Keeping People at the Heart of Your Company in the Age of Automation
HR's Crucial Role in Navigating the Next Revolution in Work
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Keeping People at the Heart of Your Company in the Age of Automation
HR's Crucial Role in Navigating the Next Revolution in Work
There’s a hidden but major shift happening in organisations today. And this is where the real revolution into a new era of work is taking place.
I’m not talking about hybrid work, AI tools, or People Analytics.
The true revolution lies in the ripple effects of these developments:
the changing structure of power, knowledge, and influence in the workplace.
The last time a major shift in the world of work occurred was with the rise of the knowledge worker in the 1950s, as Peter Drucker famously wrote. The emergence of the knowledge economy fundamentally restructured how organisations operated, shifting power away from industrial hierarchies toward individuals with expertise.
And while many companies have yet to fully adapt to those dynamics, we are already in the midst of the next revolution.
Now, with the rise of AI and data systems, we’re entering a new phase of transformation: the Age of AI.
AI isn’t just about IT or automating processes. It requires a fundamental restructuring of organisations, roles, and decision-making. As one of the few functions still capable of connecting the dots between people, systems, and strategy, HR has a critical role to play in navigating this silent revolution.
The world of work is reorganising itself — quietly but profoundly. HR is being called to step in and ensure we automate with care for the organisation, its people, and its broader ecosystem.
HR leaders have a unique, once-in-a-century opportunity to define a new world of work — not for tomorrow, but for generations to come.
Understanding the shift: From middle management to technocracy
To better grasp what’s happening, we can turn to Henry Mintzberg’s organisational model, first introduced in the 1980s. It outlined how organisations are structured into five interdependent parts:
Strategic Apex — the top leadership (C-suite)
Middle Line — the managers who translate strategy into day-to-day execution
Operating Core — the employees doing the core work
Support Staff — functions like HR, IT, Facilities
Technostructure — analysts, planners, systems and tools that influence how work is standardised, measured and optimised
For decades, this structure worked — particularly in complex organisations where knowledge, leadership, and coordination were spread across the different layers. But over the past 30 years, a significant shift has taken place that affected a traditional layer: middle management.
Starting in the 1990s, lean management principles aimed to flatten organisations and cut costs. The 2000s and 2010s saw automation, globalisation, and digital tools reshape teams and remove layers of oversight. The middle line began to vanish, leaving fewer people to connect the top to the bottom. At the same time, the role of HR has become more business critical and strategic, moving from administrative tasks towards trusted business partner, responsible for culture and overall employee experience
And now, in the 2020s, we witness the last development: the rise of the technostructure. AI systems, algorithmic decision-making, and advanced analytics are stepping into the roles middle managers once played.
👉 These systems optimise workflows, drive performance tracking, handle scheduling, analyse sentiment, and even shape culture — all without the human layer of tacit knowledge that used to come from lived experience.
This is what Jensen Huang (NVIDIA CEO) meant when he recently predicted that “AI agents will soon take over critical HR and operational functions.”
In this emerging reality, data replaces dialogue, and people and workplace decision-making is increasingly based on system outputs, not relationships.
It’s a silent revolution — shifting power from people to systems, from middle managers to algorithms.
What gets lost when the middle layer disappears
Middle managers, and to a lesser extent HR, used to hold the workplace together in ways that don’t show up in spreadsheets, dashboards, or AI tooling.
They understood team dynamics, coached struggling employees, flagged early signs of burnout, mediated informal tensions, and translated vague strategy into day-to-day rhythm. They carried what might be called “workplace fabric knowledge” — a nuanced, human understanding of how work actually got done.
As organisations flatten and automate, that fabric is fraying.
Executives are left with data but lack context.
HR is increasingly tasked with engagement and wellbeing but no longer has local insight.
IT rolls out tools without fully understanding how they impact the organisation’s people and culture.
This is particularly visible in post-pandemic hybrid models, where leadership often doubts productivity and culture and mandates one-size fits all office attendance, while employees have individual flexibility and inclusivity needs.
