The HR Huddle

In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and guest Libby DeLucien, Founder of WootRecruit, discuss common hiring mistakes, the role of AI in recruiting, and why companies need to rethink their approach to attract quality candidates. The conversation covers how personal development directly impacts leadership effectiveness and why treating employees as valuable assets requires a human-centered recruiting process.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Traditional hiring processes fail because they're designed around business convenience rather than candidate experience, leading to ghosting and poor-quality hires.

↪️ While AI can speed up certain recruiting tasks, removing the human element from hiring risks losing valuable candidates, especially when an employee is often worth more  than a single customer in terms of revenue generation, depending on the business..

↪️ Personal development directly impacts leadership effectiveness. Working on your own mindset, health, and energy management creates a leader others naturally want to follow without micromanagement.

↪️ Quality applicants for entry-level positions are hired within 6-8 days, not the 45-day industry average, leaving companies with slow processes facing chronic understaffing and lost revenue.

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Teri Zipper

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Libby DeLucien

LinkedIn

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss why compliance has become the surprising number one topic in HR technology, exploring how AI is changing verification processes and I-9 management. They cover major market moves including Qualtrics' $6.7 billion acquisition of Press Ganey and break down Dayforce's latest product announcements at their user conference. 

Key points covered include:

↪️ HR leaders are reassessing compliance technology and exploring how AI can automate compliance management, with particular focus on I-9 verification and ensuring interview candidates match actual hires.

↪️ Qualtrics acquires Press Ganey for $6.7 billion, demonstrating that the ability to collect, analyze, and present healthcare benchmarking data commands premium valuations.

↪️ Dayforce announces new compliance AI assist tool, collaborative AI workspace environment launching Q1 2026, and the Agent Noon acquisition bringing strategic workforce planning with financial modeling into the platform.

↪️ UKG's "When Work Works, Everything Works" rebrand focusing on frontline workers, Workday's Middle East expansion through Dubai, and emerging pay transparency solutions from PayScale and Workday.

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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 Dennis Hill, Founder of Sagacity, LLC, and Chairman/President/CEO at IHRIM, explore Web3, blockchain, and distributed ledger technologies that promise to solve the security problems that have plagued HR systems for 60 years. The conversation covers data ownership rights, the shift toward crypto-based financial systems, and the competitive advantage of same-day pay solutions. 

Key points covered include:

↪️ Blockchain and DAG (directed acyclic graph) architecture provide one-in-15-trillion security against data breaches, eliminating the need for add-on security patches that have failed organizations for 60 years.

↪️ Employees should own their personal data on distributed ledgers rather than having it stored on corporate systems, requiring federal legislation to establish clear data ownership rights.

↪️ HR tech vendors currently lack substantive Web3 roadmaps and are simply patching AI onto existing systems rather than embedding it as core architecture.

↪️ Same-day pay is now a competitive advantage in recruitment, with multiple vendors offering solutions that allow employees to access earned wages immediately rather than waiting for traditional pay cycles.

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Teri Zipper

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Dennis Hill

LinkedIn

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss the reality of AI adoption in HR, exploring the "Bring Your Own AI" phenomenon where 81% of HR professionals are using AI tools but only 14% have company-paid access. They also examine how recent policy changes, including H1-B visa cost increases to $100,000, will disproportionately impact small and medium businesses.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Workday acquired Sana for enterprise knowledge/learning capabilities, iCIMS bought Apli for frontline worker recruitment automation, and Nayya acquired North Star to expand into financial wellness.

↪️ While only 31% of organizations use embedded HRMS AI, 81% of HR professionals are personally using AI tools for work tasks like presentations and emails, with most using free versions that create potential security risks.

↪️ New $100,000 cost for H1-B visas will disproportionately affect small businesses, potentially accelerating the trend of service-based companies moving operations outside the US.

↪️ HR technology is moving toward integrated "cluster" systems with bi-directional data transfer, blurring lines between HR, finance, and IT systems rather than standalone point solutions.

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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 along with Susan Richards and guests Tee Thorsen, LAITHOS Co-Founder and Managing Partner, and Mary Ellen Clagett, LAITHOS Leadership Catalyst and Co-Founder and Managing Partner, explore how leadership directly shapes organizational culture and why both elements are critical for driving sustainable business results, especially during rapid technological and market changes. 

They discuss what makes culture "adaptive" - including psychological safety, learning mindsets, and resilience - while addressing the communication challenges leaders face in building trust across their organizations. 

Key points covered include:

↪️ Leaders must focus on being trustworthy through the equation C+R+I/SO (Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy divided by Self-Orientation), demonstrating expertise, consistency, and genuine care while keeping personal agendas in check.

↪️ Organizational culture functions like a hidden operating system - you can have the best strategy, but without supportive culture, it's like running new software on outdated hardware and simply won't work effectively.

↪️  Successful organizations cultivate curiosity, psychological safety, learning mindsets, and the ability to balance stability with flexibility.

↪️ Leaders must be "multilingual" in their communication approach while maintaining authenticity, and the medium of communication matters as much as the message itself.

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Teri Zipper

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Susan Richards

LinkedIn

Tracey (Tee) Thorsen

LinkedIn

Mary Ellen Clagett

LinkedIn

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss Anaplan's purchase of AI-powered supply chain company Syrup Technologies and Gusto's acquisition of 401K provider Guideline, alongside significant product launches including Salary.com's multilayered AI compensation suite. 

They analyze OrgView data revealing that Fortune 500 companies avoiding layoffs outperformed those making cuts by 4-5%, while discussing the challenges facing OpenAI's proposed LinkedIn competitor. 

