3Sixty Insights HRTechChat

In this episode of #HRTechChat, Nicole Roberts (Senior Analyst & Advisor, 3Sixty Insights) is joined by David Edwards—strategic workforce planning practitioner, advisor, and author of The Strategic Workforce Planning Handbook—for a candid conversation about the gap between SWP theory and the messy reality of execution. David explains why strategic workforce planning still suffers from an identity crisis (too many definitions, too many expectations), and why organizations keep getting trapped in short-term thinking that freezes out long-term capability building. Together, they unpack why chasing “perfect data” can be just as risky as oversimplifying, and why the real skill leaders need—especially as AI accelerates planning inputs—is judgment: knowing what’s decision-grade, what matters most, and what to do next. The conversation also tackles the evolving role of managers, the incentives that discourage reskilling and redeployment, and why SWP should focus less on planning the entire workforce and more on the truly strategic segments that determine future business performance. David offers a clear challenge to HR tech providers too: analytics aren’t enough—leaders need help walking the “last mile” from dashboards to decisions, in the language of risk, outcomes, and action. Resources mentioned (including books, discount code, and links): The Book of Heroic Failures (Stephen Pile): https://www.amazon.com/Book-Heroic-Failures-Official-Handbook/dp/0708819087 The Strategic Workforce Planning Handbook (David Edwards): Kogan Page: https://www.koganpage.com/hr-learning-development/the-strategic-workforce-planning-handbook-9781398623590 Discount code: KoganPage25 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Strategic-Workforce-Planning-Handbook-Implement/dp/1398623598/ HR Conference Cruise: https://hrcruise.com/

In this episode of #HRTechChat, Dylan Teggart speaks with Aman Kaur-Shaikh—HR Director at Nutrien, member of the 3SixtyInsights Global Executive Advisory Council, and a 2024 Global Top 100 HR Executive—about what it really takes for organizations to adopt AI successfully. Aman explains why the biggest barrier to AI adoption isn’t the technology itself, but the environment organizations have built around it. From fragmented knowledge bases and outdated policies to inconsistent data and unclear guardrails, many HR teams are trying to layer advanced AI tools on top of systems that were never designed for them. Together, they explore why the hype around AI is beginning to settle, how HR leaders can move from experimentation to practical adoption, and why starting with strong knowledge management and data foundations matters more than chasing the latest tools. Aman also shares a simple four-part model for introducing AI into day-to-day work—focusing on small, repeatable improvements, building AI habits that enhance productivity, and creating the behavioral and governance frameworks needed to support long-term success. If organizations want AI to truly augment how work gets done, the path forward isn’t bigger technology investments—it’s better data, clearer knowledge, and a culture ready to adapt.

In this episode of #HRTechChat, Dylan Teggart is joined by JD Dillon—advisor, speaker, and author of The Modern Learning Ecosystem—to unpack the “do more with less” reality shaping work in 2026 and why managers are taking the brunt of it. JD explains how constant change, unclear AI mandates, and shrinking labor budgets are pressing frontline and middle managers from both sides—corporate demands on one side, team needs on the other. Together, they explore why traditional leadership development isn’t meeting the moment, why “engagement” is losing meaning as a guiding metric, and what actually helps organizations adapt when disruption hits. JD makes the case that if you’re going to prioritize one investment in the employee experience, make it managers—by giving them time, clarity, and permission to lead. The conversation also digs into how vendors can translate people initiatives into operational outcomes, why “systems of work” matter more than one-off training pushes, and how long-term capability-building shows up when it counts most.

In this episode of #HRTechChat, Nicole Roberts is joined by Maria Scarangella to tackle one of the most persistent challenges facing HR today: proving business value in a climate defined by cost pressure, efficiency mandates, and heightened executive scrutiny. Drawing on her 37-year career at GEICO—including leadership of a $2.5B P&L—and her current work building Marstella, Maria explains why HR risks losing its strategic seat when it speaks only in HR metrics instead of business outcomes. Together, they explore how quantifying the true cost of hiring, onboarding, training, and turnover can fundamentally change executive decision-making—from smarter workforce planning to more targeted investments in technology and development. Maria outlines why “a lot” is not a number, how lifecycle cost visibility creates accountability across leaders, and why HR leaders must understand how the business actually makes money if they want credibility with boards, CFOs, and investors. The conversation also looks ahead at the future of HR tech, the limits of AI without economic context, and how people metrics are increasingly sitting alongside financial KPIs in boardrooms—especially in PE-backed environments. The result is a practical, data-driven roadmap for HR leaders ready to shift from cost center to value driver.

In this episode of #HRTechChat, Nicole Roberts sits down with Jeff Smith, COO of 15Five, to unpack what it really takes to build better managers in an era of AI, constant change, and overflowing HR to-do lists. A psychologist by training with deep R&D and product experience, Jeff brings a rare lens on how organizations can redesign systems, expectations, and technology to truly support people leaders—not just measure them. They dig into the mounting pressure on HR and managers, the shift from “HR owns all people issues” to shared accountability, and why management has to be treated as a daily practice, not a one-time promotion. Jeff explains how tools like 15Five and Kona AI can turn everyday one-on-ones into continuous performance data, simplify review cycles, and give leaders real-time coaching—while still honoring privacy, governance, and the realities of legal and IT risk. Along the way, they explore common failure modes: promoting star ICs into roles they aren’t equipped for, burying managers in 20-question reviews, and ignoring the signals that your best people no longer want to step into leadership. If you still think “being a good manager” is something people just figure out on their own, this conversation will change your mind.

In this episode of #HRTechChat, Dylan Teggart sits down with Heike Wiesner, Global Sales Growth Director HCM, and Alastair Pride, Managing Principal Consultant, of Unit4 to explore the evolving role of payroll as a strategic business driver. They discuss how cloud migration, integrated ERP systems, and innovations like Unit4’s Payroll Navigator are transforming payroll from a back-office function into a core asset for workforce planning, compliance, and employee trust. From real-time visibility to faster, smarter deployments, Heike and Alastair share how Unit4 is helping organizations simplify complexity, boost efficiency, and adapt to shifting workforce demands. If you think payroll is just about getting people paid, it’s time to think bigger.

