Episodes

  • Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - A trove of market announcements and people moves and why the AI model you build on matters more than you think

    Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - A trove of market announcements and people moves and why the AI model you build on matters more than you think
    May 14 2026
    In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson pick up where they left off, working through a long list of market announcements that includes UKG's partnership with Google Gemini, Amazon's entry into agentic hiring with Connect Talent, and SAP's data acquisition strategy as a direct counter to Workday's consolidation play. They discuss leadership changes at isolved, ICIMS, Cornerstone, and NOVAworks. The duo also talk about how people moves at Anthropic and FICO point to the blurring of consumer and business worlds. The hosts get into harder conversations, such as AI model rollout risks, the security vulnerabilities surfacing in vibe coding platforms, and why relying primarily on historical data without an overarching, carefully considered data theory will likely result in faulty predictions. Key points covered include: ↪️ Private equity companies are moving fast on workforce management systems, and the hosts make the case that the real assets being purchased are not the software systems but the continuous, real-time data generated from time and attendance and other similar applications. ↪️ AI model updates carry a risk that traditional software updates do not: when an underlying AI model changes, everything built on it can behave differently and potentially unpredictably. The hosts break down why this is a problem the HR tech market is not yet prepared for. ↪️ The hosts discuss Phenom’s acquisition of Plum, described as “a pioneer in psychometric-based talent assessments that validate the durable skills AI cannot manufacture and resumes cannot verify.” As AI makes it easy for job seekers to fabricate resumes and interview responses, organizations increasingly need behavioral science tools that measure attributes AI cannot fake — such as empathy, judgment, adaptability, resilience. ↪️AI diagnostic tools used in medicine are producing significantly higher error rates for women than for men. These are traced directly to decades of underrepresentation of women in medical research. The hosts point out that similar data insufficiencies and bias can also cause harm when using AI tools for HR purposes. The 29th annual HR Systems Survey is now open through June 24th. Add your organization's voice to the largest HR tech survey in the industry at the link below. LINK TO SURVEY Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below: Sapient Insights Group Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Stacey Harris Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Cliff Stevenson Bluesky | LinkedIn The HR Channel Instagram | LinkedIn WRKdefinedInstagram | LinkedIn
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    1 hr
  • Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - How the shift from selling applications to selling outcomes is changing the way HR buys technology

    Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - How the shift from selling applications to selling outcomes is changing the way HR buys technology
    May 8 2026
    In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson work through everything they saw and heard across Infor Analyst Day, HR Tech Europe, Oracle, Workday Innovation Summit, ICIMS, ADP, Workhuman, and Canva. The 29th annual HR Systems Survey is now open, and the hosts share why companies with fewer than 10 employees are a specific target this year and what new finance and EMEA data will add to the research. A wave of acquisitions, from Phenom buying Plum to Paylocity picking up Grayscale to Gusto acquiring Mosey, signals a market fast consolidating around talent acquisition, compliance, and workforce data. The episode also covers outcomes-based pricing models gaining traction across major vendors, the growing arms race between AI-generated resumes and AI-powered screening tools, and what it actually costs small businesses to stay compliant when no one is watching. Key points covered include: ↪️ Outcomes-based pricing is moving from concept to contract, with Oracle charging per outcome achieved and Workday shifting its philosophy toward selling results rather than applications, and the hosts break down what that means for HR buyers trying to build a budget around AI. ↪️ Recruiting technology is in an active consolidation cycle, with multiple acquisitions targeting the same pressure point: how to hire at scale, cut through AI-generated resume fraud and deepfake interview responses, and still give candidates an experience that does not erode trust in the process. ↪️ Small business compliance carries a steeper price tag than most owners realize, with businesses under 50 employees spending roughly $14,700 per employee per year on compliance costs, and Gusto's acquisition of Mosey points to a growing market for AI tools built to close that gap. ↪️ Deel's new AI token tracking feature inside its performance management tool puts a spotlight on a question most organizations cannot currently answer: whether employees are actually using the AI tools their companies have paid for. The 29th annual HR Systems Survey is now open through June 24th. Add your organization's voice to the largest HR tech survey in the industry at the link below. LINK TO SURVEY Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below: Sapient Insights Group Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Stacey Harris Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Cliff Stevenson Bluesky | LinkedIn The HR Channel Instagram | LinkedIn WRKdefined Instagram | LinkedIn
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    49 mins
  • Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - The 29th Annual HR Systems Survey is open and here is why your organization's data belongs in it.

    Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - The 29th Annual HR Systems Survey is open and here is why your organization's data belongs in it.
    May 1 2026
    In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Cliff Stevenson and Tammy Smith, Sapient’s senior manager of data science, mark the public launch of the 29th Annual HR Systems Survey, the most expansive and longest-running survey of its kind. Almost 10,000 professionals representing 4,670 organizations worldwide participated in last year’s survey. In response to participant feedback, this year’s survey includes two entirely new sections covering finance systems and compliance and risk management. Cliff and Tammy walk through how the survey works, why organizational-level data matters, and what participants receive when they submit their responses. Key points covered include: ↪️ The survey now includes dedicated sections covering solutions for core finance, travel and expense, and financial planning. Finance professionals, C-suite leaders, and business managers are invited to complete this new section. ↪️ The survey platform saves responses so participants can complete the survey in multiple sessions if needed. Sapient encourages distribution of the survey across departments and subject matter experts. ↪️ Participants will receive an unabridged copy of the survey results, expected to be published in October 2026. As an additional bonus, after completing the survey, participants have the option to receive a benchmark report based on their answers and last year’s survey data for either their industry or a geographic region. IHRM also awards 10 continuing education credits to those completing the survey. ↪️Over the last 29 years, the data set has grown exponentially. For instance, in 2021participants represented 2,177 unique organizations compared to 4,670 in 2025. The annual research report has also expanded, growing from 150 pages to 380 pages over that same period. The 29th Annual HR Systems Survey is now open through June 24th. Use the link below to add your organization's voice. LINK TO SURVEY Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below: Sapient Insights Group Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Cliff Stevenson Twitter | LinkedIn Tammy Smith LinkedIn The HR Channel Instagram | LinkedIn WRKdefined Instagram | LinkedIn
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    19 mins
  • The Pivot Effect - The case for reinventing your career on your own terms before the pace of change does it for you.

    The Pivot Effect - The case for reinventing your career on your own terms before the pace of change does it for you.
    Apr 23 2026
    In this episode of The Pivot Effect, Teri Zipper and Susan Richards are launching something new. The Pivot Effect is a podcast built around the individual, where you are in your career, where you want to go, and what it takes to get there in a world of work that keeps shifting underneath you. In this first episode, Teri and Susan introduce the show's focus: the skills, mindset, and self-direction that matter now, whether you're navigating AI, rethinking your role, or just ready to stop following and start leading. Think of this as the conversation the organizational lens has been missing. Key points covered include: ↪️ Why AI adoption is moving faster at the individual level than the enterprise level, and what that tells us about who's really driving change at work. ↪️ How early adopters are already offloading routine work to AI tools so they can focus on what actually moves the needle. ↪️ Why reinventing yourself every three to five years used to be the rule, and why that window is shrinking fast. ↪️ What Teri and Susan are planning to cover on the show, including career pivots, personal journeys, and the data behind where you work and why it matters. Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below: Sapient Insights Group Download the 2025-26 HR Systems Survey White Paper Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Teri Zipper Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Susan Richards Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter
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    18 mins
  • Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - How Oracle's massive layoffs, six conflicting AI studies, and a military targeting error share a common problem.

    Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - How Oracle's massive layoffs, six conflicting AI studies, and a military targeting error share a common problem.
    Apr 16 2026
    In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson dig into a news week in which the same question keeps surfacing: how much should you trust the data in front of you? Oracle laid off 30,000 employees, and the financial story behind that decision is more complicated than the AI narrative being used to explain it. Meanwhile, a meta-analysis of six major consulting firms working from the same data produced conclusions so different they barely resemble each other, which is its own argument for never acting on a single source. They also tackle the real cost of removing humans from decision-making chains, using Laszlo Bock's post on AI-assisted military targeting as a case study for what happens when speed becomes the only goal. Key points covered include: ↪️ The official narrative on Oracle's layoffs is AI replacing unnecessary roles, but the numbers behind $58 billion in borrowing and $156 billion in data center commitments tell a more complicated story about cash flow needs. ↪️ Six consulting firms analyzing the same AI data produced an array of starkly different conclusions. For instance, one firm concluded that AI had "zero economic impact" while another cited quadrupling productivity rates. According to the hosts, this shows why industry benchmarks and recommendations are not a reliable basis for your organization's AI decisions. ↪️ "Human in the loop" is not enough if that human is only doing a final sign-off without visibility into how the AI reached its recommendation ↪️ AI pricing is moving away from flat subscription models toward usage-based and connector-based charges, and buyers who treat AI as an unlimited resource right now are going to face a reckoning as that infrastructure debt comes due. Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below: Sapient Insights Group Download the 2024-25 HR Systems Survey White Paper Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Stacey Harris Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Cliff Stevenson Twitter | LinkedIn
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • HR, We Have a Problem - How to actually measure whether AI is helping your hiring process before it costs you qualified candidates.

