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HR & Payroll 2.0

HR & Payroll 2.0

By: WRKdefined Podcast Network
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Summary

 Join Pete A. Tiliakos and Julie Fernandez as they combine their unique HR and payroll industry knowledge, experience, and POV’s for highly authentic conversations that unpack the key trends, challenges, and opportunities facing HR and Payroll leaders today! Powered ad-free by G-P, OneSource Virtual, and Zoho.All rights reserved by WRKdefined Economics Management Management & Leadership Politics & Government
Episodes
  • The State of HCM Technology with Special Guest John Kostoulas

    The State of HCM Technology with Special Guest John Kostoulas
    May 12 2026
    On this special episode, Pete welcomes John Kostoulas, VP of Market Positioning & Strategy at Dayforce and former Gartner Vice President and distinguished HCM tech analyst, for a candid conversation on the future of HR technology, AI adoption, and what it really takes to modernize in the era of agentic AI. John shares his journey from an engineering graduate in Greece to an HCM vendor executive and what the "analyst in him" still sees that most miss. He brings research-backed insights on the AI governance gap, and why trust, not features, is the real barrier to adoption at scale. He also delivers a sharp, no-nonsense framework of AI transformation do's and don'ts for executives who are paralyzed or unsure where to start, including why chasing feature lists over outcomes is the fastest road to regret. The conversation explores the growing "vibe coding your HCM" phenomenon, debating whether SMBs and enterprises can realistically AI-generate their way to payroll and HR solutions. Plus, they talk about the critical difference between a truly unified HCM platform and a fragmented "unified" illusion, and why that distinction is make-or-break for enterprise agility. Connect with John: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkostoulas/ John’s Post on unified consolidation and AI features: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7439258950371344385/ Connect with the show: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/hr-payroll-2-0 X: @HRPayroll2_0 X: @PeteTiliakos X: @JulieFer_HR BlueSky: @hrpayroll2o.bsky.social YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HRPAYROLL2_0 WRKDefined Podcast Network: https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/hr-payroll-20 Thank you to our marquee sponsors for powering HR & Payroll 2.0 podcast forward! G-P ‘Globalization Partners’: https://www.globalization-partners.com/ OneSource Virtual: https://hubs.ly/Q03YFNR90 Zoho: https://www.zoho.com/press.html Thank you to our ‘wizard behind the curtain’ and show producer Ryan Kielma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-kielma/
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    51 mins
  • Payroll Like a Boss with Special Guest John Bernatovicz & Tammy Gillenwater

    Payroll Like a Boss with Special Guest John Bernatovicz & Tammy Gillenwater
    May 5 2026
    On this special episode of HR & Payroll 2.0, Pete & Julie are joined by friends of the show, John Bernativicz and Tammy Gillenwater of Willory Consulting to talk their new book: ‘Payroll Like a Boss.’ John and Tammy share the origin story behind the book, the inspiration for writing it, and why themes like bravery, influence, community, and leadership are key elements of the content and increasingly critical for payroll professionals today. They also dig into the challenges holding payroll back, from constant firefighting to lack of recognition, and offer a clear call for payroll to step forward, prove its value, and help shape the future of work. Plus, John and Tammy talk about the ‘movement’ and community developing around the book and its goal to elevate the payroll profession. The conversation explores why payroll leaders must move beyond process and compliance to become more strategic, influential, and visible leaders inside their businesses. Want to Payroll Like a Boss? Your Guide to Strategic Payroll: https://johnbernatovicz.com/payroll-like-a-boss/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Payroll-Like-Boss-Guide-Strategic/dp/1662970854/ref=monarch_sidesheet_image Connect with John & Tammy: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johnbernatovicz/ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tammy-gillenwater-cpp-374692107/ Willory Consulting: https://willory.com/ Connect with the show: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/hr-payroll-2-0 X: @HRPayroll2_0 X: @PeteTiliakos X: @JulieFer_HR BlueSky: @hrpayroll2o.bsky.social YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HRPAYROLL2_0 WRKDefined Podcast Network: https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/hr-payroll-20 Thank you to our marquee sponsors for powering the HR & Payroll 2.0 podcast forward! G-P ‘Globalization Partners’: https://www.globalization-partners.com/ OneSource Virtual: https://hubs.ly/Q03YFNR90 Zoho: https://www.zoho.com/press.html Thank you to our ‘wizard behind the curtain’ and show producer Ryan Kielma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-kielma/
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    31 mins
  • Rebranding With Purpose with Special Guest Amberly Dressler

    Rebranding With Purpose with Special Guest Amberly Dressler
    Apr 28 2026
    On this special episode of HR & Payroll 2.0, Pete catches up with Amberly Dressler, a brand marketing executive known for helping shape one of the most memorable community-led brand stories in HR tech and now leading corporate and partner marketing at Conga. Amberly shares on the brand mechanics that matter right now: when a rebrand is truly earned versus vanity, how to create a single truth that unites multiple buyer personas, and why consistency beats novelty even when you’re personally tired of the message. In a crowded market where buyers are overwhelmed, she argues credibility is built the old-fashioned way: community, repetition, and showing up in the real world, not just on a slide. Drawing from the ‘People Heroes’ movement at isolved and the roadshow-first approach that met practitioners where they are, Amberly shares what modern GTM must deliver beyond the software: confidence, change support, and a narrative champions can carry into internal business cases. They also unpack why relationship-building is the only sustainable growth strategy in HR and payroll, and what it means to show up authentically in public forums like Reddit as AEO, GEO, and SEO collide with AI-driven answer engines. Connect with Amberly: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberlydressler/ Conga: https://conga.com/ Connect with the show: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/hr-payroll-2-0 X: @HRPayroll2_0 X: @PeteTiliakos X: @JulieFer_HR BlueSky: @hrpayroll2o.bsky.social YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HRPAYROLL2_0 WRKDefined Podcast Network: https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/hr-payroll-20 Thank you to our marquee sponsors for powering the HR & Payroll 2.0 podcast forward! G-P ‘Globalization Partners’: https://www.globalization-partners.com/ OneSource Virtual: https://hubs.ly/Q03YFNR90 Zoho: https://www.zoho.com/press.html Thank you to our ‘wizard behind the curtain’ and show producer Ryan Kielma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-kielma/
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    41 mins
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