AI is changing the game—but not in the way you think. In this episode of #HRTechChat, we’re sharing a special swapcast from the PeopleTech podcast hosted by Mark Feffer, featuring Samrat Krishna of Darwinbox. Samrat unpacks how AI agents are killing the “toggle tax” and rethinking enterprise software altogether. Instead of juggling dozens of systems and interfaces, agents now act on your behalf—fetching info, taking action, and streamlining workflows across platforms. They dig into the mechanics of MCP (Modular Component Protocol), how Darwinbox is building for agent-first environments, and what HR leaders should automate today to unlock strategic headspace tomorrow. If you think AI is about replacing people, you’re asking the wrong question. Tune in to learn how to shift from assistance to agency—and why that shift changes everything.

Small businesses face growing complexity in HR, payroll, and benefits—but too often, leaders carry the burden alone. In this episode of #HRTechChat, Dylan Teggart talks with Meredith Reilly, Chief Sales Officer at isolved, about why it’s time to stop going solo. Meredith shares how modern HR demands strategic partnerships—not just tools—and how activating an “advisory village” can help leaders scale smarter. From tech fluency to cultural alignment, they break down what today’s HR advisors must bring to the table. If you’re still treating vendors as service providers, you’re missing the point. Tune in to learn how synergy, not solo effort, drives results.

In this episode of GTM Innovators, host Kyle James sits down with John Baldino, President of Humareso and co-host of the But First Coffee Podcast, for a candid conversation on the future of AI in the workplace. This discussion explores how organizations must balance innovation with responsibility when adopting AI technologies. John shares his insights on building trust, maintaining ethical standards, and preserving the human element as AI continues to reshape the way we work. From recruitment to performance management, this episode offers practical advice for leaders navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of technology and talent.

As organizations face growing complexity and rapid change, the need for simple, integrated HR solutions is more urgent than ever—especially in industries where high attrition and operational efficiency collide. In this episode of #HRTechChat, 3Sixty Insights’ Dylan Teggart sits down with Ahmad Noordin, VP of HR Technology at a leading U.S. property management company, to explore how HR and IT can partner to drive better employee experiences without overcomplicating processes. Ahmad shares how his background in both technology and HR uniquely positions him to bridge the gap between functional needs and technical capabilities. Together, they discuss the growing shift toward simplification in HR tech, the role of no-code and low-code platforms, and why ease of use has become a competitive advantage in workforce technology. From selecting practical solutions and balancing vendor partnerships to embracing AI as a wrapper for fragmented systems, Ahmad unpacks how organizations can reduce friction, improve usability, and deliver faster outcomes for managers and employees alike. How can HR and IT avoid working in silos? Why is simplification the new sophistication? And where does AI fit into the evolving digital employee experience? Tune in as Ahmad offers clear, actionable insights on uniting people and technology in pursuit of seamless, human-centered HR.

As workforce expectations evolve and hiring challenges mount, the need for seamless, scalable recruitment strategies has never been more critical—especially in industries where speed and simplicity make or break business outcomes. In this episode of HRTechChat, 3Sixty Insights’ Dylan Teggart sits down with Heidi Barnett, former CEO of ApplicantPro and now a strategic leader at isolved, to discuss the recent merger between the two companies—and what it means for the future of talent acquisition. Heidi brings her marketing-first mindset to HR, unpacking how ApplicantPro’s streamlined, high-conversion applicant tracking capabilities are now being scaled through isolved’s expansive HCM platform. Together, they explore the rising pressures on HR teams in SMB and mid-market companies, the realities of modern recruitment in high-turnover sectors like restaurants and healthcare, and the critical role AI and automation play in supporting overworked managers. From applicant matching and video screening to managed recruitment services and mobile-first candidate engagement, Heidi explains how isolved and ApplicantPro are combining forces to help businesses move faster, hire smarter, and reduce operational friction—without sacrificing human connection. What makes recruiting harder than ever in today’s labor market? How can AI actually restore humanity in the hiring process? And how can HR tech providers meet the needs of growing businesses across a fragmented talent landscape? Tune in as Heidi shares practical insights on speed-to-hire, employee retention, and why the future of recruiting is both tech-driven and deeply human.

As quick-service restaurants (QSRs) continue to adapt in a post-pandemic world, the challenges of managing a dynamic, high-turnover workforce have never been more complex. In this episode of HRTechChat, 3Sixty Insights' Geoff Webb sits down with Yutaka Takagi, Principal Product Evangelist at isolved, to explore the fast-paced world of QSRs and how human capital management technology is playing a pivotal role in workforce transformation. With deep insight into the daily realities of QSR operators and managers, Yutaka shares how evolving employee expectations—especially among Gen Z—are reshaping hiring, scheduling, and engagement strategies. He explains how the speed and fluidity of the QSR environment demand not only flexible tools but also a shift in how organizations think about HR: from back-office admin to real-time frontline support. From earned wage access and self-service scheduling to AI-driven hiring and always-on HR chatbots, isolved is helping QSR leaders streamline operations and improve the employee experience—without compromising on cost or efficiency. What does it take to attract and retain Gen Z talent in a high-churn environment? How can technology reduce friction for managers and enhance engagement for hourly workers? And how are QSRs rethinking their tech stacks to support sustainable growth? Tune in as Yutaka dives into the unique pressures of the QSR space, the power of automation in small physical workspaces, and how isolved is empowering employers to act fast—and smart—at every stage of the employee journey.

As the role of brokers continues to evolve, they are no longer just insurance providers but strategic advisors helping businesses navigate workforce complexities. 3Sixty Insights' Geoff Webb sits down with Andrea Dumont, Vice President of Channel Marketing at isolved, to discuss how brokers are adapting to meet the changing needs of HR and HCM. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Andrea shares insights into how brokers are expanding their service offerings, leveraging technology, and strengthening client relationships to provide greater value. She explores the increasing reliance on brokers for strategic business advice, the impact of compliance challenges, and how HR technology plays a central role in delivering long-term success. How are brokers differentiating themselves in a crowded market? What role does trust and technology play in building lasting client partnerships? Tune in as Andrea breaks down the latest trends shaping the broker landscape and how HCM platforms like isolved are helping them stay ahead.

