Magnus Ahlqvist is president & CEO of Securitas, a security solutions partner with world-leading technology and expertise.
People are more irreplaceable than ever before, even in the age of automation.
Especially in the age of automation.
As the leader of a business with more than 330,000 people across the globe, I’m often faced with questions about the rise of automation and its impact on people. But my answer to those questions is simple: Although many view automation chiefly as a cost reduction or labor replacement tool, I see it as the key to unlocking the potential of our workforce.
Rethinking The Value Equation
Rather than diminishing the value people bring to the workplace, automation magnifies it by changing the nature of the work we do in two important ways. First, by removing low-value, repetitive tasks, it sharpens the distinctly human capabilities that underpin trust in business: judgment, creativity, intuition, ethical reasoning and emotional intelligence. Second, technology and automation augment our capabilities in ways we never imagined or thought possible. In both cases, it’s not about removing people from the equation but rethinking how their value can be multiplied.
Automation As A Capability Enhancement Tool
If we look at the security industry as an example, we can see this dynamic in real time. One of the largest traditionally “analog” industries, security is in the midst of a major transformation that hinges on this powerful combination of people and technology.
In our monitoring centers, for instance, AI and machine learning help filter out nuisance alarms, allowing operators to focus on genuine security threats. At our risk intelligence center, AI handles the time-consuming step of collecting and processing data, while analysts apply context, expertise and judgment to turn alerts into actionable intelligence. In data centers, AI-based screening technology allows data center security professionals to focus on higher-value work.
Technology also gives clients visibility into operations, making it easier for them to see, in real time, the impact our people have on their business. It brings greater transparency, giving both sides a clearer view of performance and value.
These examples illustrate what I think is most interesting and valuable about automation: its ability to substantially increase the strategy and problem-solving capacity of our workforce. Enabled by advancing technologies, it becomes an engine for augmenting human capability at scale.
Seeing automation in this way—as a strategic capability enhancement tool that complements and empowers your people—is the real differentiator for modern businesses.
The Stairway Analogy
But this approach requires a mindset shift and an investment from leadership. Rather than asking, “How many people can a camera replace?” ask yourself, “How can technology elevate our people and, in turn, amplify the value we deliver to clients?” This reframes the conversation and keeps people at the center of your decision-making.
This is only truly sustainable, though, if it’s accompanied by intentional upskilling and reskilling. As a company’s greatest asset, your people need opportunities to continue to grow and thrive.
Think of it as a stairway, where each step forward in technology and automation demands a step up in human capability. To keep the dynamic in balance, you must develop your people at the same time as you invest in technology and automation.
For instance, whereas the traditional role of a security officer in a data center has been in controlling access and operating screening equipment, we’re rethinking that value equation by training and upskilling more than 10,000 of our security officers, equipping them with advanced knowledge and skills for today’s highly complex environments. This specialized training enables security professionals to deliver a higher level of service and strengthens the trust clients place in both our people and our company.
Aligning Progress With Purpose
Like most in the services sector, Securitas is a people company that runs on insight, experience and trust. The same can be said for many businesses. Regardless of industry, success depends on your people, which means that your human strategy must come before your technology strategy.
Define the ideal future role for your people first, then deploy the technology to enable it. And ensure that vision remains grounded in your organization’s purpose and values. The real magic happens when technology brings your people closer to that purpose, allowing them to focus on meaningful work that ultimately improves their engagement and satisfaction.
Therein lies the true power of technology and automation: unlocking not only the potential of your workforce but the purpose of your business, too.
People Make The Difference
In today’s age of automation, the most successful businesses are those that combine the strengths of people and technology, recognizing that the combination is greater than the sum of its parts.
As technology becomes more capable, so do we. Our role becomes sharper, our contribution becomes clearer and our value becomes greater. Like playing a sport, the better the opponent, the more your own game improves. With this lens, automation becomes not a story of humanless work but of human potential rising higher than ever. And that’s what makes people more irreplaceable now—especially in the age of automation.
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