The HR Huddle

A pro-innovation approach to AI regulation [UK]

You don’t want to miss this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, where host and Sapient Insights Group Chief Research Officer & Managing Partner, Stacey Harris joined by co-host and Director of Research, Cliff Stevenson, talk about all things AI – including new players in the marketplace and their break down of AI features in existing HR tech products.

Key points they discuss:

↪️ Breaking down our walkthrough of Cornerstone’s new Opportunity Marketplace - a talent marketplace differentiator?

↪️ What we learned after talking to CoachHub about their new AI assistant coaching tool

↪️ New players and opportunities in the AI game: Fyndo’s AI hiring platform, FairNow’s emerging AI compliance tool, and a brief intro to Beamery’s talent lifecycle management platform

↪️ Breaking policy news out of the UK on AI - a growing, impactful trend in AI tech?

Don’t miss out! Tune in today! Follow the host, guest, and companies mentioned and check out the articles they discuss:

Sapient Insights Group: LinkedIn | Twitter

Stacey Harris: LinkedIn | Twitter

Clifford Stevenson: LinkedIn Twitter: @clifforddarrell

Cornerstone: @CornerstoneInc

Phenom: @PhenomTXM

Office for AI: @officeforAI

CoachHub: @coachHub_IO

Beamery: @BeameryHQ

FairNow: @Fairnow

Cornerstone Opportunity Marketplace

Phenom Unveils Phenom X+ — Generative AI for Human Resources — and 18 Intelligent Talent Experience Platform Innovations at IAMPHENOM

Hiring Platform Fyndo Launches With Eye on SMBs

FairNow Emerges With Artificial Intelligence and Predictive Analytics Management Platform for Human Resources and Beyond

Beamery Launches TalentGPT to Create Personalized Experiences With AI

CoachHub launches AIMY

HR, We Have a Problem - The mission and power of payroll and why failure to notice is not an option.

The HR Huddle

05/05/23 • 36 min

In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Sapient Insights Group CEO & Managing Partner, Teri Zipper, and guest GxT Advisors Founder & Principal Analyst, Pete Tiliakos, get into the huddle and have a lively discussion on common misconceptions and complexities around the hot topic of payroll transformation and why it needs a seat at the table.

Some key points they discuss:

↪️ Assumptions and common misconceptions widely held by leadership and why.

↪️ Challenges and increasing compliance complexities payroll practitioners and vendors need to face.

↪️ Getting ahead of payroll (tech) and why staying agile means applying a mix of art and science to achieve success.

↪️ Current market forces that disrupt payroll and the intensity of the times for tech providers to keep up.

Don’t miss this exciting episode!

Follow the host, guest, and companies mentioned:

Sapient Insights Group: LinkedIn | Twitter

Teri Zipper: LinkedIn | Twitter

Pete Tiliakos: Linkedin | Twitter

GxT Advisors: LinkedIn | Twitter

Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - HOT HR tech news on leading tech partnership announcements, the official launch of the 26th Annual HR Systems Survey, and more!

The HR Huddle

05/12/23 • 31 min

Rippling CEO Confirms an IPO Ahead

You don’t want to miss this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, where host and Sapient Insights Group Chief Research Officer & Managing Partner Stacey Harris, joined by co-host and Director of Research Cliff Stevenson, share their thoughts on the latest Rippling announcement, new industry-leading partnerships and the latest HR tools in development.

Key points they discuss:

↪️ An interesting new partnership between @Betterworks and @Visier, plus good news recently announced by @UKG and @NWSL

↪️ The main focus of the recently held @OracleHCM Application Industry Analyst Summit - what can we expect?

↪️ Heads up! Sapient Insights Group officially launched the much anticipated 26th Annual HR Systems Survey on May 9th with new enhancements and updates!

↪️ Are small organizations ready to take on advanced HR tech capabilities? This type of market information will be available in the soon-to-be-released SMB Action Report - the first in a series of in-depth data analysis reports available to the public for purchase from Sapientinsights.com.

Don’t miss out; tune in today! Follow the host, guest, and companies mentioned, and check out the articles they discuss:

Sapient Insights Group LinkedIn | Twitter

Stacey Harris LinkedIn | Twitter

Clifford Stevenson LinkedIn Twitter: @clifforddarrell

Rippling People Center, Inc. @Rippling

Betterworks System, Inc. @Betterworks

Microsoft @Microsoft

Visier, Inc. @Visier

Oracle HCM @OracleCloudHCM

UKG, Inc. @UKG | @UKGInc

National Women's Soccer League @NWSL

Betterworks and Visier Team Up to Revolutionize Employee Performance Analytics

Microsoft Viva Summit: Copilot in Microsoft Viva, Viva Glint, and Work Trend Index

Nearly four in five employers struggle to fill job roles, a 17-year high

UKG and National Women’s Soccer League Announce Historic Pay Equity Milestone

Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - The ethics of AI in HR Tech, industry moves, and more.