As companies navigate hybrid work models and return-to-office (RTO) strategies, HR leaders are pivotal in shaping workplace culture and ensuring a seamless transition. 3Sixty Insight's Dylan Teggart sits down with Kathy Claytor, Chief Human Resources Officer at Delta Dental and board director at HRCI, to explore why HR should take the lead in facilities management. With over 25 years of experience in HR leadership across financial services, government, and technology, Kathy shares how workplace design, employee well-being, and strategic planning impact productivity and engagement. She discusses Delta Dental’s approach to hybrid work, the importance of space planning, wellness initiatives, and how organizations can balance business needs with employee expectations. Are companies rushing RTO too quickly? How can leaders create an office environment to which employees want to return? Tune in as Kathy shares her expert insights on the future of work, hybrid work trends, and how HR can drive workplace success.

In this episode of #HRTechChat, Lynn Hurley, an experienced HR leader, joins Dylan Teggart to break down the 2025 job market, AI’s impact on hiring, and why recruiters must think like marketers. They explore how economic uncertainty and AI adoption are slowing hiring, why networking has overtaken job applications, and how employer branding can make or break talent acquisition. Lynn also tackles ghosting in recruitment and what companies must do to fix it.

Steven O’Brien, Senior Vice President of People Solutions at Syneos Health, joins Dylan Teggart for this episode of #HRTechChat. With over 20 years of experience in HR and talent acquisition, Steven shares his transformative approach to building high-performing teams by emphasizing the critical role of organizational design, culture, and team dynamics. From his unique experiences at IBM to his insights on avoiding the pitfalls of “top talent” myths, Steven discusses how autonomy, task variety, and feedback are essential ingredients for unlocking potential. He also explores the impact of generative AI and modern assessment tools on enhancing productivity and fostering workplace innovation.

John Sumser, VP of Marketing at Salary.com and a seasoned industry analyst with over 30 years of experience, joins Dylan Teggart for this episode of #HRTechChat. Together, they explore the shifting landscape of compensation and the profound ways pay transparency and AI are shaping the future of work. From his beginnings analyzing the job board industry at the dawn of the internet, John offers a wealth of knowledge on HR technology and the critical role compensation plays in business strategy. In this episode, John shares his unique perspective on key trends transforming the workforce, from navigating an aging labor market to the challenges of integrating vast amounts of data into actionable insights. With a thoughtful approach to ethics, technology, and innovation, John provides listeners with a deeper understanding of how organizations can adapt to thrive in an evolving workplace.

Ben Mones, CEO and Founder of FAMA, joins Dylan Teggart for this episode of #HRTechChat to discuss the evolving landscape of AI in HR technology and talent assessment. With over a decade of experience leading FAMA, a company dedicated to providing behavioral insights through digital footprints, Ben shares his journey from launching FAMA via an accelerator program to becoming a leader in the field. He recounts the company's origin story, inspired by an incident of workplace misconduct, and discusses FAMA's role in helping employers identify potential risks through online behavior analysis. Ben and Dylan explore the broader trends shaping HR tech, including the increasing sophistication of AI procurement processes, the impact of societal movements on hiring practices, and the challenges of integrating AI into decision-making frameworks. Ben also highlights Fama’s approach to empowering HR professionals with actionable insights while maintaining ethical and legal standards. This conversation sheds light on the interplay between AI, workplace culture, and the future of hiring, making it a must-listen for HR leaders and technology enthusiasts alike.

This guest podcast, originally aired on People Tech, features Mark Feffer in conversation with Opal Wagnac, Senior Vice President of Market and Product Strategy at isolved. Together, they unpack the state of AI in HR, exploring how leaders can distinguish between AI solutions that deliver real value and those that are mere hype. In this episode, Opal discusses the challenges of AI adoption in the workplace, the evolution of tools like retention predictors and recruiting automation, and the growing alignment between human intuition and machine learning. She highlights practical AI applications in recruiting, payroll, and employee learning, while shedding light on how AI is transforming HR tasks to focus on connection, empathy, and strategic innovation. Opal also delves into the art of the possible, offering a vision of how AI can empower HR professionals to reimagine their roles and elevate the employee experience.

This guest podcast, originally aired on People Tech, features Mark Feffer and Pragya Gupta, Chief Product and Technology Officer at isolved, as they explore AI's growing impact on HR. In this episode, they discuss shadow AI, automation, and the ethical considerations shaping today’s AI applications in HR. Pragya shares insights on how AI is transforming daily HR tasks, enhancing personalization, and streamlining strategic decisions across organizations.

Welcome to Podcast 6 of The Five Talents that Really Matter. Over the last 5 podcasts, I have wondered -- "What happens if you do not possess the talents that really matter?" It goes without saying that there are people in leadership positions today that do not possess those talents. So, we arrive at the Four harsh Truths: 1. Not everyone is or can be a leader. If you go into any organization, you can quickly see those that are leaders versus those in leadership positions that do not have the natural talents to effectively lead. In earlier podcasts, we talked about the fact that talents are innate. They are consistent over time and resistant to change. They are pervasive—present in our daily work and personal lives. In a world of nature versus nurture—innate talents are nature. Barry makes the point in this episode that organizations must stop lying to their employees and telling them that everyone can be a leader. Everyone has their level – and people can still make significant contributions to their organization without occupying a leadership role that doesn’t suit their natural dispositions. 2. We might never solve the lack of workplace diversity. Organizations have disproportionately hired in favor of a privileged group. We know that the biases that cause discriminatory hiring do not change through training programs. Your organization does not need a Chief Diversity Officer to take the right actions, but you should be well-versed in psychometric assessment as an important step toward mitigating unchecked biases that disadvantage talented candidates. 3. Leadership characteristics are hard to develop. Leadership cannot be taught to those who do not possess the natural talents to succeed. Barry and Sarah remind us that if everyone could learn leadership, we would not see such a dearth of Talent at the top of companies. 4. Personalities and Talents aren’t the same thing. Here is the takeaway that is significant—If you want to use assessments that matter, predictability is the key—results should be stable over time, and they should be valid predictors of performance. Talent assessments are not the same thing as a personality inventory. Talent assessments that are built to measure potential and predict success are more reliable, valid, and fair. Join Barry Conchie and Sarah Dalton for the discussion on the Four Harsh Truths—and learn about how you can be brilliant and contribute even if you do not possess the Five Talents that Matter.

