From Support to Strategic: Why Business Support Roles Are the New Growth Lever
For years, business support roles were viewed as essential but operational, focused on productivity, administration and keeping the wheels turning. In 2026, that mindset is no longer fit for purpose.
Across EA, PA, HR, Reward, People, Operations and Office Support functions, we are seeing a fundamental shift: support roles are no longer just enabling work, they are driving performance, leadership effectiveness and business growth.
At C&C Search, we work closely with leaders across financial services, investment, private equity, property and professional services and one thing is clear: organisations that invest strategically in support functions consistently outperform those that treat them as reactive or replaceable.
The Evolution of Support Roles in Modern Organisations
The role of the Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant, HR partner or Operations lead has evolved significantly. Today’s support professionals are expected to bring emotional intelligence, commercial awareness, stakeholder management and strategic insight, not just technical capability.
Modern EAs and PAs act as trusted business partners, gatekeepers to leadership time and drivers of organisational rhythm. HR and People teams shape culture, retention and leadership capability. Operations and Office Managers ensure businesses scale smoothly without chaos.
These roles sit at the intersection of people, process and performance, making them uniquely positioned to influence outcomes far beyond their job description.
The Cost of Underinvesting in Support Functions
When support roles are under-resourced, underpaid or under-scoped, the impact is felt quickly and often expensively.
Common consequences include:
Leadership burnout and decision fatigue
Poor communication and operational bottlenecks
Slower execution and missed opportunities
Increased attrition and disengagement
A culture of constant firefighting rather than focus
Underinvestment can drain leadership capacity and limit business growth. Replacing support staff frequently due to misalignment or burnout also fuels churn, driving up recruitment costs and destabilising teams.
What Great Support Unlocks for Leadership
When the right support professionals are hired into the right environment, the impact is transformational.
Great EAs and PAs create space for leaders to think strategically, make better decisions and operate at pace without overwhelm. HR and People leaders build resilient teams, strengthen engagement and reduce attrition. Operations and Office support bring structure, clarity and scalability.
In short, great support unlocks leadership effectiveness. It enables organisations to move faster, communicate better and perform more consistently — especially during periods of growth, change or uncertainty.
This is why forward-thinking organisations are now hiring support roles earlier, more intentionally and with greater clarity around outcomes.
Hiring Strategically, Not Reactively
Despite this shift, many businesses still hire support roles reactively, only once pressure becomes unmanageable. This often leads to rushed processes, unclear role scope and misaligned hires.
Strategic hiring starts with clarity:
What outcomes do we need this role to deliver in the first 6–12 months?
How will this role support leadership, not just tasks?
What behaviours and mindset are essential for success here?
Working with a specialist recruitment partner ensures these questions are addressed upfront. At C&C Search, our consultants specialise by function: EA, PA, HR, Reward & Talent, Operations, Office Support and FOH, allowing us to identify candidates who align not just on skills, but on values, pace and leadership style.
Building Long-Term Impact Through Development and Onboarding
Hiring well is only part of the equation. Long-term impact comes from supporting people once they’re in the role.
That’s why every candidate placed through C&C Search receives 12 months of complimentary access to C&C Academy, our award-winning CPD and development platform. This supports confidence, capability and retention, helping new hires embed quickly and grow with the business.
For employers, this means stronger onboarding, more engaged teams and support professionals who stay, evolve and add increasing value over time.
Final Thought: Support Is No Longer a Cost, It’s a Catalyst
In 2026, the most successful organisations won’t be those with the biggest teams, but those with the best-supported leaders and the strongest support functions.
If you’re still viewing EA, PA, HR and Operations roles as purely administrative, you may be missing one of your biggest growth levers.
If you’d like to discuss how to hire strategically into these roles — and build support teams that drive performance, not just productivity — we’d love to help.
📩 Get in touch:hello@candcsearch.co.uk
🌐 Learn more:www.candcsearch.co.uk
Specialists in EA, PA, HR, Reward & Talent, Office Support, Operations, FOH and Temporary recruitment.
