In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss the latest tech acquisitions while exploring how AI-powered solutions are reshaping employee experience. The hosts address the Eightfold lawsuit and its implications for data privacy, examine CEO perspectives on AI decisions and implementations, and discuss Greenhouse's mission to make hiring work for everyone. They also touch on the role of HR leaders when business decisions present potential risks and how different generations view the social stances taken by their employers.

Key points covered include:

↪️ M&A activity accelerates with acquisitions focused on AI-powered recruitment, global payroll services, and workforce planning capabilities that expand platform offerings across the full employee lifecycle. Acquisition deals discussed include Venture Solution/Distro, Remote/Atlas, Dayforce/Agent Noon, Docebo/365 Talent.

↪️ Eightfold faces legal scrutiny over data disclosure requirements, raising questions about how AI systems use external data sources and what organizations must reveal to candidates about data scraping.

↪️ The recent issues around ICE tactics demonstrate the importance of evaluating potential risks of business decisions involving employee training, hiring incentives, overarching policies, and even language used in communications.  All can impact employee safety and shape organizational culture, particularly in times of rapid change.

↪️ Three-quarters of CEOs report being the primary decision maker on AI strategy and 50%  believe their job depends on demonstrable ROI from AI use, creating pressure that may lead to rushed implementation without thorough evaluation and risk assessment.

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Stacey Harris

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Cliff Stevenson

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In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and guest Chris Taylor, Founder and CEO of Actionable.co, break down why most training programs fail to create lasting change and what actually works. The conversation explores the gap between understanding new concepts and caring enough to apply them, revealing that most organizations spend 80% of their time on content when they should be dedicating three times more attention to helping people find their own reasons for change. 

Chris shares data from over 9,000 learning programs showing that simple tools like accountability partners can triple the likelihood of sustained behavior change. He shares practical strategies for designing sessions that stick, from cohort structures to permission slips for inevitable lapses.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Effective learning requires a minimum 3:1 ratio of context to content, allowing participants time to work through the "so what" and "now what" rather than just consuming information.

↪️ Accountability partners increase the likelihood of sustained change by three times when participants check in at least twice after a session, yet remain underutilized despite being free and easy to implement.

↪️ Changing one behavior at a time produces better results than attempting multiple shifts simultaneously, with cohorts under 10 participants showing higher success rates for lasting change.

↪️ AI will commoditize the "how" of learning while human facilitation remains critical for helping individuals discover why they care enough to change their behavior.

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Teri Zipper

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Chris Taylor

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Actionable.co

LinkedIn

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson kick off the conversation with major acquisition news reshaping the HR tech market, including Coursera's plan to acquire Udemy for $2.5 billion and ServiceNow's $7.75 billion acquisition of ARMIS. They cover significant leadership changes across multiple companies, discuss the just-announced Department of Labor funding for apprenticeships in high-growth industries, and share insights on actual use of AI. 

The hosts also highlight the next HR Systems Survey, which will launch on April 15th for distribution partners and on April 29th for the general public.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Coursera's $2.5 billion deal to acquire Udemy signals consolidation in corporate learning content; the combined company will focus on AI training and the corporate market. ServiceNow's $7.75 billion acquisition of Armis addresses critical security needs as organizations navigate the bring-your-own-AI trend, asset discovery, and data access controls across expanding tech ecosystems. The conversation also covers Phenom’s acquisition of Included AI and the acquisition of Ethan Allen HR Services by G&A Partners.

↪️ The Department of Labor recently announced it is allocating $98 million through its YouthBuild Program to support pre-apprenticeships in high-demand industries such as  construction, manufacturing, IT, and healthcare. Funded projects are intended to provide education, occupational skills training and employment services to young people ages 16 to 24 and strengthen connections to registered apprenticeship programs.  

↪️ Leadership changes at Culture Amp and Oyster position both companies for growth, with founders transitioning to board chairman roles.  They also discuss major executive changes at isolved and Atana.  

↪️ The newly introduced Claude Cowork, an agentic AI tool built into the Claude desktop app, automates complex, multi-step tasks for non-coders.  The hosts discuss how such tools are enabling workers to “collaborate” with AI as a coworker, greatly expanding AI’s practical use.

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Cliff Stevenson

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In this special episode* of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and guest Pragya Gupta, Chief Operating Officer at isolved discuss how HR leaders are navigating AI adoption and workforce planning in 2026. The conversation covers findings from isolved's HR Leaders Report, which surveyed over 2,000 organizations, revealing that 63% are experiencing AI disruption while 51% struggle with data scattered across multiple systems. 