James Griffin is a Principal Consultant at the UK-based Skills Collective. His work focuses on skills, enterprise SaaS (Software as a Service), talent transformation, and consulting, all of which revolve around the customer. His deep expertise lies in reimagining talent transformation strategies and understanding how to begin implementing skills-based approaches within organizations. He has positively impacted several SaaS organizations, including Degreed and Elevate Direct. With Principal Analyst Dylan Teggart, they discuss the shift from traditional job-based hiring to skills-based hiring, driven by the need for more tailored employee selection. James highlights the growing confusion in the software market, urging organizations to focus on tools that demonstrate clear value and align with corporate strategies.

In this podcast, our authors, Barry Conchie and Sarah Dalton, take us through the last three Talents in this series. Our conversation is organic moving between Harnessing Energy, Exerting Pressure, and Increasing Connectivity. Here are high level ideas around these talents: Harnessing energy: Every organization needs energy to function. Leaders need energy to power themselves, as well as power others. The authors offer a great metaphor, that of being the manager of a power plant. Without energy, things do not get done. Energy drives performance and commitment. People are drawn to high energy organizations and high energy leaders. Exerting Pressure: What I love about this discussion in the book is that we learn the nuance of how inspiring others to action and effective influencing helps leaders meet the expectations they have set. Increasing connectivity: It would be impossible to move an organization forward without focusing on relationships. Here are three critical issues for leaders that help build relationships that matter. High performing leaders display elevated self-awareness and the ability to read others. The best leaders build close relationships and invest in their high performers. High Performing leaders are accountable for the overall integrity of the organizational network. They hold themselves and others to the highest ethical standards. Join in listening to this podcast to gain the insights that shape how these Talents drive personal and organizational success. Learn what Barry and Sarah discovered in their research, and why these Talents drive leadership success.

Rémi Champeix is a global payroll transformation lead with over 15 years of experience in payroll strategy, process design, and system implementations. In this HRTechChat with Dylan Teggart, Rémi discusses his passion for enabling people, simplification, and inclusive leadership. He also addresses EU tax compliance challenges, emerging payroll models, and the limitations of AI in the European market.

Welcome to the fourth podcast in The Five Talents that Really Matter series.  In this podcast we begin to introduce the five talents, beginning with Setting Direction and Controlling Traffic.   There is a familiar phrase: “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else."  While setting direction is where all great strategies begin, in our conversation with Barry Conchie and Sarah Dalton, the authors of The Five Talents, we learn that it might be one of the rarest talents. Successfully setting direction requires: 1. The destination has to be a place worth going to—a destination where people want to come along. 2. Getting people to come along is not just a matter of telling people your direction, you have to engage them—it requires listening, connection, and the ability to articulate a compelling picture around why you are going there. 3. It is important to connect each person to the destination and the work they are doing;  people have to know how they create value and how their contribution to work matters. Many times, however, leaders can propose a direction, and it is met with skepticism because the direction was formulated in a vacuum, or it was the result of consultants formulating a direction that is not authentic to where the organization needs to go to be a success in the marketplace.  What we know is that it is difficult to inspire people and build a shared commitment to the future state.   What we learn from Barry and Sarah is that you need to pay attention to the terrain.  Having a map is the beginning, but understanding the terrain is essential, and that is where controlling traffic is important.  It requires agility, adjusting to market conditions, recognizing opportunities that lie ahead, making sure that the organization is positioned for success.   What I love about this conversation is that Barry and Sarah give us notable examples of how the best leaders can control traffic.  Execution capability is essential—the ability to effectively execute and orchestrate action. Join the conversation on Setting Direction and Controlling Traffic to learn more. The Five Talent that Really Matter is available on August 27th.

As part of researching The Five Talents that Really Matter, Barry Conchie and Sarah Dalton, the co-authors, conducted and reviewed 58,000 talent assessments. Their research was global in nature, and they studied leaders at every organization level. Their findings challenge the status quo and call out for leaders, at times, things they may not have wanted to know. The key learnings offer us insight into how we have been making decisions, unaware of their impact. Understanding these insights can help us make better choices and deliver better business performance. Let ‘s look at just a few of the learnings here...and then listen to the podcast to get the whole story. For example, when we are selecting candidates, we think of ourselves as objective—looking for whom we think would be the best candidate for a given role. If you ask leaders if they intentionally select people like themselves, they generally disagree. They think of themselves as seeking talent diversity. In fact, just the opposite was true, leaders had succeeded in “self-replication.” Even though it has been known for decades that “talent diversity predicts stronger collective performance advantages.” Have you ever heard leaders profess that they welcome all points of view and love to be challenged? Well, the reality is that dissention is often not welcomed. How do you know if this is going on in your team? If your team is discussing a complicated issue and no one is speaking up—then disagreement is not welcomed—yet leaders perceive themselves as welcoming dissent. If team members are having a meeting after the meeting to talk about the real issues—the leader does not welcome dissent and may not even see it. Do organizations have a bias for action-oriented leadership versus those with a keen eye for strategy? Would you ever hire someone you personally dislike even if they were highly talented? How often do you hire for likeability and are not even aware of it? Why does it take some leaders a longer time to terminate poor performers? In this podcast we will discuss the 18 insights and how you can use these findings to make better talent decisions—both in how you select and develop leaders.

