In this podcast I explain how Large Language Models and neural networks are reinventing the HR Technology market. After more than 30 in-depth interviews with HR Tech vendors, we see three generations of AI solutions: Emerging: AI features added on First Generation: AI capabilities built-in Second Generation: Platforms built on AI As I discuss in this week's podcast, vendors in category 3 are the most transformational of all. These vendors are building their entire product set around Large Langua...
May 15, 2023•23 min
Introducing the Pacesetters: industry leading companies who outperform their peers through skills, transformation speed, and execution. After more than a year of research in the Global Workforce Intelligence Project, this week we unveil the Pacesetter research, and this podcast gives you the overview. These companies are "architected for change," and they include leaders like DBS (Digital Bank of Singapore), Providence Health, BNY Mellon, ING Bank, and many others. I hope you enjoy this podcast,...
May 06, 2023•22 min
In this podcast I introduce our new research on pay and rewards. This enormously important part of business needs a transformation, and our new research on "Systemic Pay and Rewards" explains why. I give you an overview of why pay systems are so brittle, what really drives results, and how we can dramatically improve these important parts of our companies. You'll hear about how to implement pay equity, what to do about performance management, and why "total rewards" is just not the total solutio...
Apr 29, 2023•23 min
Generative AI and neural networks are going to radically improve and change corporate training. In this podcast I detail the five biggest opportunities for change, and what corporate training, L&D leaders, and HR professionals should think about as we bring these amazing new systems into our companies. Additional Information EdTech Is Going Crazy For AI What Is A Neural Network? Fantastic Overview Of How AI Systems Work. Redesigning HR: An Operating System, Not An Operating Model. Why Is The...
Apr 22, 2023•23 min
In this podcast I discuss a big question: Why are HR professionals being laid off? It's not for a lack of effort, it's caused by a bigger issue. The role of HR has changed, and we need to stop "building solutions" and "taking orders" and spend more time " Falling In Love With The Problem ." As you'll hear, this consultative approach to HR is now badly needed. And HR professionals who don't get this are soon to be at risk. In this podcast I explain what "Falling In Love With The Problem" means to...
Apr 15, 2023•23 min
This week I summarize the results of 20+ interviews with HR Tech and AI vendors and talk about how AI and all its various manifestations can teach us a lot about how to approach Human Resources in a much more systemic way. Not only are the HR tools and Copilots starting to roll out in the market, but we are also seeing how AI-centric platforms (Talent Intelligence systems, for example) will really disrupt and ultimately obsolete many traditional HR tools. I also introduce the idea of "Falling In...
Apr 08, 2023•26 min
In this week's podcast I discuss the open letter signed by Elon Musk asking researchers to "pause" the development of AI, the explosive meeting between Howard Schultz and Bernie Sanders, and an amazingly important new study by Pew Research on the state of American Work. As you'll hear, I make an argument that all this AI development is extremely positive and that we really have no choice except to push ahead as a society. The Starbucks story is well worth listening to because it exemplifies the ...
Apr 01, 2023•22 min
After weeks of discussion with dozens of technology vendors, I'm ready to say: GPT and Generative AI is going to revolutionize Human Resources. And it is going to disrupt the HR Tech space as well. In this podcast I explain why I feel this way, how I don't see the "evils" of AI at all, and how we can use these new tools to evolve, improve, and transform our HR departments and our companies. Additional Resources The Role Of Generative AI And Large Language Models in HR Workday’s Response To AI an...
Mar 25, 2023•26 min
In this podcast I detail the Workday AI and ML strategy, with a strong focus on the new, more integrated HCM products and how they fit together. I also discuss the Skills Cloud, where it came from, and where it's going. And I also explain why Workday Prism, Extend, and Orchestrate have become so strategic to the company's growth. And I also give you my perspectives on GPT-4 and the massive Microsoft Copilot launch. Additional Resources The Role Of Generative AI And Large Language Models in HR Wo...
Mar 18, 2023•25 min
This week I'm focusing on three things: First a quick discussion of the SVB banking crisis and what's going on; Second a further discussion about why Generative AI is so disruptive to HR; and Third, and most important, a deep discussion about Pay Equity. This coming week is Equal Pay Day where we symbolically celebrate closing the pay gap between men and women. Well the bigger topic is pay equity, and we are launching a major new research study which describes the state of pay equity, the impact...
