Signal Shared services today remain operational and administrative rather than analytical

Summary

McKinsey's 2026 survey describes where shared services stand before the shift toward AI-native models. Today these centers still concentrate mostly on operational tasks, cited by 56 percent, and administrative tasks, cited by 49 percent. Fewer handle analytical work, at 41 percent, and only about a quarter take on strategic tasks, at 26 percent. This profile reflects the traditional model built on process efficiency and cost reduction. McKinsey contrasts it with the future vision of centers that serve as strategic partners and innovation hubs, which is why so many organizations plan to expand into analytics and transformation work.