With consistent churn in leadership roles at all organization levels, we have to step back and ask the question: - What are we missing in our selection process? - How do we continually make poor selection decisions? - And why aren’t we doing better? Let us start with how we can get caught in the “likeability trap.” Barry Conchie and Sarah Dalton, in The Five Talents that Really Matter, found that likeability factors have a significant impact on how a candidate is perceived. The problem is that likeability will not correlate with whether the candidate can perform in a specific role. Throughout my career I have seen organizations select highly likeable candidates that go on to fail in the job, often within the first 6-12 months. In the selection discussions, likeability is often defended as the criteria and can often win out over the discussion on potential performance. In this podcast, join the conversation to learn more about: 1. How we can mislead candidates. Do you think it is possible to mislead candidates in face-to-face interviews? I have seen this multiple times—candidates feel they had great interviews, and then are shocked when they do not get the role. Misleading candidates can not only create negative experiences for them, it can also damage a company’s brand. 2. How 360 Assessments are subjective at best and biased at worst. 3. How misaligned incentives with search firms can advocate for candidates that may not be the best choice. In this session, Barry and Sarah offer a path forward for how to audit and evaluate your selection process. “Their strategy is to introduce tools and processes that guide the hiring, selection, succession, and promotion decisions toward a defined structure that has measurable outcomes.” With each leadership selection decision, company performance is on the line—we can improve selection and have an enormous positive impact.

In today's workforce landscape, Ray Walker stands out as a leading expert in contingent workforce compliance. A seasoned professional who ensures compliance with both general and immigration laws, Walker's primary focus is maintaining business integrity while adhering to complex regulations. Contingent workers, defined as non-standard, off-payroll employees engaged on a project basis, have become a significant part of the labor market, constituting one-fifth of the UK labor market. Walker categorizes contemporary workers into three main types: traditional full-time employees, gig workers, and professional service providers. Each group faces unique legislative challenges, especially in a globalized economy where misclassification and multi-jurisdictional issues are common. Walker's expertise is precious in navigating these complexities, ensuring businesses remain compliant without hindering operational efficiency. His insights into the future of work emphasize the need for companies and workers to adapt to decentralized, technology-driven models, ensuring success in this dynamic environment.

Every now and then a book comes along that challenges the status quo.  A book that has the capacity to help us look at what we are doing today and see that we can do better.  The Five Talents that Really Matter is such a book.  Barry Conchie and Sarah Dalton, through scientific research, have identified the talents that really matter.  They cut through all the noise surrounding what leaders do and how the absolute best achieve success. Talents are different from what we see in the market today—they are not a product of competency models or building lists of experiences or capabilities—they are not the output of 360 assessments from leaders or peers that can often suggest room for improvement.  “Talents cannot be learned or taught.   They are the natural characteristics we are all born with.” Talents are a part of who we are and how we think (innate), consistent over time and resistant to change (enduring), and present in our daily work and in our lives (pervasive). So, what are the Talents that really matter? Setting Direction Harnessing Energy Exerting Pressure Increasing Connectivity Controlling Traffic In this first podcast in the 5 Talents that Really Matter Series, we meet Barry and Sarah, learn about how they arrived at the five talents, and receive an overview of how the current way we evaluate and hire talent is flawed, and what can be done moving forward to select and develop talent with a high probability of success. At a time when several studies have shown between 50-70% of new CEOs fail within the first 18 months (CEB), and 50% of externally hired executives and 35% of internally promoted leaders fall short of performance expectations (DDI), isn’t it time for a new approach?

#HRTechChat: Connecting Technology and Employee Experience with Kamal Pradhan by 3Sixty Insights

Tiffani L. Gray brings over 20 years of experience to this #HRTechChat, where she speaks to Dylan Teggart about lessons learned, collaborative teams, and conversational AI. Currently, she holds the position of Payroll Manager at Riverside Health Systems, overseeing payroll for 11,000 employees. Tiffani's impressive career includes working in payroll for the state of Virginia and serving as the Director of Membership of the Hampton Roads Chapter of PAYO (2020-2021 Past President) and Secretary of the Virginia Statewide Payroll Conference Board. Her outstanding contributions were recognized in 2022 when she was awarded the prestigious Payroll Professional of the Year by the VA Statewide Conference. In May of the same year, she was inducted into PAYO’s National Speaker Bureau and accepted as a Contributing Writer for PAYTECH magazine.

Lucia Valerio, the head of HR at Lexar since 2023, boasts a remarkable 20-year journey in the HR world. Her expertise lies in HR strategy, where she has been instrumental in driving organizational growth and revolutionizing employee engagement through transformative HR strategies. In a conversation with Dylan Teggart, Lucia delves into her principles on revisiting the fundamentals, its implications for HR leaders and businesses, and the transformative impact of new trends and technology on the future of work.

AI is set to empower HR leaders and optimize time with functionalities like timekeeping and attendance. In our latest #HRTechChat, Dylan Teggart is joined by Ayden Hodgins of New Entity HCM to speak about the future of AI in HCM and how large language models will improve the future of work.

Lilith Christiansen is the founder and lead consultant with HumanGenuity and co-author of the best-selling book Success Onboarding. She focuses on programs and processes that help people thrive in organizations. In this HRTechChat, Lilith discusses her approach to successful onboarding, first impressions, employee experience, and manager enablement, while touching on how new technology can play a role in these.

3Sixty Insight's Principal Analyst, Dylan Teggart, speaks with Geoffrey Roche of Siemens Healthineers. Geoffrey currently serves as the Director of Workforce Development at Siemens Healthineers, and is a leading thinker in the healthcare space with a focus on diversity, education, and health equity.

#HRTechChat: Meeting Workers Where They Are With Christine Nichlos & Jessica Oberto by 3Sixty Insights

In this HR Tech Chat, Dylan Teggart sits down with Keirsten Greggs of TRAP Recruiter. Keirsten has over two decades of experience in talent acquisition, onboarding, and training. Pulling from her experience in multiple sectors, including government, defense, and fintech, Keirsten walks us through the trends she's seeing in recruitment and hiring, the need for talented HR professionals, and how companies are finding the best people.

