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The HR Huddle

The HR Huddle

Written by: WRKdefined Podcast Network
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 Welcome to the HR Huddle, the ultimate resource for all things HR. This podcast is comprised of two unique mini-shows where we will be: Spilling The Tea On HR Tech with Chief Research Officer and HR tech market influencer, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson, Sapient Insights Group, Director of Research, AND breaking down the messy stories that everyone in human resources has in HR - HR We Have a Problem, with Teri Zipper - global HR consulting expert and Sapient Insights Group CEO featuring weekly industry co-hosts. Cause when the shit goes down. You've got to huddle up.All rights reserved by WRKdefined Economics Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - The AI divide: Why 80% of leaders embrace AI compared to only 27% of individual contributors and how to close the gap.

    Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - The AI divide: Why 80% of leaders embrace AI compared to only 27% of individual contributors and how to close the gap.
    Jan 8 2026
    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). 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 6 mins
  • Back by Demand: HR, We Have a Problem - Why leadership and culture are inseparable forces that drive sustainable business results and how adaptive organizations build psychological safety to thrive through change.

    Back by Demand: HR, We Have a Problem - Why leadership and culture are inseparable forces that drive sustainable business results and how adaptive organizations build psychological safety to thrive through change.
    Jan 1 2026
    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. 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 Susan Richards LinkedIn Tracey (Tee) Thorsen LinkedIn Mary Ellen Clagett LinkedIn
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    52 mins
  • Back by Demand: Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - What 28 years of HR tech research reveals about the shift from siloed systems to workforce ecosystems.

    Back by Demand: Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - What 28 years of HR tech research reveals about the shift from siloed systems to workforce ecosystems.
    Dec 25 2025
    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. 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 Cliff Stevenson Twitter | LinkedIn Susan Richards LinkedIn
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    34 mins
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