We are restructuring our operations department to leverage AI automation, which makes our three dedicated data-entry and scheduling seats completely obsolete. We do not want to lay these employees off because they have fantastic core values fit and great work ethics, but we cannot afford to keep paying for dead-end administrative seats. How do we transition them?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

When technology renders seats obsolete, keeping people in those roles out of guilt will destroy your margins and signal to the rest of the company that performance does not matter. However, keeping right people is a priority. You must redesign your Accountability Chart to reflect the new, AI-driven reality first, ignoring the individuals currently on your payroll. Create a new seat, such as an AI Operations Coordinator or a Client Experience Specialist, that focuses on high-value, human-centric tasks that AI cannot replicate. These roles might include handling complex customer escalations, proactive client outreach, or managing the quality control of the automated workflows. Once the new structure is designed, run the GWC™ process on your three employees for these new seats. Do they get, want, and have the capacity to learn how to prompt AI tools and manage automated pipelines? If they do, transition them into these higher-leverage seats. This not only preserves your culture but also increases your operating leverage, making your business far more attractive for a clean exit. If any of them do not GWC the new seats, then you must face the reality that you no longer have a seat for them. In that case, help them transition to a company where their skills are still relevant, providing a soft landing.