Organizations are struggling with how to better engage their people. If you want better results, people have to be connected to work. Research shows us that 77% of people in organizations today are just doing the bare minimum. Getting beyond the bare minimum to better productivity, connection with team members, a better business performance is about making a personal connection to the work and creating Indvidual pathways to development and career growth. Retention, team performance, innovation, belonging, and passion for the work, all improve when people can see the connection between what they do and what the business delivers in the marketplace.

This #HRTechChat between Workforce Software's CMO Sandra Moran, and 3Sixty Insights' Distinguished Advisor, Steve Goldberg, delves into many aspects of the employee experience for desk-less workers. Findings are shared from the WFM Tech vendor's annual Global EX Study, and the two experts talk about implications as well as intersecting topics that would be of interest to most HR professionals and leaders. The commitment to a better worker experience is evident from the leading software vendor's executive, and the genuine passion for improving outcomes for both employees and employers comes through quite clearly from the participants.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of HR technology, the future of learning is being reshaped by the transformative power of AI. In our latest HR Tech Chat episode, we sit down with Larry McAlister and Josh Irmler, CEO and founder of Landdai, to explore how AI is revolutionizing the way we approach learning and development. Together, we delve into the exciting possibilities of generative AI, the fears surrounding AI's impact on jobs, and the game-changing concept of personalization. Join us on this journey as we uncover the key insights and strategies to thrive in the golden age of HR technology.

#HRTechChat: Navigating the Talent Shortage: A Creative Approach to Skills-Based Hiring by 3Sixty Insights

At the very tail end of May 2023, the enterprise artificial intelligence software and services vendor Veritone announced the acquisition of Broadbean, a global recruitment technology company. Given that PandoLogic joined the family of Veritone companies in mid-summer 2021, we invited an expert each from PandoLogic and Broadbean to appear on the #HRTechChat video podcast and discuss synergies between the two now-Veritone companies. Joining us for this episode were Faisel Samseer, director of partnerships, development and growth for Broadbean, and Nikos Livadas, vice president of partner development for PandoLogic. Viewers (and listeners at the many audio podcast platforms where #HRTechChat syndicates) know we typically have in-depth discussions and communication with our guests in the "virtual greenroom" in the run-up to each episode. This episode is no different. Over a couple meetings and several detailed email exchanges, Nikos, Faisel and I discussed how the two vendors' shared circumstances under the aegis of Veritone ownership afford them the same kind of benefits normally found in any business partnership of this magnitude and scale. The joining of these two companies is natural in many ways. PandoLogic started out as an AI-based programmatic advertising solution for recruiting and quickly and significantly grew its capabilities from there, delighting customers along the way. As for Broadbean, "Today, we're the world's leader in job distribution technology," said Faisel. "We enable our clients to blast out their jobs to multiple platforms at the same time." He elaborated on Broadbean's large global footprint: "We say we're global. We have offices throughout the world," and Broadbean supports around 7,000 job board integrations. So, just how, exactly, do Broadbean and PandoLogic complement each other? "I think we all can agree that the bedrock of a successful AI platform is the amount of data that it has on the back end to fuel its algorithms and engines," said Nikos, pointing to the the "immense reach that Faisal was talking about earlier in data and combining it with the power of what PandoLogic has done in the AI space." This is true. No matter the type of AI, it always evolves better the more data it has access to. We see this in AI-based scheduling software and AI-predicated self-evolving skills ontologies. Outside human capital management -- and inherent in their very name -- "large" language models thrive most when as much data as possible (i.e., from human input) feeds them. It only stands to reason that this same fundamental rule of AI applies when it comes to AI and talent acquisition. As Nikos shared in a note to me ahead of the recording, "As our resellers and referral partners embrace the new Veritone HR Solutions set, they will be able to leverage our new expanded global footprint to expose our combined offering in more geo-locations than ever before possible. This will allow our partners to focus on their core competencies while relying on Broadbean/PandoLogic to handle the logistics and distribution aspects." Veritone's history in the AI space is long, "and they're a formidable player in AI when it comes to media advertising and voice technologies," said Nikos. Leveraging all that newfound data in a creative way will help the companies' customers find and engage with the best candidates for their open roles. "This is phenomenal for our partners as well," Nikos continued, "and we're looking forward to working with our partners under this new umbrella.

Welcome back to another episode of HRTechChat, where we dive into the latest trends and strategies in human resources and workplace technology. In this podcast episode, our host, Jennifer, is joined by HR expert Pamela Stroko to discuss a pressing topic - the staggering 59% of the workforce who are quietly quitting their jobs. Pamela sheds light on the concept of the ""Dead Zone,"" the time of day when remote or hybrid workers are not available to their managers. This lack of trust and connection to work has contributed to the decline in productivity and engagement among employees. Pamela introduces a concept called the ""Ambition Recession,"" a term coined by Gad Levanon, which points to the decline in employee ambition and engagement since the pandemic. She highlights that we need to shift our focus from where people work (in-office, remote, hybrid) to the quality of the work and the experiences employees have within the organization. The key is to activate employees and connect them deeply to their work to foster greater engagement and productivity. One solution Pamela suggests is using technology like the People Activation Platform offered by Pro Habits. This platform helps employees connect with their work by guiding them through daily tasks, setting goals, and providing feedback. It brings visibility to the work employees are doing and helps build trust between managers and their teams. Another tool discussed in the podcast is BlueBoard, which provides recognition experiences as rewards. Instead of traditional gifts or events, employees can choose an experience that is meaningful to them, such as a vacation with family, attending a sports event, or going on a hike. These experiences create positive intent, energize employees, and increase their commitment to the organization. The podcast emphasizes that organizations should focus on connecting employees to their work and creating meaningful experiences rather than just solving for the physical location of work. By activating employees and igniting their passion for their jobs, companies can boost productivity, engagement, and overall organizational success. In conclusion, Pamela and Jennifer leave us with the reminder that within each individual lies the potential to be fully engaged and energized by their work. As leaders, it is our responsibility to find that spark and encourage it to shine, fostering a culture of productivity and enthusiasm.