Mar 11, 2023•35 min
This week I want to talk about the IBM/Chief study of women in leadership that concludes "the leadership pipeline is broken" and that "given the state of the pipeline, we may NEVER reach gender parity." The data is striking so I want to show it to you and try to interpret what's going on. Second, I want to update you on the rapid progress in OpenAI's strategy as they launch their open API for enterprise and developers, and discuss major new announcements coming. Finally, I want to describe Syste...
Mar 04, 2023•20 min
In this podcast I talk more about the high cost of AI and chatbots like Bing and ChatGPT, and how to think about the "risks" of AI as it takes over the computing landscape. (Yes, it will!) I also discuss the enormous opportunity for HR teams to lead productivity projects, and finally give you my perspectives on why face-to-face meetings are so important. (And I welcome my new grandson!) Some Additional Resources To Read Understanding Chat-GPT, And Why It’s Even Bigger Than You Think (*updated) W...
Feb 27, 2023•19 min
This week we saw hundreds of stories, articles, and complaints about Bing. Well I've tried it and talked with some Microsoft execs and I believe this is one of the most important (and disruptive) technologies we will see in HR. So listen and you'll hear why. On an even more important point, I spent some time discussing our New HR Operating System, which we call Systemic HR . We're in the middle of this research and I'll be explaining more at the Irresistible 2023 Conference in June . In this pod...
Feb 18, 2023•17 min
This podcast is a review of last week's massive set of announcements from Microsoft and Google about Chatbots. Rather than try to summarize what you've already read, I spend time talking about the implications of all this. Here are a few highlights: Is Microsoft's statement that "search will be reinvented" really correct and could this disrupt Google? Lots of problems with that theme, and I've seen Bard. It's good. What are the implications of ChatGPT and Bard on jobs, roles, and the technologie...
Feb 11, 2023•19 min
This week we saw the US unemployment rate drop to 3.4%, a 53 year low. Yet many large companies are announcing layoffs. Is this "the big shift" from Tech to Retail, Hospitality, Healthcare, And Travel? Or is this just the new normal: too many jobs and not enough people? In this podcast I'll explain what's going on. Additional Resources Labor Shortage In The Middle Of A Business Slowdown? It All Makes Sense. Were All These Layoffs Inevitable? Perhaps, But Here’s How It Happened. Predictions for 2...
Feb 04, 2023•19 min
In this week's podcast I cover a bunch of topics. Here they are: More proof that Chat-GPT is immature and yes, it's biased The unexpected impact of pay transparency laws Why the economy is experiencing a "slow motion car crash" The ever-tighter labor market and shortage of workers Why gig workers are happier than wage slaves and what you can do about it Microsoft research on the inadequacy of productivity tools (& why ServiceNow is hot) What 10 HR execs agree on the "secrets of high performa...
Jan 28, 2023•22 min
Now that we've all had a chance to hear about CHAT-GPT we're all scratching our heads. Is this real? Is it going to transform our education and our lives? Or is it a tool for job displacement, information warfare, and abuse? Well I've learned a lot about this over the last several years and in this podcast I give you a simple explanation about what's going on. And I will try to convince you that Chat-GPT (and it's many cousins and competitors) are likely to have a massively positive impact on bu...
Jan 21, 2023•19 min
More layoffs, more worries about the economy, and lots of discussions of "Quiet" things: quiet quitting, quiet firing, and quiet hiring. In this podcast I recap the first week of the year, discuss these issues, and give you a sense of what it all means. I also discuss the latest about the economy, the enormous growth in talent mobility, and my high level perspectives on Chat-GPT. It's going to be a tumultuous year, so stay tuned for our big Predictions for 2023, coming later this month. Resource...
Jan 13, 2023•18 min
I've been talking about Capability Academies for a few years, and sure enough they're becoming an important new paradigm in corporate learning. Well in this podcast I explain how a new set of L&D technology providers is focused on this space, and why you, as an HR or L&D leader, are likely to buy one of these platforms in the near future. I encourage you to read the accompanying article here , or check out our many examples of Capability Academies in our member research library . Other r...
Jan 10, 2023•18 min
We're entering a tumultuous year and employees are fed up. Quiet quitting continues and unemployment remains low. What is your mission as an HR professional in the year ahead? In this podcast I help you understand tech industry layoffs, the changing role of pay, new priorities for L&D, and why employees are "fed up" and changing jobs at a rapid rate. And I'll give you an informed perspective on the role of HR and your mission as a leader, HR professional, consultant, or entrepreneur. This is...
