Algorithmic HRM: The Transformative Power of AI in Crafting the Future of Work

Dear Colleagues,

Artificial intelligence is increasingly changing the way organizations work, make decisions, and manage people. Just a few years ago, the idea of algorithms participating in management processes sounded more like a futuristic scenario. Today, this is already everyday life for more and more organizations. Algorithmic systems distribute tasks, track work performance, assist in personnel selection, analyze employee behavior, and even provide recommendations related to compensation, development, and talent retention.

This change is much more than just another technological innovation. It marks the beginning of a new management model. In it, decisions are increasingly formed through the interaction between human expertise and algorithmic systems. As a result, not only are the tools that managers use changing, but also the very understanding of the managerial role, organizational control, and relationships in the workplace.

It is no coincidence that algorithmic management has become one of the most discussed topics in the modern management literature. Research shows that algorithms create new opportunities for coordination, monitoring and evaluation of work. At the same time, however, this leads to increase in a number of new questions related to the fairness of decisions, the transparency of the models used, the autonomy of employees, the responsibility in decision-making and trust in organizations (Kellogg et al., 2020; Benlian et al., 2022).

In parallel, artificial intelligence is gradually changing the strategic role of human resource management. Algorithmic systems are increasingly used in the implementation of the main key processes of human resource management related to personnel selection, talent management, training and development, workforce planning and performance evaluation. These systems can process huge amounts of information and detect dependencies that are difficult for humans to notice (Kim et al., 2025). This opens new opportunities for more informed and more effective management. At the same time, however, it also poses a number of ethical, legal and organizational challenges that science is still seeking answers to.

The Special Issue, ‘Algorithmic HRM: The Transformative Power of AI in Crafting the Future of Work’, aims to foster this debate and bring together research that examines the different dimensions of the interaction between artificial intelligence, human resource management, and the future of work. Our ambition is to create a space for the exchange of ideas between scholars from different fields—management, HRM, organizational behavior, information systems, labor relations, business ethics, and public policies.

Although the literature on the topic has developed extremely dynamically in recent years, knowledge still remains fragmented between different disciplines and research areas. Often, individual studies focus on specific technologies or organizational situations, without tracking the broader implications for organizations, employees, and society. Recent review studies also emphasize the need for a more integrated approach to algorithmic management and its impact on the world of work (Keegan et al., 2025; Zhang et al., 2025).

This Special Issue aims to stimulate new ideas, new theoretical perspectives and new empirical research on this extremely relevant scientific and practical perspective. Publications that seek the balance between technological efficiency and the human factor, analyze the role of trust and transparency, consider the ethical dimensions of algorithmic decision-making or explore how organizations adapt to the increasing use of AI technologies are particularly welcome.

The topics this Special Issue is interested in include, but are not limited to:

• Algorithmic management and the transformation of management functions;
• Artificial intelligence in personnel selection, training and development;
• People analytics and data-driven management;
• Algorithmic control, monitoring and evaluation of performance;
• Transparency, explainability and trust in AI-based systems;
• Algorithmic bias, fairness and ethical challenges in HRM;
• The interaction between people and artificial intelligence in organizations;
• Digital leadership and organizational adaptability in the context of AI;
• Employee motivation, well-being and engagement in the context of algorithmic management;
• Regulatory and governance mechanisms for control over AI systems;
• Algorithmic management in the platform economy and gig work;
• Future skills, workforce transformation and organizational resilience in the era of artificial intelligence.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 300–500 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editors (tsvetana_stoyanova@unwe.bg or kiril_anguelov@abv.bg) or to the Administrative Sciences Editorial Office (admsci@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purpose of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer-review.

We look forward to receiving your ideas and contributions to this Special Issue, dedicated to one of the most significant transformations in contemporary management—the growing integration of algorithmic systems and artificial intelligence into people management and the shaping of the future of work. 

Benlian, A., Hohenberg, S., Lang, M., & Wiesche, M. (2022). Algorithmic Management: Bright and Dark Sides, Practical Implications, and Research Opportunities. Business & Information Systems Engineering, 64(6), 633–639.

Keegan, A., Meijerink, J., Bondarouk, T., et al. (2025). Algorithmic Management in Organizations? From Edge Phenomenon to Mainstream Organizational Practice. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior.

Kellogg, K. C., Valentine, M. A., & Christin, A. (2020). Algorithms at Work: The New Contested Terrain of Control. Academy of Management Annals, 14(1), 366–410.

Kim, S., Khoreva, V., & Vaiman, V. (2025). Strategic Human Resource Management in the Era of Algorithmic Technologies: Key Insights and Future Research Agenda. Human Resource Management.

Zhang, Y., Cooke, F. L., Ahlstrom, D., & McNeil, N. (2025). The Rise of Algorithmic Management and Implications for Work and Organisations. New Technology, Work and Employment.

Prof. Dr. Tsvetana Aleksandrova Stoyanova
Prof. Dr. Kiril Anguelov
Guest Editors

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• algorithmic management
• algorithmic HRM
• artificial intelligence
• human resource management
• future of work
• people analytics
• human–AI collaboration
• AI governance
• employee well-being
• digital leadership