MacOS really exists 10-15 years in the past. You need a lot of 3rd party tools and extensions to add functionality that Apple should have added years ago.
As for why it works for standard users. On Apple Silicon, Software Updates don't actually need Admin access they need Volume Ownership (Intel Macs use a bootstrap token for software updates which comes from admin access). Should Apple update this message to reflect the current authentication requirements? Absolutely, but the only way they will even considering updating anything is if enough feedback requests are submitted.
Your only real option is to get documentation and training out to your users.
- Use JAMF Helper to present popups with information
- Users will still still be asked for Admin access by the macOS popup, but JAMF Helper could help them understand what that means if they actually read the JAMF Helper notification.
- Use something like Nudge as @mainelysteve suggested
- I don't care much for nudge myself but others live by it. Nudge literally just gives annoying popups which you can customize, and will open the softwareupdate pane. The update experience is still totally out of the box, and fully up to the user to accomplish. Users will still still be asked for Admin access by the macOS popup, but nudge could help them understand what that means if they actually read the nudge notification.
- Email users what to do and maybe have an internal KB they can reference
Don't get me started on the miserable state that OS updates have been for years with macOS lol.
