role for those of you that want to stick to doing lower level administrative work.”
“If you want to stay task-based, no problem.”
I need to be brutally honest, and you know I will never sugar-coat it.
It IS a problem.
Because the world of work is changing.
And this type of work is becoming irrelevant – fast!
I spend huge amounts of time studying every report I can lay my hands on in order to keep you properly informed. And everything I am reading is telling me that AI is taking over repetitive, process-driven tasks at a pace we’ve never seen before.
The very work that once defined the traditional assistant role is already being automated in many of your organisations. Scheduling, travel bookings, meeting prep, even inbox management, is all being done by systems that don’t take lunch breaks or annual leave.
For example:
• In the UK civil service, 62% of administrative‑assistant tasks have been labelled “automatable”, and will save £36 billion a year.
• Google reports that it will save an average of 122 hours a year by using AI for administrative tasks.
Does this mean that the role will cease to exist?
Absolutely not!
But it is shifting fundamentally, and the future of this profession belongs to those who:
• Understand the business and align their work to strategic goals.
• Use AI as a productivity partner, not fear it as a threat.
• Spot risks and opportunities before leadership does.
• Become a connector, an advisor, a decision-support function.
The traditional, task-based role is disappearing. What’s replacing it is more influential, more respected, and more impactful – but only if you evolve with it.
The choice isn’t between “strategic” and “task-based.”
The choice is between having a job or becoming irrelevant.
If that feels uncomfortable, good.
Because the discomfort is where the change begins.
Feeling scared and unsure where to begin? Here’s where to start:
1. Dip your toes into AI. Ask your manager for just a few hours’ training.
2. Audit your own work. Identify tasks AI could handle (email triage, scheduling, basic research), and use that freed-up time to tackle higher-level, strategic activities.
3. Invest in skill-building. Find short online courses or free resources to boost your AI fluency. Even simple mastery, like AI scheduling tools, can increase your efficiency by 25%.
4. Lean into your uniquely human skills. Judgment, empathy, foresight, relationships – AI won’t replace these. Use them to advise, foresee challenges, and build influence.
Don’t wait for disruption! Drive it.
Now is not the moment for pats on the head. It’s the moment to stand up, learn, and lead.
