The secretariat of the future: Efficient and scalable with VAs and AI

Challenges within in-house secretariats

In many organizations, the secretariat still operates in the classic way: Executive Assistants (EAs) support (senior) management on all fronts, from scheduling meetings to managing complex agendas, screening inboxes, preparing meetings, planning events, and so on. But this approach has its limits – think of:

1. Labor shortages and staffing issues
   Finding suitable people? A challenge. Leave, illness, or turnover constantly create gaps, and HR remains busy with recruitment. That is costly and time-consuming.
2. Limited growth opportunities
   Agenda management and emails are important parts of the job but offer little room for challenge or growth. By giving employees more varied and strategic tasks, you not only increase their engagement but also their satisfaction. This ensures a motivated team and less time that managers have to spend encouraging employees.
   
3. Digital skills needed
   The world is digitizing at a rapid pace, but your team can’t always keep up. Investments in training pile up, while digital skills become increasingly important.
4. High fixed costs
   From salaries to sick leave replacements, an in-house secretariat brings significant costs. These costs are difficult to adjust when the workload fluctuates, which often encourages inefficiency.

The smart solution: VAs and technology hand in hand

The future of management support is flexible and smart! Virtual Assistants can not only relieve pressure but also combine their work with AI tools to keep the secretariat running smoothly. This way, you delegate repetitive tasks, such as agenda management and filtering emails, and your own team of EAs focuses on the more strategic work.

Human + AI: The Best Combination

The strength of AI and VAs lies in the interplay. AI can automate tasks such as categorizing emails and scheduling meetings, while the VA uses this technology to work even more efficiently. This leaves room for complex tasks and customized support. The future? Not either human or technology, but the ideal balance between the two! You can read more about our vision on Human + AI in this blog.

Need for customized management support

Every manager and every team is unique. Where the secretariat used to offer the same support everywhere, the wishes are much more specific these days:

• Personal appointments and socials
  Some managers want their support person to also manage private matters such as personal appointments and social media. A VA can easily take on these tasks and tailor them to the manager.
• Complex travel and event planning
  For managers who travel or plan events regularly, a VA can take on full coordination. No more stress about logistics; the VA arranges it.
• Screening of communication
  Busy inbox? Have a VA do the initial selection so that only the important emails reach the manager. This saves time and ensures focus.

Hybrid model: Your EAs and external VAs together

Want the best of both worlds? Combine internal EAs for strategic and confidential tasks with a flexible pool of VAs for the executive tasks. This way, you create a support structure that always moves with the organization and quickly scales up during peak periods. The VAs work remotely and are flexibly deployable – exactly where and when you need them.

The new secretariat: flexible and future-proof

With VAs and technology, you give your secretariat a complete upgrade. Fixed costs fall, your teams are more productive, and you can effortlessly switch between different capacity needs.

A flexible combination of VAs, EAs, and AI provides support that moves effortlessly with your organization. This way, you create a secretariat that is ready for the future – with customized support, at the right time, and at lower costs.

Curious how this works for your organization? Schedule a free introductory meeting directly and discover the possibilities!