As AI Raises the Floor on Transactional Work, HR Sheds its Administrative Reputation

For years, human resources has been a function buried in administrative tasks and compliance paperwork. That focus on transactions has often kept the department from taking a more strategic seat at the table, but AI is starting to flip that script. By automating the routine tasks that consume countless hours, the technology is freeing HR professionals to move beyond a support role and become core strategic partners.

The resulting shift is a focus for Michelle Attia, the Founder and Principal of HR consultancy Axisara Group. As a senior Human Resources and People Operations leader with MHRM and SPHR credentials, Attia’s track record has positioned her as an authoritative voice at the intersection of HR and business strategy. She believes the era of administrative HR is drawing to a close.

“For years, HR has been buried in process by necessity. It’s very difficult for HR professionals to pull away from the compliance requirements, the audits, and the annual reporting that has to be done. I think the strategy work has suffered due to it, and AI changes that equation.” In her view, AI isn’t a threat, but a catalyst for HR leaders to step into the role they should’ve had all along.

• Speaking their language: One of the most powerful changes AI can enable has to do with how HR communicates with the C-suite. Instead of struggling to translate people-centric ideas into business outcomes, Attia says AI helps HR speak the language of leadership and frame proposals so that they resonate. “It can help you determine, ‘Am I looking at this from a business aspect or a person aspect? Which one would be a stronger message, and how can I present that better?'”

• Ending the Q&A loop: According to Attia, another big win from AI is no longer having to answer the same employee questions over and over. She points out that even when companies have a comprehensive handbook or employee portal, many employees conclude it’s simply easier to ask HR directly for information. “Now, AI can jump in and provide those answers. Instead of just directing an employee to go look it up in the handbook, the system allows them to ask a specific question like ‘What is the policy on open-toed shoes?’ and get an immediate answer.”

This newfound efficiency places a greater premium on human judgment. In Attia’s view, relying on raw AI output without analysis is a recipe for disaster. She illustrates with an example of a coffee shop using AI to parse customer feedback. “Let’s say 50% of my customers say they like hot coffee and 50% of them like iced coffee. If I put that into AI and I ask what I should focus on, it’s probably going to tell me I should make lukewarm coffee. That sounds like something AI would say.” In her view, this is why careful human consideration remains a crucial HR skill. “The human job is to ask what the data means, not just what it says.”

• Beyond the data dump: As AI fluency becomes a vital career competency and leaders gain clearer visibility into team skills and performance, roles are likely to evolve. Looking ahead, Attia sees specific HR functions poised for transformation, demanding upskilling rather than resulting in obsolescence. Data analytics is one such example. “AI can do the data pull and the data output. The role will shift to someone who can analyze the data and hypothesize what it truly means for the business.”

• The new recruiter: Recruiting is another function she says could change dramatically as transactional work like posting jobs, reviewing resumes, and conducting initial phone screens is increasingly automated. “The headhunter-style recruiters, the serious, deep-diving sourcers focused on relationship building, will remain. Those who were more into basic screenings will go to the wayside, as all of that can be done by AI.”

• Human essentials: Manager coaching is an example of a core HR duty that Attia believes will always require a human-to-human connection. “I don’t think that part of HR will ever go away. AI can do some built-in coaching, but you still need the human touch.”

Ultimately, Attia sees AI in HR as a story of elevation rather than replacement. By removing the administrative burden that has long defined the profession, technology clears the path for the kind of strategic, human-centric work that Attia notes is ultimately more valuable and fulfilling. “At the end of the day, AI is just going to raise the floor on the transactional work and allow the strategic work to be accomplished,” she says. “Anybody who’s been hiding behind the transactional work in HR is going to find themselves in a really strange situation, whereas those who are more strategic are going to find themselves really enjoying their jobs much more.