Pragya explains how HR is moving from reactive to anticipatory operations, using data and AI to predict workforce needs rather than simply responding to them. The discussion addresses practical challenges including payroll accuracy, benefits selection complexity, and the growing skills intelligence gap that threatens retention and competitiveness.

Key points covered include:

↪️ HR leaders using AI for recruitment are facing a new challenge where candidates also use AI to optimize resumes, requiring smarter filtering systems that learn from past hiring decisions to identify the best matches while eliminating bias.

↪️ Payroll remains a top stress point for practitioners, with AI-powered "perfect payroll" capabilities now providing proactive notifications about errors before processing, such as incomplete direct deposits or incorrect employee classifications.

↪️ Benefits selection has emerged as the second leading reason employees leave organizations, driving demand for AI assistants that recommend plans based on individual circumstances, family situations, and life stages during open enrollment.

↪️ Two-thirds of organizations are currently seeking new HR systems to address data fragmentation, with HR leaders reporting they lack the analytical capabilities needed for strategic decision-making despite increased pressure from CEOs to guide AI-driven workforce changes.

See what HR leaders are prioritizing this year: https://isolved.co/3LgNlto

*This podcast episode is sponsored by isolved

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Pragya Gupta

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isolved

LinkedIn 

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss  acquisition activity across global payroll and identity security markets, highlighting how services and compliance expertise are driving these deals. They analyze new research showing that executives use AI at nearly double the use rate of frontline employees and highlight why these gaps affect adoption strategies. 

The conversation includes workforce planning insights from Sapient's collaboration with Anaplan, the SHRM discrimination lawsuit verdict, and regulatory changes affecting AI and workplace equity programs.

Key points covered include:

↪️ UKG's acquisition of Inova Payroll expands managed services for frontline workers, while ServiceNow's $1 billion purchase of Veza positions the company in the growing battle over identity security and access control.  Other companies making or finalizing acquisitions include European companies Sajid and SDWorks and Findem, which sells an AI talent platform..

↪️ Research from both Dayforce and Sapient Insights confirms a big gap in AI use;  while 80 to 87% of executives are using AI tools, just 27to 41% of individual contributors are using them. The hosts discuss what this means for successful implementations.

↪️ Team and Time, a new offering out of UKG Labs, is designed to especially meet the sophisticated and complex scheduling requirements for healthcare workforces.  The platform reflects an overall market need for advanced time and attendance solutions for diversely skilled workforces.  

↪️ In other news: The jury verdict awarding $11.5 million in the SHRM discrimination lawsuit raises questions about organizational culture and compensation structures.  In the 10 years since Gravity Payments implemented a $70,000 (now $80,000) minimum wage for all employees, the company is reporting 650% of revenue growth.

The hosts reference two new complimentary resources for audiences: a just-published white paper, “From Headcount to High Impact,” that discusses how C-suite leaders can use workforce planning for strategic, long-term planning (https://www.anaplan.com/resources/research-report/sapient-c-suite-guide-to-using-workforce-planning/#); and an ADP-hosted webinar, “HR + IT: Empowering Data Integration in the Age of AI,” with IT analyst Tim Crawford and Shivang Patel, ADP chief product officer, on ways to resolve data integration challenges and how generative and agentic AI can support business transformation and differentiation (https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/5113285/55BFAEF63EFBA62A329A708BCAC81A52). 

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Cliff Stevenson

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In this fan-favorite episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper along with Susan Richards and guests Tee Thorsen, LAITHOS Co-Founder and Managing Partner, and Mary Ellen Clagett, LAITHOS Leadership Catalyst and Co-Founder, discuss how leadership and organizational culture function as inseparable forces that determine business outcomes. The conversation addresses why 60% of employees still hide their authentic selves at work and how this disconnect undermines sustainable results. 

They explore the elements that make culture "adaptive" - including psychological safety, learning mindsets, and the ability to balance stability with flexibility - while providing practical frameworks for building trust and leading change effectively. They also introduce a trust equation that helps leaders assess their own trustworthiness and communication impact.

Key points covered include:

↪️Organizations can have the best strategy, but without a supportive culture that embraces change, it's like running new software on outdated hardware - results will be limited and unsustainable.

↪️ Trustworthiness is measured by (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy) ÷ Self-Orientation, where leaders must demonstrate expertise, follow through on commitments, and create emotional safety while keeping personal agendas in check.

↪️Leaders must adapt their communication style for different audiences - teams, peers, boards, stakeholders - while maintaining authenticity, and must recognize that effective communication includes listening as much as speaking.

↪️Leading change requires radical honesty about impacts, including job eliminations, so employees can make informed decisions, and success depends on engaging both formal leaders and informal influencers throughout the organization.

