In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and guest Sue Ruzenski, CEO of Helen Keller Services, discuss employment opportunities and workplace accommodations for people who are blind, have low vision, or are deaf-blind. They tackle how organizations can better support these talented individuals through practical accommodations that typically cost less than $500 per employee. This conversation explores available resources, assistive technologies, and how employment specialists can bridge the gap between job seekers and employers nationwide.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Most workplace accommodations for employees with vision or hearing loss cost under $500, making inclusion accessible for organizations of all sizes.

↪️ AI-powered glasses, navigation apps, and adaptive software are creating new opportunities for independence and workplace success.

↪️ The biggest barrier to employment success is employer assumptions about what's possible, rather than the actual accessibility challenges.

↪️ Remote work opportunities have created new possibilities for independence and career success within this community.

The 28th Annual HR System Survey is LIVE.  In addition to covering all segments of HR tech, the survey will delve into new areas such as contingent workforces and the confluence of work and HR tech. All participants will get a complimentary copy of the final report. Take the report today https://sapientinsights.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3CAEkoe5QFNOEoC?SOURCE=SIGPodcast&ID=156

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Teri Zipper

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Helen Keller Services

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In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson explore the accelerating pace of change in the HR tech industry, comparing current market activity to pivotal moments including 2010-2011 and post-COVID periods. The discussion covers a wave of significant mergers and acquisitions, including UKG's acquisition of Shiftboard and major funding rounds like Grammarly's $1 billion raise and Awardco joining the unicorn club. 

They also examine how AI is moving beyond basic automation toward evaluation and analysis capabilities, with companies like Cornerstone, Anaplan, and others embedding AI into their core platforms while addressing limitations and errors.

Key points covered include:

↪️ UKG acquires Shiftboard for skills-based scheduling in energy/manufacturing, while Acrisure bought Heartland Payroll and Intuit acquired GoCo to expand market reach.

↪️ Multiple vendors are moving into strategic workforce planning by 2026, with growing emphasis on bridging the gap between HR and finance functions through better planning systems.

↪️ Leading vendors like Cornerstone are being transparent about AI limitations, including hallucinations, while focusing on practical applications and providing clear warnings about accuracy checks rather than promising perfect solutions.

↪️ Key leadership changes include Jura Slattery joining isolved as Chief Customer Officer and Michael Flannery becoming CEO at Daxtra, reflecting companies' focus on customer experience and data-driven solutions.

↪️ The 28th Annual HR System Survey is LIVE.  In addition to covering all segments of HR tech, the survey will delve into new areas such as contingent workforces and the confluence of work and HR tech. All participants will get a complimentary copy of the final report. Take the report today https://sapientinsights.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3CAEkoe5QFNOEoC?SOURCE=SIGPodcast&ID=156

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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 Kelly Mackin, Co-Founder and CEO of Motives Met and author of “Work Life Well-Lived: The Motives Met Pathway to No-B.S. Well-Being at Work,” discuss her research identifying 28 psychological and emotional "motives" that drive thriving at work, revealing that only 16% of people are truly thriving in their professional lives. The conversation explores how wellbeing is highly individualized, with different needs taking priority for each person across various seasons of life.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Work-life harmony is just one of 28 motives that influence workplace wellbeing, and people are either "integrators" who blend work and personal life or "separators" who prefer clear boundaries.

↪️ Creating a thriving workplace culture requires co-creation, with leaders setting the tone but everyone taking responsibility.

↪️ 63% of people fear expressing emotions like stress or frustration at work, contributing to environments of toxic positivity.

↪️ Individuals can take control of their workplace wellbeing by identifying their top motives, developing an action plan, and asking for what they need.

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Teri Zipper

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Kelly Mackin

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Motives Met

LinkedIn

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss UKG's major cultural transformation under CEO Jennifer Morgan and discuss how the company is moving from reactive to proactive customer service while targeting double-digit growth in the enterprise market. This conversation also covers Moderna's decision to combine its CHRO and IT leadership roles in an effort to align talent and tech to create an adaptive, AI-ready organization.

Key points covered include:

↪️ UKG’s new CEO Jennifer Morgan's transparent approach to addressing cultural and customer challenges related to recent acquisitions while pursuing double-digit growth and strategic partnerships.  .

↪️ Industry experts warn against over-reliance on external benchmarks, advocating for organizational DNA-based decision making as AI systems risk homogenizing company cultures

↪️ A federal judge allowed a hiring discrimination lawsuit against Workday to proceed as a collective action, potentially opening floodgates for similar cases based on algorithmic biases in hiring software.

↪️ Work Human is now helping its customers use data for purposes beyond employee recognition, including for employee network analysis, identification of future leaders, and skills mapping; its expanded partnership strategy is a reflection of the broader ways AI and employee data can be used across an organization.

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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, host Teri Zipper and industry veteran Steve Goldberg explore organizational agility as a critical pathway to business success in today's fluid, unpredictable environment. 

Drawing from decades of experience across investment banks and HR tech leadership roles, Goldberg shares his "Ascension Test" framework for how companies can rise within their industry ranks through strategic pivoting and effective change management. 

The conversation dives into why many transformations fail despite good intentions, highlighting the delicate balance between technological implementation and human adaptation.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Transformation requires addressing "the three Cs": candor, clarity, and communication—especially when explaining the "why" and "why now" behind changes.

↪️ Human capital management must be owned across the organization, not just within HR departments, to enable true agility.

↪️ Change readiness extends beyond process updates to include mindset shifts and leadership demonstrating genuine commitment.

↪️ Historically, companies rarely ascend industry ranks through cost-cutting alone—true advancement comes through enhanced agility and innovation.