Jan 07, 2023•20 min
In this podcast I discuss the big trends in the HR Technology market in 2023. This podcast discusses the article posted this week which lists many of the hot vendors. While some of this discussion is my opinion, I am always interested in your feedback so if you disagree or want to convince me otherwise please let us know! As you'll hear, there are some exciting new opportunities ahead, but also some "category convergence" I think you'll find important. Additional Information HR Technology: What'...
Dec 29, 2022•36 min
In this podcast I breakdown the big secrets we've discovered in the digital transformation in financial services. While there are a lot of industry-specific issues to understand, many of the best-practices apply to every company in the world. And Trailblazers, the banks that set the standards for customer experience and digital offerings, are now accelerating their lead from their peers. This research is the latest study from our Global Workforce Intelligence Project, and I know you'll find it f...
Dec 16, 2022•16 min
In this podcast I break down the big issue of "purpose at work," which is one of the biggest challenges companies face. How do we create a work environment and set of experiences, programs, and management practices that engage people with a sense of Purpose? And why does "reducing work time" actually make so much sense? As you'll hear, this is not as philosophical as it sounds - there are a lot of pragmatic solutions here, and I took some time to decompose them for you. I also talk about Happine...
Dec 11, 2022•19 min
In this podcast I discuss our new research program on Irresistible Leadership , a topic which will be essential in the year ahead. As you’ll hear, I packed the podcast with stories and ideas, but focused my attention on the big narrative: why a new model of leadership is needed in the year ahead. Productivity, sustainability, growth, and human-centered leadership must come together. If you’re interested in joining us in this research, please click here or contact us to set up an interview. Addit...
Dec 02, 2022•23 min
In this podcast I describe my two-week tour through Northern Europe: Sweden with Workday and Spotify, UK book tour with banks, publishers, and media companies; and The Future of Work Symposium hosted by the King and Queen of The Netherlands. Issues with skills, recruiting, inflation, diversity, and the role of HR and employers in the Future of Work. This Symposium was one of the most interesting and powerful meetings I've attended in years, so stay tuned to hear all about it. What I Learned From...
Nov 25, 2022•25 min
This was one of the most chaotic and "news-filled" week we've had in a while. In this podcast I want to recap what happened and give you some perspective. The bottom line is that most of these stories are about trust, leadership, and the need to invest in people. (Of course I want to tie this back to HR.) So use this podcast as a way to make sense of all this noise. I also talk a lot about my predictions for 2023 (coming late this year) and why hiring is going to be difficult for years to come. ...
Nov 12, 2022•18 min
Layoffs are simply a part of business. Over the years there have been millions of workers let go and it's always a difficult, painful process. In this podcast I give you my perspectives on the process, the role leadership must play, and how to deal with the topic if you are the one losing your job. I also give you my own perspectives on hiring, which is the mirror image of layoffs, and what I think is going on at Twitter. Finally, I took a few minutes to share my personal experience with layoffs...
Nov 05, 2022•22 min
After several weeks travelling to conferences and talking with clients I want to riff on a bunch of urgent topics: How do we create pay equity when inflation is running at over 8%? How do we get people "back to the office" when 55% of job candidates now want fully remote work? How do we redesign jobs to reduce stress and help with tremendous hiring challenges? And what really works for Employee Experience now that people are more worried about their standard of living than their mental health? (...
Oct 28, 2022•19 min
This week I travelled to the Cornerstone and Guild user conferences, so I give you some in-depth perspectives these companies and your SkillsTech, talent marketplace, and career pathway strategy. Also, the print copy of Irresistible is available this coming week, so I explain why the book is so essential in our new "back to work" economy for the year ahead. Resources Cornerstone Makes A Play To Dominate The Skills Platform Market Career Pathways: An Innovation That Could Transform The Economy Ir...
Oct 23, 2022•17 min
In this podcast I describe the emergence of a massive new innovation in business: non-linear Career Pathways. These new innovative programs bring new careers, educational credentials, and skills to individuals and help companies fill important jobs and operational roles in the future. This is a big new idea that is now paying off, pioneered by companies like Walmart, Guild Education. BrightHorizons EdAssist, Verizon, AT&T, Mercy BonSecours, and many others.
Oct 16, 2022•18 min