Key points covered include:

↪️ News from ADP’s Innovation Day shows that the company’s AI investments are paying off.  ADP embeds AI assistants throughout its platform at no extra charge, contrasting with 50 to 60% of HR vendors charging additional fees for AI features.  ADP’s AI assistants focus on compliance, payroll, and auditing applications. ADP’s HCM suite Lyric is also gaining traction.

↪️ OrgView data shows Fortune 500 companies that maintained stable workforces outperformed those reducing workforces by 4 to 5% across revenue, productivity, and other business metrics, challenging the conventionally held benefits of workforce reduction.

↪️ Salary.com just launched its new CompAnalyst AI Suite, designed to give employers simplified and more powerful ways to manage compensation based on detailed and deep talent data with multilayered AI agents giving users the ability to analyze data from many different perspectives with complete transparency.  

↪️ OpenAI's proposed hiring platform, intended to take on LinkedIn, faces the same obstacles that derailed previous attempts by Microsoft, Meta, and Google; the B2B market with its complex sales processes, compliance laws, and regulatory requirements is much different than the consumer 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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In this special episode* of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and guest Jamie Aitken, Vice President of HR Transformation at Betterworks, discuss the current state of AI deployment in HR and its intersection with strategic performance management. While many employees use ChatGPT individually, organizations show limited AI integration within their HR technology stack, with HR departments often excluded from enterprise AI planning discussions. 

The conversation explores how AI can transform performance management through skills inference, data-driven calibration, and real-time workforce planning. 

Key points covered include:

↪️ Many HR departments find themselves excluded from organizational AI planning, missing the opportunity to shape employee experience and change management around AI adoption.

↪️ Organizations are universally moving toward continuous feedback models that focus on growth, collaboration, and real-time coaching rather than annual review cycles.

↪️ AI can analyze performance conversations, peer feedback, and project outcomes to automatically identify employee capabilities and quickly assemble teams for emerging business needs.

↪️ HR must shift from managing compliance and completion rates to designing employee experiences that drive business outcomes like faster goal completion, higher retention, and increased innovation.

*This episode is sponsored by Betterworks 

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Teri Zipper

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Jamie Aitken

LinkedIn

Betterworks

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In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss Thoma Bravo's $12.3 billion acquisition of Dayforce and Workday's back-to-back purchases of AI companies Paradox and Flowise. They also examine contrasting research on AI adoption, with Goldman Sachs predicting minimal workforce disruption while MIT reports that 95% of organizations see zero ROI from generative AI. 

Key points covered include:

↪️ Thoma Bravo takes Dayforce private for $12.3 billion (32% premium), while Workday acquires AI talent acquisition leader Paradox and low-code AI agent builder Flowise.

↪️ Discussion of conflicting studies showing 95% of organizations getting zero ROI from generative AI, contrasted with continued massive investments and the hosts' data showing strategic, tactical AI adoption in HR.

↪️Goldman Sachs study suggests AI will only temporarily impact 2.5% of US jobs, contrasting sharply with MIT findings that 95% of organizations report zero return on AI investments despite continued billion-dollar funding rounds.

↪️ Wave of executive appointments from Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and other major tech companies signals HR tech's growing prominence, though hosts warn newcomers about HR's unique compliance and regulatory complexities.

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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In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper along with Stacey Harris welcome guest RD Whitney, Chief Operating Officer for The CFO Leadership Council, to explore the growing convergence between finance and HR functions. This conversation highlights how CFOs are increasingly involved in HR technology purchasing, particularly in mid-market companies, while AI adoption is creating new challenges around leadership and decision-making responsibilities.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Finance leaders are now heavily involved in decisions around total rewards, compensation, benefits, and employee engagement tools, particularly because these areas directly impact productivity and bottom-line results.

↪️ The implementation of AI technologies is creating confusion about ownership, with CEOs assigning leadership roles differently across organizations, making collaboration between C-Suite execs more critical than ever.

↪️ Organizations are moving away from department-specific technology purchases toward more integrated, enterprise-level decisions that require input from multiple C-suite leaders.

↪️ With the rapid pace of technological change and the potential for significant business disruption, the stakes for making the right technology investments have increased dramatically, requiring more careful evaluation and cross-functional input.

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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Stacey Harris

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RD Whitney

LinkedIn

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss  significant merger and acquisition activity, including SAP's acquisition of Smart Recruiters and the legal implications of Workday's HiredScore integration amid ongoing bias litigation. The conversation also explores key executive moves, industry recognition, and the broader implications of AI adoption in HR while addressing concerns about data reliability in the current market environment.

Key points covered include:

↪️ Sapient Insights Group's annual survey reached over 10,000 participants from 4,300+ organizations (30% increase from previous year), with new UX and vendor satisfaction scores for AI tools and contingent workforce management.

↪️ SAP acquired Smart Recruiters to strengthen their mid-market presence and gain AI talent, while neo gov was purchased by private equity firms, signaling increased consolidation in specialized HR sectors.

↪️ Federal judge ruled that Workday must provide customer lists who used HiredScore's AI features for hiring to determine if bias affected hiring decisions, creating potential compliance concerns for current customers.

↪️ Despite job market challenges, HR tech funding remains strong with $35M raised by Sparrow (AI leave management) and $50M by Ashby (recruiting), plus 74 vendors supporting the annual research survey.

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

Sapient Insights Group

Download the 2023-24 HR Systems Survey White Paper

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Stacey Harris

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Cliff Stevenson

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