This is a podcast by Hiran de Silva. Narrated by Bill.
There’s a LinkedIn post by Muhammad Sharif about automating 90% of his reports, and it raises a broader question: what exactly are people doing when they automate their work? What is the underlying business model at play? This topic deserves deeper exploration, and it prompts us to ask: what are people trying to achieve with automation, and who truly benefits from it?
The Business Model: Time for Money.
Traditionally, many jobs are based on exchanging time for money. A traffic warden or an airline pilot is paid based on the time they spend performing tasks. Their roles inherently require a fixed amount of time to complete, and they are compensated accordingly. But what happens when automation enters the picture, regardless of who initiates it? If automation allows someone to complete a day’s work in half the time, does that mean they only get paid for half a day?
If your income is tied to the time spent working, automation might not be as beneficial as it seems. Instead of freeing up time for leisure or other tasks, it could lead to reduced pay or even job redundancy. This is where the disconnect lies between automation proponents and the realities of many jobs.
Automation’s Real Beneficiary is Management.
Let’s take a typical data processing job as an example. Management hires employees under the assumption that certain tasks will take a set amount of time. Employees complete these tasks manually, and the status quo is maintained. Influencers like Kat Norton and Mark Proctor target this audience, offering solutions that claim to save 50% or more of their time through automation.
But here’s the issue: if automation reduces the workload by half, the immediate beneficiary is not the employee but management. Management can cut costs by reducing staff or reallocating resources. This is exactly what happened in my second case study at GTA Travelport, where we automated a significant portion of reporting tasks. Instead of merely speeding up manual processes, we re-engineered the data flows, eliminating the need for manual consolidation (of 50 regional offices) altogether.
The result? The work no longer needed to be done. It is already done. The team resisted because they feared job losses. And this fear was justified–automation did indeed make many roles redundant.
A Critical Look at Automation Content.
When influencers promote automation as a way to save time and avoid repetitive tasks, they are often selling a superficial solution. Their content grabs attention with headlines like “Save 50% of Your Time” or “Eliminate 90% of Your Work.” However, these claims ignore the underlying business model. If saving time directly translates to less work being needed, it could ultimately lead to fewer jobs.
Management, on the other hand, views automation differently. They see it as a means to increase productivity, streamline processes, and reduce costs. If influencers pitched their automation solutions to management instead of employees, they might find a more receptive audience. Management wants efficient processes, not manual tasks.
Management have the greater need. Management has the greater opportunity and power. But above all, management have the money!
So then, why aren’t those influencers who want to encourage automation not targeting management?
The Opportunity for Excel Users: Process Re-engineering.
Here’s the real opportunity: rather than focusing on automating repetitive tasks, Excel users should look at the bigger picture. The goal is to re-engineer processes to create value for the entire organization. This means transforming manual, ad hoc processes into streamlined, automated systems that require minimal human intervention. This means adopting an entirely different mindset.
Consider the case of Michael Jr. He started at the bottom of the organizational hierarchy, doing manual, repetitive tasks in Excel. But instead of just speeding up his work with keyboard shortcuts or recording macros, he learned how to transform the entire end-to-end process. He presented his solution to his boss, demonstrating how it made huge amounts of work unnecessary thus eliminated unnecessary work and improved efficiency across departments.
Michael’s initiative didn’t just save time–it created visible, measurable value. His job, as it originally existed, became redundant. But in doing so, he created a new role for himself–one that didn’t exist before. He became invaluable to the organization because he solved a problem that no one else had addressed, not even the IT department or external consultants. And his solution can be replicated across the company.
Why This Approach Works.
Unlike the superficial approach of merely making existing manual tasks happen faster, process re-engineering addresses the core needs of management – the need for ‘process’ and ‘systemization’. It delivers enterprise-wide value and gains visibility at higher levels of the organization. This is what led to my own success–I focused on delivering what management truly wanted: efficient, scalable processes that have the minimum of steps. You can see some Case Studies here (TBA).
Excel users who want to advance their careers should shift their focus from learning keyboard shortcuts and complicated formulas to understanding business processes and identifying opportunities for improvement. By doing so, they can position themselves as problem solvers who add strategic value.
Conclusion.
Automation, as it’s commonly promoted, is often a dead-end for employees. While it promises to save time, it can lead to job insecurity and dissatisfaction. However, by adopting a process re-engineering mindset, Excel users can create new opportunities for themselves and deliver lasting value to their organizations that align with organisational goals.
This approach is not about the same work being done faster. It’s about eliminating unnecessary work altogether and creating systems that drive efficiency and productivity. That’s the real secret to Triple Your Pay With Excel.
So, to all Excel users: stop chasing keyboard shortcuts and start thinking about the bigger picture. Focus on re-engineering processes, adding value, and making yourself indispensable. That’s the path to real career advancement–not just automating your tasks, but transforming the way work is done.
This is a podcast by Hiran de Silva. Narrated by Bill.
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