This episode of the #HRTechChat video podcast welcomes Playvox Chief Marketing Officer Michelle Randall. The sole focus of Playvox's cloud software for human capital management for is the call center industry. When it comes to workforce management, especially scheduling, call centers are complex, challenging. Plus, everything we hear about the importance of the employee experiences is magnified at call centers. And everything we know about the impact of a positive employee experience on the customer experience is amplified at call centers. Deploy technology capable of improving agents' quality of work-life balance, their employee wellbeing, and customers will have those positive experiences when they need it the most: when they get in touch with the call center. Michelle dives into the particulars, and I highly recommend tuning in.

Marta Weinstock, my guest for this episode of the #HRTechChat video podcast, is senior director of operations at California-based Rutherford Investment Company. Part of her charter at Rutherford Investments is to get human capital management as efficient as possible. Under the aegis of her leadership and the help of isolved, the employer's journey along the road to HCM maturity has been sweeping and inspiring. With isolved, Marta has brought order to a previously dysfunctional, disorganized HR ecosystem. Leading the charge for digital transformation from the inside, Marta has witnessed first-hand not only the excellent capabilities found in isolved's software-as-a-service People Cloud™, but also the highly attentive approach of isolved's HR services team.

The talent acquisition of today is nonlinear. By this, we mean it’s all one thing, not a siloed process with many activities taking place in an orderly fashion or readily apparent, repeatable sequence. James Galvin should know. Our guest for this episode of the #HRTechChat video podcast, James is CEO and co-founder of Starcircle, a Cork, Ireland–headquartered vendor of cloud software and services designed to result in truly effective talent acquisition campaigns by looking at these as holistic efforts and considering sourcing first, and not last — an idea embodied in a term Starcircle uses: long-tail talent. Take artificial intelligence, for example. It’s difficult to discuss modern talent acquisition without mentioning AI. This is because AI has entered the fray of talent acquisition for good. This is not hype. At the same time, however, “there’s a lack of understanding around how AI is going to fit into talent acquisition,” said James during the podcast. “And one thing’s for sure is: it’s not going to do your work for you. ” The issue goes back to the tried-and-true old adage about relying on computers: garbage in, garbage out. Known perhaps even better for its acronym, GIGO is the idea that it doesn’t matter how powerful a computer is: if the data going in is bad (i.e., garbage), the computer will spit out something of very little value (i.e., again, garbage). AI is the result of highly advanced, sophisticated computing, which of course means that GIGO applies to AI, too. Say you’re an employer. Say there’s an open role. Not that it necessarily matters for the example, but say it’s an executive role that you’re trying to fill. You’re certain of the qualities and characteristics you want or believe you need in new candidates for an open role. But who’s to say your certainty is warranted? Very few ask the question, and once you inform the AI in your talent acquisition technology with whatever ideas you have, you’ll get the candidates you requested. The problem is, your idea of what you want or need is probably a little or way off the mark when it comes to what you actually need or should want. Apply the AI without any thought to this deep consideration, and never mind the disservice to diversity: you risk perpetuating deep-seated organizational dysfunction. Talent acquisition is no longer a clean chain of neatly defined in-tandem events or occurrences culminating in a hire. Just as there is an emerging new talent acquisition suite for the future of work, in other words, so there is an emerging new process to go about finding and acquiring new talent. As the one who is planning talent acquisition for your organization, you could take this holistic view of talent acquisition and think of yourself as being at the center of a circle. A circle is a nice visual for the idea of something being nonlinear, after all. On this episode of the podcast, James and I went on what you might characterize as a walkabout. AI was just one topic. Our discussion touched on talent acquisition in a deep way: how approaching recruiting as if it were a sales funnel is a mistake, James believes — precisely because talent acquisition has become so nonlinear why sourcing is anything but transactional and should be the first (instead of last) thing employers rethink in their approach to recruiting what friction in hiring is and how lessening this friction helps employers engage with their talent pipelines and avert candidate abandonment down the line

Some may appreciate the play on the title of a mid-1970s philosophical novel, “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance,” others the Eastern twist on Western theology. Regardless, original Zen and the art of integration strategy is the absolutely essential and crucial understanding that cloud-to-cloud integration is a process and a way of life, never something that eventually ends because it will ever finally be perfect. Vendors in HCM that acknowledge and embrace this universal truth will save money, increase sales, and improve their customer retention — all major competitive advantages. This episode of the video podcast is something we call the #HRTechChat Showcase, a version of #HRTechChat wherein our guests not only chat with us, but also share slide decks or other visual cues to help convey their ideas. So, if you’re listening to us on one of the audio platforms where we syndicate, this time you may want to look for us on YouTube so you can view the video. My guests were all-around experts in the granularities of cloud integration: Chief Technology Officer Jeff Tremblay and President Pierre Rousseau of The Cloud Connectors, an integration platform-as-a-service (iPaaS) where they and their fellow co-founders invented and use Clouddata™, a native-to-cloud-integrations computer language. Listening to vendors of software-as-a-service (SaaS) for human capital management (or any other domain of the enterprise, for that matter), a buyer might be forgiven to believe solution providers have solved cloud-to-cloud integration once and for all with application programming interfaces (APIs). But they haven’t — far from it. An HCM technology stack chockful of countless APIs hanging together via no more than a slew of corresponding point-to-point integrations is, as the cliché goes, a recipe for disaster. Vendors experience what TCC calls the Wall Effect, a hockey-stick graph where the cost of integration (TCoI) for maintaining everything suddenly increases exponentially to sap resources and siphon talent away from innovating. The challenges comprise far more than what appears above the waterline of the Integration Iceberg, an apt metaphor TCC invokes. To use another cliché, Clouddata is a game-changer. To pull from the related research note that we recently published, “Clouddata does for integrations what SQL has done for relational databases. Much like SQL delivered relational database coding from the very complex language CODASYL, Clouddata fulfills the same role for integrations. Clouddata makes it easy to build complex integrations that enable businesses to scale.” There’s more, of course. Critical as Clouddata is, it takes more than a breakthrough in computer language to make cloud-to-cloud integration better, more manageable and affordable over the long term. And there’s even more, and at this point, I really should just let Pierre and Jeff do the explaining. I happen to like the concept of #HRTechChat Showcase, by the way. Perhaps you’ve wondered at times what a briefing with an industry analyst is like, for example. Or, you just like seeing slide decks or other props when learning something new. Some don’t like PowerPoint, but we’ve all seen their impact and effectiveness elevate immeasurably when the caliber of presenter is really good. And, in Jeff and Pierre, we have really good, high-caliber presenters for this episode, indeed.

