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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. Cause when the shit goes down, you've got to huddle up. The HR Huddle is comprised of three unique mini-shows: Spilling The Tea On HR Tech — Join Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson as they break down the latest happenings in HR and HR tech. HR We Have a Problem — Join Cliff Stevenson as he tackles the messy stories everyone in human resources has, featuring industry guests working on solving these problems. The Pivot Effect is where followers become leaders. Join Teri Zipper and Susan Richards for the stories, skills, and mindset shifts that get you there.All rights reserved by WRKdefined Economics Politics & Government
Episodes
  • HR, We Have a Problem - The agentic workforce is here and these are the questions HR leaders must ask before it goes rogue.

    HR, We Have a Problem - The agentic workforce is here and these are the questions HR leaders must ask before it goes rogue.
    Jun 4 2026
    In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Cliff Stenvenson and guest Sudeep Cherian, VP Product Marketing at Cornerstone dig into what it actually means to bring agentic AI into the workforce technology stack. Sudeep walks through how Cornerstone's updated platform architecture layers a context graph and pre-built agents on top of the learning, talent, and skills infrastructure customers already use, giving those capabilities more workforce context to work with. The conversation gets into the accountability questions that come with agentic workflows - including who owns the decisions these systems make, where humans need to stay in the loop, and why HR is better positioned than most to answer those questions. Key points covered include: ↪️ Cornerstone's Galaxy architecture has evolved to include a context graph and skills engine that give the platform more understanding of the workforce, making existing capabilities more useful rather than replacing them. ↪️ HR leaders need to be asking the right questions about AI agents before deployment, including who is accountable for decisions, whether there is traceability, and where a human needs to stay in the loop. ↪️ Rather than shifting customers to usage-based pricing, Cornerstone is offering agent packs within a subscription model to keep costs predictable for buyers who can't yet forecast AI consumption. ↪️ Sudeep sees the next six to twelve months as the window where Cornerstone moves from HR-only conversations to the broader C-suite table, with the people graph driving larger workforce decisions. 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 Cliff Stevenson Twitter | LinkedIn Sudeep Cherian LinkedIn The HR Channel Instagram | LinkedIn WRKdefined Instagram | LinkedIn
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    19 mins
  • Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - Why unpredictability in AI pricing unpredictability is a big threat to your HR tech budget and what vendors are doing about it.

    Spilling the Tea on HR Tech - Why unpredictability in AI pricing unpredictability is a big threat to your HR tech budget and what vendors are doing about it.
    May 28 2026
    In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Cliff Stevenson and Allison Williams, Director of Research Programs at Sapient Insights Group, Anthropic's acquisition of Stainless, the SDK and MCP server tooling company, and what that consolidation means for organizations building on agentic AI. They also dig into the growing tension around AI cost structures, particularly the unpredictability of usage-based pricing and what that pressure is producing across vendors from Cornerstone to Paychex. The hosts also cover workforce entry challenges for young workers, a significant expansion of Pell Grant eligibility to short-term trade certifications, and a fintech CEO who fired his entire HR team and then claimed the problems disappeared. Key points covered include: ↪️ AI usage-based pricing is creating real budget stress for organizations, with data showing eight in ten IT leaders reported unexpected charges from consumption-based models. The unpredictability of costs, not the costs themselves, is the core problem. ↪️ Cornerstone's Workforce AI and Paychex's WISE platform both reflect a shift away from transactional queries toward intelligence layers that connect skills, learning, and workforce data to business outcomes. ↪️ Anthropic's acquisition of Stainless consolidates SDK and MCP server tooling under one roof, which raises vendor concentration risk for any organization building on agentic AI infrastructure. ↪️The U.S. Department of Education's expansion of Pell Grants to cover programs as short as eight weeks signals a meaningful shift in how workforce entry pathways are being supported at the federal level, with a goal of reaching an additional 100,000 students within eight years. 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 Cliff Stevenson Twitter | LinkedIn Allison Williams LinkedIn The HR Channel Instagram | LinkedIn WRKdefined Instagram | LinkedIn
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    55 mins
  • The Pivot Effect - How to evaluate a job offer using real worker outcome data and what 12 million workers reveal about how you actually get ahead.

    The Pivot Effect - How to evaluate a job offer using real worker outcome data and what 12 million workers reveal about how you actually get ahead.
    May 21 2026
    In this episode of The Pivot Effect, hosts Teri Zipper and Susan Richards welcome guest Rajiv Chandrasekaran from Where You Work Matters, an independent data project that analyzed real outcomes for 12 million workers across 1,750 employers over five years. Unlike traditional best-places-to-work surveys, this project measures whether companies actually help people advance, earn more, and stay in their roles, broken down by specific occupation and employer. The conversation covers how the list rates employers across three archetypes, early career, growth, and stability, so workers at any stage can identify which companies fit their specific goals. It also moves into practical steps, including how to use the free comparison tool at whereyouworkmatters.org to evaluate competing job offers with data your hiring manager can't argue with. Key points covered include: ↪️ The list rates occupations at the company level using three archetypes: early career, growth, and stability. That means you can identify the right employer for your specific career stage rather than defaulting to overall company reputation. ↪️ Well-regarded companies don't necessarily perform well across every occupation. At Apple, for example, project management specialists see strong pay and retention but limited advancement pathways for early-career professionals. ↪️ Sales managers at platinum-rated growth companies are 89% more likely to receive an internal promotion within five years and 71% more likely to land a better job when they leave, compared to those at unrated companies. ↪️The comparison tool at whereyouworkmatters.org lets job seekers evaluate up to three employers side by side for a specific occupation, giving them concrete data to bring directly into hiring conversations. 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 Teri Zipper Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn Susan Richards Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter Rajiv Chandrasekaran LinkedIn Where You Work Matters LinkedIn The HR Channel Instagram | LinkedIn WRKdefined Instagram | LinkedIn
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    32 mins
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