What’s missing in between is insight. Lived experience. Human signal. Organisational Expertise. That gap is growing — and it’s where HR now needs to operate.
HR is being pulled into the technostructure — and must shape it
As the middle line erodes, HR is moving beyond its traditional support role into a much more strategic function.
HR is being asked to manage complexity at scale — from workplace design and AI governance to people analytics and DEI dashboards. But they are doing this without middle managers to feed them ground-level insights. Instead, HR turns to technology: pulse surveys, sentiment tracking, and algorithmic analysis.
There’s opportunity in this — but also risk.
Because data without context can mislead. And the tools used to measure performance or culture can easily flatten nuance and reinforce bias.
HR is now part of the technostructure — whether they asked for it or not.
What HR leaders must do next
To rise to this moment, HR needs a new kind of leadership. One that’s technically fluent, data-informed, and deeply grounded in human understanding.
HR plays a critical role here - because who else is ensuring that companies offer people-centric experiences in technocracy-heavy organisations?
Here are five actionable shifts to consider:
Become systems-aware, not just people-aware
Understand how dashboards, workflows, and AI tools shape behaviour. Be curious about how systems influence decisions — and speak up when they don’t reflect lived experience.Reclaim the lost human signals
Build new mechanisms to capture insight: active listening, manager roundtables, journey mapping, even anthropological observation. Don’t rely solely on survey scores or productivity metrics.Collaborate across the technostructure
Form strategic partnerships with IT, data, and operations. Don’t just consume data - co-design how it's collected, interpreted, and acted on.Hold space for ethical tension
Not all efficiencies are equal. Some cost trust, inclusion, or creativity. Be the voice that weighs the human consequences of data-driven decisions.Redefine HR’s identity
You’re no longer just a support function. You’re an interpreter, architect, and strategist. Step into that role with clarity and bring others with you.
Final thought: HR is no longer behind the scenes, it’s at the heart of the company
We are entering an era where organisational intelligence is built by design, not inherited through tradition.
HR holds both operational insight and moral imagination. You see how systems land, how people respond, and how to course-correct before trust erodes.
This is your moment to lead. Not by mimicking technocrats, but by redefining what human systems should look like in the age of AI and automation.
This article was inspired by The changing landscape of work: Changing patterns in workplace fabric knowledge and the rise of the AI-Driven technostructure - February 7, 2025 by Prof. Nick Nunnington
Join Us: Connecting People, Culture and Place
The way we work is changing — and so is the role of HR. As hybrid work, inclusive design, and experience-led workplaces become the norm, People and Workplace teams are joining forces to create more strategic, human-centered organisations. From flexible policies to conscious real estate decisions, Workplace Experience is now a key part of your Employee Value Proposition — and HR is leading the conversation. Join us to explore this shift and connect with peers shaping the future of People, Culture, and Place.
Work With Me: HR & Workplace Support That Moves You Forward
From rethinking hybrid policies to supporting a new office setup — many companies are in transition right now. I help organisations navigate these shifts with clarity, structure, and momentum.
As of May 1st, I’m available for a new assignment as a fractional or interim People & Workplace Consultant (2-4 days/week).
I typically support leadership teams with:
Hybrid & Inclusive Workplace Design
Future-Ready HR Tooling & Process Optimisation
Organisational Transitions (including M&A)
Workplace Experience Strategy
If your team could use support, fresh energy and direction, or if you’re hiring for this kind of role, I’d love to hear from you.
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Partner with Me on FutureHR solutions
Do you offer a solution for Future of Work, HR, or Workplace strategy?
If your product or service helps forward-thinking HR and Workplace leaders prepare for what’s next, I’d love to hear from you. I’m always open to showcasing impactful solutions that add value to our community.
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Let me know your thoughts about the evolving role of HR and what challenges you face, happy to write about it for the next edition.
Have a great week!
Angelique Slob
Future of Work Strategist