    HR, We Have a Problem - How to actually measure whether AI is helping your hiring process before it costs you qualified candidates.
    Apr 9 2026
    In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Cliff Stevenson debuts as host alongside guest Aly Baxter, Director of Product Management at Indeed, to dig into what's actually happening on both sides of the hiring process as AI use accelerates. They look at why more AI adoption hasn't translated into faster hiring, what recruiters really need from these tools, and how Indeed's Smart Screening is trying to fix the dynamic between job seekers and employers. Whether you're trying to fill roles or land one, this conversation cuts through the noise and gets to what actually works. Key points covered include: ↪️ AI adoption in recruiting is at 49%, the highest of any HR function, yet time to hire is still going up, which tells you adoption alone is not the answer. ↪️ Before adding any AI to your hiring process, map every step and how long it takes. That's the only way to know where it will actually help and how to measure whether it does. ↪️ For job seekers, validating your experience, certifications, licenses, work history, matters more than a polished resume in a world where employers can't tell what's real. ↪️ The goal on both sides is the same: get to a real human conversation as fast as possible, and the best AI tools are the ones that clear the path to that moment instead of replacing it. Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below: Sapient Insights Group Download the 2024-25 HR Systems Survey White Paper Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Cliff Stevenson Twitter | LinkedIn Aly Baxter LinkedIn
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    38 mins
  • Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - The gap between AI expectations and actual business results, the pros and cons of synthetic data panels, and a liability ruling that could change the rules for HR tech vendors.

    Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - The gap between AI expectations and actual business results, the pros and cons of synthetic data panels, and a liability ruling that could change the rules for HR tech vendors.
    Apr 2 2026
    In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson recap two of the biggest HR tech events of the spring season and break down what they actually heard from participating CHROs, mid-market HR leaders, and vendors. The conversation moves through a packed week of news, covering acquisitions, funding rounds, platform expansions, and many rebrands. They dig into the growing debate around the use of synthetic data panels, the liability ruling against Meta and Google, and new research showing C-suite leaders still expect AI to yield productivity gains despite seeing little impact over the past three years. Key points covered include: ↪️ Organizations across mid-market and enterprise are still trying to get their existing HR systems working together, and many are frustrated that AI conversations keep taking priority over fixing that foundation first. ↪️ Proprietary data is what separates defensible companies from ones that can be replicated - that theme runs through the Findem/Glider acquisition, Payscale's Compass tool, and Origin's $50M raise. ↪️ The liability verdict against Meta and Google opens real questions for HR vendors incorporating AI into their solutions. In particular, vendors selling AI-supported coaching, performance management, learning, and recruiting tools could be held accountable for what their AI agents do. ↪️ Research from the National Bureau of Economic Research showed that CEOs and CFOs reported minimal productivity improvement from AI use over the last three years, and yet still predict nearly 1% productivity gains annually going forward. At the same time, data center capacity is dropping. The data disconnect indicates that despite the ongoing AI hype, companies are in a wait-and-see mode when it comes to AI’s business and ROI value. The hosts get into the pros and cons of synthetic data panels – AI-generated, simulated groups that are supposed to mimic the behaviors, preferences, and survey responses of real people. They discuss the challenges of using synthetic panels for decision making and the questions customers should have when reviewing results. Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below: Sapient Insights Group Download the 2024-25 HR Systems Survey White Paper Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Stacey Harris Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Cliff Stevenson Twitter | LinkedIn
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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • Back by Demand: HR, We Have a Problem - Why most training programs fail to drive behavior change and the simple tools that can triple success rates.

    Back by Demand: HR, We Have a Problem - Why most training programs fail to drive behavior change and the simple tools that can triple success rates.
    Mar 26 2026
    In this fan-favorite episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and guest Chris Taylor, Founder and CEO of Actionable.co, discuss why most training programs fail to drive lasting behavior change and what actually works. Drawing from data across 9,000 learning programs and over 100,000 participants, Chris shares the proven methodology behind turning workplace learning into measurable results. The conversation explores the gap between knowing what to do and actually doing it, revealing that most organizations spend 80% of training time on content when they should be spending 75% on context and application. Chris introduces practical strategies including the 3:1 context-to-content ratio, accountability partnerships that triple success rates, and cohort structures that dramatically increase commitment when groups stay under 10 participants. Key points covered include: ↪️ Training programs achieve far greater success with a 3:1 ratio of context to content, allowing participants to find their personal "why" in addition to understanding organizational objectives. ↪️ Accountability partners increase the likelihood of sustaining behavior change by three times when participants check in at least twice after the initial session, yet this free and simple tool remains underused. ↪️ Cohort learning becomes significantly more effective when groups stay below 10 participants, with daily practice expectations and regular progress reviews at the start of each session. ↪️ AI will commoditize the "how" of change through accessible content, but human facilitation remains critical for helping individuals discover why they care enough to actually change their behavior. Don’t miss this exciting thought leader conversation! Follow the hosts and companies mentioned below: Sapient Insights Group Download the 2024-25 HR Systems Survey White Paper Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Teri Zipper Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Chris Taylor LinkedIn Actionable.co LinkedIn
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    42 mins