The HR Huddle

05/24/23 • 29 min

UKG Developer Hub Helps Businesses Quickly Evolve and Adapt

Jump into the huddle for this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech with host and Sapient Insights Group Chief Research Officer & Managing Partner Stacey Harris and co-host and Director of Research Cliff Stevenson to hear about the latest industry moves and hot topics around AI in HR Tech.

A few points they talk about:

↪️ Key highlights from the recently held UKG Summit and answering the question on what they are doing well.

↪️ Why the acquisition of Modern Hire is a good move by HireVue.

↪️ The AI wars in the HR tech space.

↪️ Insights from the Sam Altman testimony in front of the US Senate Judiciary Committee’s subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law.

Don’t miss this exciting episode! Follow the host, guest, companies mentioned, and articles they discuss below:

Sapient Insights Group: LinkedIn | Twitter

Stacey Harris: LinkedIn | Twitter

Clifford Stevenson: LinkedIn Twitter: @clifforddarrell

UKG: @UKG

SAP: @SAP

Microsoft: @Microsoft

Modern Hire: @ModernHire

HireVue: @HireVue

OpenAI: @OpenAI

Sam Altman: @sama

Salesforce: @salesforce

Informatica: @Informatica

HireVue Acquires Modern Hire to Transform the Global Talent Experience

Sam Altman calls for ‘incredible scrutiny’ of major AI companies, including OpenAI and Microsoft

Push to unionize tech industry makes advances

SAP taps Microsoft AI Copilot to streamline hiring and upskilling for enterprises

Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - How AI is driving internal changes in many HR tech companies, as well as changes in the overall tech market.

The HR Huddle

03/06/25 • 50 min

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss significant internal changes at major HR tech companies, including Workday, Zoho, Anaplan, Dayforce, and Darwinbox. The conversation covers changes in leadership, funding news, workforce layoffs, hiring plans, and growth metrics.

Key topics include:

↪️ Major changes at Workday: Plans to cut approximately 1,750 jobs as company doubles down on AI focus; former Google and SAP executive Garrit Kazmaier is replacing Sayan Chakrobarty as president of product and technology; and the just-announced strategic partnership with global talent company Randstad will integrate Workday’s recruiting agent, powered by Illuminate, with Randstad’s extensive talent network to bring AI support to recruiting and hiring processes.

Shailesh Kumar Davey has assumed the CEO role at Zoho, the Indian multinational tech company; he succeeds founder Sridhar Vembo, who now has the role of chief scientist and will focus fully on R&D initiatives.

↪️ Darwinbox, another Indian company, is looking to raise $120 to $150 million to expand its global footprint, further product innovation, and increase its competitiveness with market leaders such as SAP, Successfactors, and Workday.

↪️ As return-to-office mandates continue to make the news, research shows that hybrid and remote work models can boost productivity by up to 12% compared to full-time office work.

Don’t miss this timely conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below:

Sapient Insights Group

Stacey Harris

Cliff Stevenson

HR, We Have a Problem - The shared responsibility between HR and marketing to build a better employee experience.

The HR Huddle

02/29/24 • 27 min

In this special episode* of HR, We Have a Problem, Sapient Insights Group CEO and Managing Partner Teri Zipper engages in a lively discussion with Celia Fleischaker, Chief Marketing Officer at isolved, about the evolving relationship between marketing and HR and the employee experience. From an employer’s brand to recruitment marketing to HR’s reputation, there is more HR and marketing crossover than ever before. They explore the shifting dynamics of organizational silos, the impact of employee experience on business outcomes, and the collaborative efforts between marketing and HR in driving a better workplace culture.

Key points include:

↪️ How shared responsibility between marketing and HR fosters a holistic approach to enhancing the employee experience, leveraging cross-functional strengths to drive positive organizational outcomes.

↪️ Why an organization's brand is pivotal in attracting and retaining talent, necessitating HR's involvement in communicating and reinforcing the brand proposition to applicants and employees.

↪️ When prioritizing employee experience results in tangible benefits like improved retention, customer experience, and strengthening the organization's brand proposition.

↪️ Why the ethical deployment of AI to enhance the employee experience can also address job insecurity concerns.

