The HR Huddle

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson discuss Workday's acquisition of Pipedream and what Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers mean for HR technology integration and AI agent security. The conversation covers everything from EU pay equity reporting requirements to why only 12% of employees feel they receive adequate AI training. Major industry moves include Zoom's acquisition of BrightHire, UKG's new leadership additions, and why Lattice is exiting the payroll business after a brief attempt. Key points covered include: ↪️ Workday acquired Pipedream, an MCP server platform with 3,000+ pre-built connections, to enable faster AI agent integration after determining internal development would take over a year. ↪️EU pay equity regulations require immediate reporting capability where employees can request detailed comparative pay data within their organization, with compliance fines starting for organizations more than 5% out of alignment. ↪️ Only 12% of employees report receiving adequate AI training, while 64% of organizations have no guidelines or policies in place for AI use, creating a critical gap between AI investment and effective adoption. ↪️ Major market activity includes Zoom acquiring BrightHire for AI-powered recruiting, Sage acquiring Criterion for cloud payroll expansion, and Lattice exiting the HRS and payroll business after recognizing the maintenance and compliance complexity. 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 

In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and guest Bonnie Tinder, Founder and CEO at Raven Intelligence, explore how too many HR tech projects fail not because of the software itself, but because of poor implementation planning and partner selection. Bonnie shares how to evaluate system integrators, spot red flags during the selection process, and avoid the scope creep that derails projects. The conversation covers practical strategies for preparing your organization, managing change, and setting up projects for success from day one. Key points covered include: ↪️ Great software means nothing without proper implementation. Projects fail when organizations treat implementations as simple software installations rather than business transformations that require process re-engineering. ↪️  Evaluate multiple implementation partners independently rather than accepting your software vendor's recommendation, checking customer reviews for recent projects in your industry and examining patterns around change orders and budget overruns. ↪️  Start with clear business objectives and success metrics, then work backwards to build your project plan. This clarity helps you communicate effectively with partners and resist scope creep that accumulates. ↪️ Be transparent about organizational challenges and outdated processes from the start, because what you hide in the closet will surface during implementation when you're paying consulting rates to address problems you could have resolved earlier. 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  Bonnie Tinder LinkedIn Raven Intelligence LinkedIn

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Susan Richards, Teri Zipper, and Cliff Stevenson,  discuss how HR technology is shifting from functional systems to workforce tech that connects HR, IT, and finance. The conversation covers what's driving AI adoption beyond the hype, why learning platform vendors were notably absent from the show floor, and how companies are struggling to move from having AI tools to actually getting people to use them.  They also explore the gap between executive expectations and organizational readiness, sharing examples from their research about what works when employees interact with technology. Key points covered include: ↪️ The biggest challenge with AI isn't the technology itself but change management and getting people past fear to adoption. Organizations report having the tech but struggle with helping employees see AI as a work partner rather than just another tool to learn. ↪️ HR technology is blending into workforce tech as vendors like Rippling combine HR and IT while HiBob acquired Mosaic to add finance capabilities. This reflects a shift away from siloed functions toward cross-functional teams focused on business outcomes. ↪️The research shows a disconnect between where organizations say they're investing (learning platforms ranked high for spending) and who showed up at the conference (major learning vendors were absent). Meanwhile, newer players like Rippling and HiBob expanded their presence significantly. ↪️ Companies using AI to write job descriptions while forbidding candidates from using AI on resumes highlights the confusion around AI adoption. The most successful implementations focus on specific use cases like anomaly detection and workflow improvements rather than wholesale process changes. 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

In this episode of HR, We Have a Problem, Teri Zipper and guest Sofia Whelan, Managing Partner at HorizonHuman, explore how HR can lead during AI adoption. The conversation addresses the gap between AI hype and real-world application, focusing on workforce planning, transparency, and solving actual business problems. Key points covered include: ↪️ HR must lead workforce planning by identifying which tasks AI will handle and which roles require human skills, then invest in upskilling employees for work that only humans can do. ↪️ Start with AI already embedded in your HR technology stack rather than buying new tools - focus on solving specific business problems through user research and testing. ↪️ HR should remain the caretaker of the human workforce and organizational culture, working closely with the CTO rather than merging these roles into one position. ↪️ Build trust through transparency about job impacts and enable change at the team level where people can experiment with AI and share practical use cases. 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  Sofia Whelan Linkedin HorizonHuman Linkedin

In this episode of Spilling the Tea on HR Tech, Stacey Harris and Cliff Stevenson return with a jam-packed, catch-up episode discussing the wave of strategic acquisitions, the growing importance of viewing compliance as a talent strategy, and the rise of "bring your own AI" in organizations. This conversation also explores how vendors are solving real business problems while HR professionals are navigating rapid scaling and frontline worker challenges.  Key points covered include: ↪️In the market’s ongoing quest to build comprehensive solutions, ADP acquires compensation management platform Pequity, Sage buys Criterion HCM for compliance capabilities, and Learning Pool picks up authoring tool Elucidat. ↪️ Organizations are turning regulatory requirements into cost savings and talent advantages. Stacey and Cliff discuss Sapient’s research focus on compliance and how they’re seeing examples of companies leveraging comprehensive compliance solutions into business and employee value.    ↪️ Sapient’s research reveals that while only 22% of survey participants report using AI-supported enterprise systems, significantly more employees are bringing personal AI tools to work.  This “BYO AI” practice creates security, privacy, and policy challenges for HR leaders. ↪️ OpenAI data shows 73% of usage is for personal tasks rather than work-related functions, raising questions about whether AI tools are delivering on their promised business value or simply making individual tasks easier. 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