Welcome back to another episode of #HRTechChat, the Podcast where we explore the latest trends, innovations, and strategies in the ever-evolving world of HR technology. I'm your host, Jennifer Dole. And on today's show, we have a very special guest joining us again, someone who has made a significant impact in the HR tech landscape with her expertise and thought leadership. She's a trailblazer, she's an innovator, and she's a true advocate for leveraging technology to drive positive change in the workplace. Welcome back, Pamela. In this episode, we delve into the challenges that HR leaders face. The job market and talent shortage are hot topics in the news, with economic factors and uncertainties impacting companies' hiring strategies. As Pamela points out, the predicted recession seems to be pushed further into the future, and HR leaders must navigate these changing landscapes. One significant shift in the market is the emphasis on skill building. Upskilling, reskilling, and alternative routes to acquiring skills are gaining prominence in talent acquisition. State governments, organizations like STAR, and initiatives like "Grads of Life" are recognizing the value of skills over traditional degrees. This shift opens up opportunities for underserved and diverse populations who may possess the necessary skills but lack formal education credentials. Pamela highlights the importance of tapping into underrepresented groups and using technology to increase visibility and encourage their participation in the job market. However, she also emphasizes that skills cannot be solely assessed based on a list on paper. Real conversations and understanding how individuals acquired and applied their skills are crucial. As technology evolves, HR leaders can leverage advancements to gain more insights into candidates' capabilities and potential fit within the organization. The conversation then transitions to the role of HR leaders as curators of company culture. Pamela explains her choice of the word "curate" and its definition: selecting, organizing, and presenting using professional or expert knowledge. HR leaders are tasked with carefully choosing the elements that shape the company's culture. With a myriad of responsibilities, they must prioritize and focus on areas that need attention, such as candidate experience, talent acquisition, skills development, and internal mobility. To curate the culture effectively, HR leaders must be aware of external factors, such as market trends and talent gaps. By using their professional expertise and knowledge, they can make informed decisions and drive positive change within the organization. The key lies in carefully selecting the right initiatives and strategies that align with the company's goals and values. In conclusion, this episode sheds light on the challenges faced by HR leaders in the talent marketplace and their role as curators of company culture. By embracing skill-based hiring, leveraging technology for inclusivity, and curating the right elements, HR leaders can create a positive and thriving workplace environment. Stay tuned for more insights and discussions on HR tech trends in future episodes of #HRTechChat.

Both my guests for this episode have appeared on the #HRTechChat video podcast previously - and it only made sense to host the two of them this time, at the same time. Why? Betterworks CEO Doug Dennerline and Vice President of HR Transformation Jamie Aitken have co-authored and published a book titled "Make Work Better," and our discussion revolved around it. Let's get something out of the way first. Employers have six ways to Sunday to make work better: make scheduling better for work-life balance, make onboarding better for immediate employee engagement (and faster time-to-productivity), make payroll better so employees get paid incorrectly less often, make on-the-job learning better so staff can build their careers... Have I missed anything? Probably, and we've been talking about how to make work better for years. Over 10 years ago, when I worked with executives at one of the well-known vendors of technology for workforce management, we argued (correctly) in our thought leadership that you could make work better for retail associates by modernizing WFM systems. The list goes on. You could start anywhere to make work better. One of the best places to start to make work better, however, is by upending tired old approaches to measuring and assessing employees' performance. More specifically, the central tenet of Doug and Jamie's book is that you can make work much, much better by dispensing with performance management that revolves around the tedious annual performance review. We've all heard the tongue-in-cheek term, The beatings will continue until morale improves. Well, what are we doing? We can do better than rely on an approach developed by the U.S. military early in the last century and specifically for military scenarios. As for the private sector, "massive research shows that it doesn't change performance," Doug said. "It's a ridiculous thing. Yet people still do it. So, this book was aimed at helping people understand the value of making the change, and giving them a bit of a roadmap on what happens when you do that" and insight into "the profound impact it has on companies that are brave enough to make the change." What kind of organization doesn't want performance to improve? What's great about leaving the traditional annual review behind is that employees' performance finally does improve -- the goal all along. New approaches aided by the state of the art in cloud software for this (like Betterworks) promote regular dialogue between managers and their direct reports, result in greater workforce engagement overall, and elevate the caliber of leadership throughout the organization. Over time, in fact, turning away from the old ways of performance management can be an important precursor to organizational transformation -- and HR transformation, certainly. Traditionally (and tellingly), HR departments have always measured success vis-à-vis performance management in simple terms of completions -- "as opposed to impact, what is it that you're trying to achieve?" Jamie said. "Well, it's not just 'check the box.' We need to have a completely different way of showing up for our employees. We need to be thinking about different ways to get them engaged, and focused." HR departments end up escaping this cost-center-reinforcing mentality and, armed with rich data on workforce performance and engagement, elevate their own standing with organizational leadership. Getting out of the past and into the future of work with their performance management, in other words, is good all around for everyone involved. For an example of how this plays out, watch this episode of #HRTechChat from last summer, when we interviewed Betterworks user Jeff Andes, vice president of talent management at University of Phoenix. And I almost forgot: another member of leadership at Betterworks appeared on the podcast last year. In the meantime, and as always, Doug and Jamie were great guests.

Joining 3Sixty Insights Co-Founder Brent Skinner for this episode of the #HRTechChat video podcast was guest Adam Famularo, CEO of WorkFusion. In monitoring for financial crime, WorkFusion's "AI Digital Workers" may well be more accurate and efficient than any human could ever be. But it's actually good news for real humans in the world of work. In their discussion, Adam and Brent dig into why this is so.