Long COVID might not be top of mind for execs, but its lingering effects tell us everything we need to know about experience in your organization. In this episode we speak with Lila Nazef, VP of Sales and Marketing at Neocase on why HR still isn’t working, how onboarding sets the tone for everything, and what leaders miss when they treat people ops like admin. There’s a real shift happening—from tactical HR to experience-first org design—and companies that miss it will lose the talent war.

We dig in on HR experience design, the blurred lines between sales and marketing, leadership mindset shifts, and why technology isn’t the enemy—it’s the excuse. If you’re tired of reactive HR, this episode brings the fire (and a few hard truths).

Key Takeaways

➡ ➡ HR still operates like a silo, disconnected from brand and revenue.

➡ Sales = the hunt. Marketing = the ecosystem. Most confuse the two.

➡ Poor onboarding breaks trust before it even starts.

➡ Tech should enhance—not replace—human connection.

➡ The Chief Experience Officer isn’t optional anymore.

➡ Most orgs don’t know how their people feel—that’s the real gap.

➡ Experience isn’t fluffy—it’s a measurable competitive advantage.

➡ Communication is still HR’s biggest blind spot.

➡ Mistakes fuel innovation if leaders stop punishing them.

➡ HR needs a rebrand—from policy enforcer to strategic driver.

➡ You can’t fix broken culture with a tech stack.

Chapters

00:00 The Lingering Effects of COVID-19

02:56 Exploring the Value of Organs and Skin

05:57 The Importance of Employee Experience

08:57 Sales vs. Marketing: A Passion for the Hunt

11:57 The Broken HR Experience

14:55 Defining HR Experience and Its Impact

19:49 Seamless Employee Experience

22:02 The Role of Chief Experience Officer

25:48 Transforming HR from Cost Center to Revenue Driver

28:25 Balancing Technology and Human Touch

36:04 Creating Competitive Advantage through Employee Experience

43:41 Embracing Mistakes as a Path to Innovation

Connect with our guest:

Lila Nazef VP of Sales and Marketing at Neocase: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lila-nazef-hrtech/

Connect with us

William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/

Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/

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