*This episode is sponsored by isolved.

Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below:

Sapient Insights Group

Teri Zipper

Celia Fleischaker

isolved

HR, We Have a Problem - Will AI Agents replace your HR tech stack? What every HR leader needs to know.

The HR Huddle

01/30/25 • 44 min

In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and guest George LaRocque, Founder and Chief Analyst at WorkTech, explore the continued impact of AI on HR platforms, discussing how traditional HR tech is evolving into "work tech" with a focus on data-driven, employee-first solutions. The conversation covers critical considerations for HR leaders navigating this transition, from pricing models to strategic implementation.

Key points covered include:

↪️ The shift from HR tech to work tech represents a fundamental change in how organizations handle workforce management, with emphasis on data relevance, interoperability, and employee-first design.

↪️ The emergence of AI agents is reshaping HR platforms, with a trend toward more integrated ecosystems.

↪️ Organizations should approach their HR tech stack as an investment portfolio, carefully balancing innovation and risk when considering new technologies and, particularly startups.

↪️ HR tech vendors are grappling with new AI-driven pricing models, moving from traditional subscription-based pricing to usage-based and results-based structures.

Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below:

Sapient Insights Group

Teri Zipper

George LaRocque

WorkTech

HR, We Have a Problem - Connecting data governance and data privacy in HR to shape a seamless employee experience.

The HR Huddle

03/14/24 • 37 min

In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Sapient Insights Group CEO and Managing Partner Teri Zipper talks with guest Danielle Bushen, Global Head of People Analytics, Data Governance, and Stewardship at Sanofi, a global pharmaceutical and healthcare company. Their conversation touches on the strategy behind data privacy and governance, data-driven decision-making, and end-to-end process integrations.

Key takeaways from this episode include:

↪️ Prioritizing data governance as a strategic imperative informs HR’s decision-making and organizational effectiveness.

↪️ By integrating data governance principles into all processes ensures seamless operations and elevated employee experiences.

↪️ Embracing AI’s potential means HR must prioritize data quality and hygiene to mitigate risks associated with biased or inaccurate predictions.

↪️ Establishing data governance councils and fostering cross-functional collaboration is essential to ensure alignment, accountability, and effective data management across the organization.

Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below:

Sapient Insights Group

Teri Zipper

Danielle Bushen

Sanofi

HR, We Have a Problem - How the EU Pay Transparency Directive is forcing a new approach to pay equity

The HR Huddle

02/13/25 • 42 min

In this episode of HR, WE Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and employment attorney Heather Bussing discuss pay equity legislation and compliance, including the upcoming EU Pay Transparency Directive and its implications for organizations globally. The discussion explores how this directive represents a shift from traditional reactive employment laws to a more proactive, data-driven approach aimed at preventing pay discrimination.

Key points covered include:

↪️ The EU Pay Transparency Directive requires companies to share pay information with candidates before interviews, establish objective criteria for pay and promotions, and conduct pay equity audits with mandatory fixes for gaps exceeding 5%.

↪️ The impact on small businesses (under 100 employees).

↪️ Organizations need to move away from ad-hoc compensation decisions and focus on developing objective, data-driven strategies for pay, which will also help with broader initiatives around skills-based hiring and career pathing.

↪️ Modern technology and data analytics tools make it easier than ever to analyze and address pay equity issues, eliminating the need for complex manual calculations.

Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below:

Sapient Insights Group

Teri Zipper

Heather Bussing

Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - AI agents, Workday's big bet on digital workforce management and the latest HR tech giants expanding through strategic acquisitions.

The HR Huddle

02/20/25 • 57 min

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson explore how companies like ADP, Phenom, Paradox, and HiBob are strategically expanding through acquisitions that enhance their data capabilities and global reach. They analyze how these developments reflect broader industry trends toward data-driven decision-making and the strategic integration of AI in HR processes.

Key points covered include:

↪️ HiBob's pending acquisition of Mosaic for FP&A capabilities and ADP's expansion into Mexico through PEI signal a push toward integrated financial and workforce planning in the mid-market space.

↪️ Workday introduces an industry-first AI agent system of record, emphasizing the growing importance of managing and securing AI tools within HR systems.

↪️ Recent industry events, including Cornerstone's sales kickoff and Visier's conference, reveal increasing focus on skills development, workforce planning, and the critical importance of clean data for effective AI implementation.

↪️ The intersection of HR tech and business outcomes is becoming increasingly important, as evidenced by vendors expanding their capabilities beyond traditional HR functions.

Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below:

Sapient Insights Group

Stacey Harris

Cliff Stevenson