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Teri Zipper

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Susan Richards

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Tracey (Tee) Thorsen

LinkedIn

Mary Ellen Clagett

LinkedIn

In this fan-favorite episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech initially posted after the HR Tech conference, Susan Richards, Teri Zipper, and Cliff Stevenson explore the disconnect between AI availability and actual adoption, revealing that 90% of professionals still don't use AI tools at work despite consumer-level familiarity. They discuss why major learning platform vendors were absent from the HR Tech conference floor even as spending data shows learning as a top investment category. The episode explores how HR technology is evolving into workforce technology as vendors integrate HR, finance, and IT capabilities into single platforms.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Survey data reveals overall HR tech spending continues to decline with the exception of learning technology, yet several major learning vendors were notably absent from this year's HR Tech conference floor.

↪️ Organizations have acquired AI technology but face adoption barriers rooted in change management; while employees are showing measured excitement, they can be overwhelmed by implementation issues.

↪️ The boundaries between HR, finance, and IT are dissolving as vendors like Rippling and HiBob acquire capabilities across functions, pointing toward workforce technology ecosystems rather than siloed HR systems.

↪️ The most successful AI applications in HR remain low-risk tasks such as writing job descriptions; higher-stakes uses such as the creation of skills taxonomies require human oversight at multiple checkpoints.

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Teri Zipper

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Cliff Stevenson

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Susan Richards

LinkedIn

In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and guest David Noe, HR Manager with Payroll Partners and host of the SpeakEasy HR podcast, discuss the often-overlooked elements of employee experience that directly impact retention. The conversation examines why clarity and belonging can matter more than perks, how technology platforms can make or break trust, and why treating employee relationships as timelines instead of human connections creates retention problems.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Employee experience gaps often stem from poor clarity and lack of belonging rather than insufficient benefits or perks. Small moments of recognition and genuine check-ins drive retention more than assumed cultural strengths.

↪️ Systems like payroll platforms directly affect trust levels within organizations. When basic functions fail, employees lose confidence in leadership regardless of other positive workplace factors.

↪️ Culture requires active maintenance through discipline, not accident. Leaders must establish clear non-negotiable values, implement simple reinforcement systems, and provide leadership development at every level to scale effectively.

↪️ Communication quality matters more than volume. Leaders need to explain the “why” behind decisions and use multiple channels to reach different employees rather than relying on single methods or assuming AI will solve communication problems.

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Teri Zipper

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David Noe

LinkedIn

Payroll Partners, Inc

LinkedIn

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss Workday's acquisition of Pipedream and what Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers mean for HR technology integration and AI agent security. The conversation covers everything from EU pay equity reporting requirements to why only 12% of employees feel they receive adequate AI training. Major industry moves include Zoom's acquisition of BrightHire, UKG's new leadership additions, and why Lattice is exiting the payroll business after a brief attempt.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Workday acquired Pipedream, an MCP server platform with 3,000+ pre-built connections, to enable faster AI agent integration after determining internal development would take over a year.

↪️EU pay equity regulations require immediate reporting capability where employees can request detailed comparative pay data within their organization, with compliance fines starting for organizations more than 5% out of alignment.

↪️ Only 12% of employees report receiving adequate AI training, while 64% of organizations have no guidelines or policies in place for AI use, creating a critical gap between AI investment and effective adoption.

↪️ Major market activity includes Zoom acquiring BrightHire for AI-powered recruiting, Sage acquiring Criterion for cloud payroll expansion, and Lattice exiting the HRS and payroll business after recognizing the maintenance and compliance complexity.

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Stacey Harris

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Cliff Stevenson

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In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and guest Bonnie Tinder, Founder and CEO at Raven Intelligence, explore how too many HR tech projects fail not because of the software itself, but because of poor implementation planning and partner selection. Bonnie shares how to evaluate system integrators, spot red flags during the selection process, and avoid the scope creep that derails projects. The conversation covers practical strategies for preparing your organization, managing change, and setting up projects for success from day one.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Great software means nothing without proper implementation. Projects fail when organizations treat implementations as simple software installations rather than business transformations that require process re-engineering.

↪️  Evaluate multiple implementation partners independently rather than accepting your software vendor's recommendation, checking customer reviews for recent projects in your industry and examining patterns around change orders and budget overruns.

↪️  Start with clear business objectives and success metrics, then work backwards to build your project plan. This clarity helps you communicate effectively with partners and resist scope creep that accumulates.

↪️ Be transparent about organizational challenges and outdated processes from the start, because what you hide in the closet will surface during implementation when you're paying consulting rates to address problems you could have resolved earlier.

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Bonnie Tinder

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Raven Intelligence

LinkedIn