Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping
Machines can already do 64% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 84%. Most of the work is changing now.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 64% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 40% of them.
- Forecast: machines can already do half of its tasks, and 84% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 90,220 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $50,610 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 79% for contact with people.
- Also called: Human Resources Administrative Assistant (HR Administrative Assistant), Human Resources Assistant (HR Assistant), Human Resources Associate (HR Associate), Personnel Clerk.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Process, verify, and maintain personnel related documentation, including staffing, recruitment, training, grievances, performance evaluations, classifications, and employee leaves of absence | 20% | 80% to 97% | |
| Record data for each employee, including such information as addresses, weekly earnings, absences, amount of sales or production, supervisory reports on performance, and dates of and reasons for terminations | 12% | 70% to 95% | |
| Explain company personnel policies, benefits, and procedures to employees or job applicants | 8% | 75% to 85% | |
| Provide assistance in administering employee benefit programs and worker's compensation plans | 8% | 30% to 54% | |
| Answer questions regarding examinations, eligibility, salaries, benefits, and other pertinent information | 8% | 76% to 87% | |
| Compile and prepare reports and documents pertaining to personnel activities | 7% | 74% to 95% | |
| Examine employee files to answer inquiries and provide information for personnel actions | 5% | 55% to 85% | |
| Process and review employment applications to evaluate qualifications or eligibility of applicants | 5% | 82% to 87% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Medical Records Specialists75% of tasks by 2035 · US median $51,140
- Human Resources Specialists74% of tasks by 2035 · US median $75,940
- Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance72% of tasks by 2035 · US median $50,340
- Office Clerks, General75% of tasks by 2035 · US median $45,010
What should you do about it?
Open this job in the Workforce Starburst to see it for your country, then use these to act on it.
Watch This Job
Get told when the outlook for this job changes.
Free planSkills to learn next
The skills that make this job, or the next one, last longer.
In the StarburstCheck your readiness
Ten quick questions on how ready you are.
FreeAsk Vantage
Ask what this job means for you and get a sourced answer.
Free to askFutures Academy courses
Courses matched to your gaps.
Coming soonPay trend
Where pay for this job is heading.
Coming soonTeam plan
Every role in your team, side by side, with a plan for each.
Pro and CorporateShared workspace
Work through it with your team, with notes and decisions kept.
Pro and Corporate
Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping?
Machines can already do half of its tasks. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping?
Machines can do 64% of the tasks of human resources assistants, except payroll and timekeeping today and 84% by 2035. Most of the routine work moves to machines, and the people in the job move to oversight, judgement and client work.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 43-4161.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Human Resources Assistants, Except Payroll and Timekeeping: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/human-resources-assistants-except-payroll-and-timekeeping/