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Teri Zipper

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Steve Goldberg

LinkedIn

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson recap what they learned at recent major HR tech events, including Unleash America. The conversation also explores what’s behind ServiceNow's just-announced partnership with UKG to integrate UKG AI agents with ServiceNow’s AI Agent Fabric and the latest updates on Oracle’s product and marketing strategy, gleaned from its recent Analytics and Data Summit.

This episode also covers critical workplace issues, including how AI is affecting ageism bias, Microsoft's new policy to give under-performing employees a choice between a PIP and a severance package, and the urgent need for organizations to establish proper norms around AI-generated work.

Key points covered include:

↪️ By working with tech companies such as NVIDIA, Microsoft, and Google, ServiceNow is set to give organizations the ability to integrate AI agents from any implemented AI tool with ServiceNow’s AI Agent Fabric, allowing AI agents to collaborate across solutions.

↪️ Workday secures a $342,000 government contract with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to modernize the agency’s HR system.  The contract, which has drawn some criticism because of the closed bidding process, potentially positions Workday for broader work across the federal government.

↪️ The rise of AI and related skills are accelerating ageism in the workplace; in fact, ageism bias in tech companies can begin as early as 29.  

↪️ No, Microsoft isn’t getting rid of performance improvement plans; rather the company is now giving employees a choice to work under a traditional PIP or accept a 16-week severance package. 

There’s much more to this far-reaching conversation!  Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below:

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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 seasoned HR executive Pam Myers discuss practical guidance for HR professionals navigating today's changing workplace dynamics, including remote work challenges and mergers & acquisitions. They also cover the critical role leadership plays in creating positive workplace cultures and how data analytics can help organizations become more proactive in addressing employee needs. 

Key points covered include:

↪️ Employee engagement has evolved from basic job satisfaction to a more individualized approach that considers career paths, social connections, and personal values.

↪️ Leadership that prioritizes autonomy, personal connection, and development opportunities creates stronger workplace cultures.

↪️ Data analytics and AI are creating opportunities for more predictive and personalized approaches to employee engagement.

↪️ The future of employee experience will become increasingly personalized through technology, meeting employees where they are in both their professional and personal life cycles.

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

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Teri Zipper

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Pam Myers

LinkedIn

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss key takeaways from the Workday Innovation Summit, including more focus on its ecosystem strategy and partner relationships, the Workday Extend platform, and more plans for AI. 

The hosts discuss numerous executive changes at Greenhouse, UKG, Docebo, I4CP, and Perceptyx and what they mean for corporate strategies and customers. Throughout the conversation, they reference new uses for AI, its intersection with HR, opportunities for exploitation, manipulation, and misuse – as well as the potential disproportionate impact of AI on women in the workforce.

Key points covered include:

↪️ The 28th Annual HR System Survey launches May 1st.  In addition to covering all segments of HR tech, the survey will delve into new areas such as contingent workforces and the confluence of work and HR tech. All participants will get a complimentary copy of the final report.

↪️ At its recent Innovation Summit, Workday execs discussed the company’s focus on its partner ecosystem, the Extend platform for app development, and more plans for AI.

↪️ Paychex completes its acquisition of Paycor, with plans to maintain the Paycor brand while exploring ASO and PO service opportunities.

↪️ Microsoft's new People Skills, an AI-powered data layer within Microsoft 365 Copilot, promises to infer and map skills based on user activity – another example of how AI tools are blurring the lines between work and HR technology.

↪️ AI-powered recruiting tools are reshaping hiring processes but stories of misuse are cropping up.  “Fake” applicants are starting to flood systems and biased filters are systematically overlooking qualified candidates.  

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

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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 welcomes William Tincup, Editor, Analyst, Advisor & Host at WRKdefined, for a candid discussion on how HR is fundamentally about improvisation, with practitioners regularly shifting from planned activities to urgent matters like harassment claims or large-scale acquisitions.

Their discussion covers technology adoption, AI implementation, recruiting trends, and the importance of making HR systems engaging for employees who aren't explicitly paid to use them. Throughout the episode, they share practical insights about creating sustainable technology adoption through gamification, thoughtful change management, and a focus on user experience.

Key points covered include:

↪️ The real challenge with AI isn't the technology itself but adoption - creating systems for employees to share what they're learning and increasing digital literacy across organizations.

↪️ Rather than overwhelming employees with all features at once, gradually introduce functionality and ensure people are comfortable with each layer before moving deeper

↪️ AI adoption in HR benefits from experimentation and sharing knowledge organization-wide - the challenge isn't the technology itself but creating systems for organizational learning as people use these tools.

↪️ As AI transforms recruiting into an "AI versus AI" dynamic with candidates using AI for resumes, HR professionals should focus less on keywords and more on finding people who genuinely want the job.

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

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Teri Zipper

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William Tincup

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In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss international acquisitions, AI implementations across the industry, and the growing focus on skills-based approaches to workforce management. This conversation explores how organizations are navigating technology decisions during a period of economic uncertainty, particularly in the US market.

The hosts also preview Sapient Insights Group's 28th Annual HR Systems Survey launching May 1st, highlighting new questions on AI adoption, contingent workforce management, and integration strategies. 

Key points covered include:

↪️ Integration strategy is critical - organizations with data integration strategies see 16-17% better business outcomes, yet only 20% of companies have such strategies in place.

↪️ AI development is shifting from a "checkers" approach (collecting maximum data) to a "chess" approach (strategic data selection for specific outcomes).

↪️Skills validation and standardization are becoming critical challenges, with new initiatives like skills-first.org and extended reality training platforms addressing these needs.

↪️ Europe and Asia-Pacific markets are showing stronger AI adoption at the mid-market and SMB levels compared to the more uncertain US market.

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

Sapient Insights Group

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Stacey Harris

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Cliff Stevenson

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