WorkTech Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of WorkTech, George LaRocque sits down with Laura Kunz, co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of Spirence, the runner-up at this year’s HR Tech PitchFest. Spirence is tackling a critical gap in workplace mental health: the 75% of employees who don’t need clinical care but still want support. Laura shares how her background in behavioral health shaped the platform’s preventive approach, why Spirence is designed for daily use rather than crisis moments, and how their model is driving unexpected engagement with traditional EAPs. They also unpack the PitchFest experience, the credibility boost it delivered, and Spirence’s momentum with partners like Aon and PEOs. If you’re thinking about mental health benefits, distribution strategy, or what it takes to stand out in a crowded HR Tech market, this one’s for you. Key Topics in the Episode: Why most workplace mental health solutions serve only 25% of employees Spirence’s behavioral health roots and preventative care model How Spirence drives EAP utilization by building trust and accessibility The PitchFest experience: refining the message, building credibility, and accelerating partnerships Spirence’s go-to-market strategy through PEOs, resellers, and Aon What’s next: product evolution, growth targets, and Series A planning Learn more about Spirence at spirencewellness.com Get more HR and Work Tech market intelligence and tech insights at 1worktech.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Breaking News episode of WorkTech, George LaRocque sits down with Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly, alongside AJ Richichi (Sprockets) and Darrian Mikell (Qualifi) to unpack Humanly’s acquisition of three high-impact platforms: Sprockets, Qualifi, and HourWork. This move marks a major milestone in the evolution of high-volume hiring tech, consolidating capabilities across screening, scheduling, interviewing, and post-hire retention. Prem shares how customer demand for tool consolidation and deeper conversational AI drove the deal, while AJ and Darrian reflect on their differentiated approaches to candidate engagement, from SMS-based retention insights to automated phone interviews. Together, the trio outlines a shared vision for a unified platform that reduces time-to-hire, combats fraud, and delivers a more empathetic candidate experience across voice, video, and text. The episode also explores the strategic timing behind the acquisition, the ethical foundations of each brand, and Humanly’s roadmap—including Series B fundraising and expanded candidate-facing services. If you’re tracking the future of AI in recruiting, this is a must-listen. Takeaways Humanly has acquired three companies to enhance its recruitment technology offerings. The focus is on reducing time-to-hire and improving candidate engagement. AI is being leveraged to automate screening, scheduling, and interviewing processes. Consolidation of tools is essential to provide a seamless experience for customers. The acquisition aims to address the challenges of high applicant volume and fraud detection. Each company involved brings unique strengths to the table, enhancing the overall product. Customer feedback has driven the strategic direction of the acquisition. The future of recruitment technology lies in ethical AI development and compliance. Building relationships with candidates is crucial for effective recruitment. The integration of various communication channels will improve candidate experiences. Learn more about the deal and follow Humanly at humanly.io Learn more about the Work Tech category and the deals and capital driving it at 1worktech.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Breaking down JobGet’s acquisition of Seasoned, its impact on hourly hiring, and how AI is shaping the future of recruitment. JobGet is making big moves in the hiring market, acquiring Seasoned just after Snagajob. Tony Liu, CEO of JobGet, shares insights on why this deal strengthens their AI-driven recruitment strategy, enhances candidate quality, and streamlines hiring automation—giving employers more control and better hiring outcomes. In this episode, we look at AI-driven hiring, recruitment automation, hourly workforce trends, candidate quality, talent marketplaces, hiring technology, and mergers & acquisitions in HR tech. As JobGet expands, its app-first approach and data-driven hiring tools are reshaping how employers attract and retain top talent. Key Takeaways: JobGet’s acquisition of Seasoned enhances AI-driven hiring automation, improving candidate quality and employer efficiency. Merging talent pools from Snagajob and Seasoned creates a deeper, more engaged workforce marketplace. Seasoned’s AI-based hiring automation and job-matching technology will integrate into JobGet’s platform. JobGet’s app-first approach is attracting Millennial and Gen Z workers, making hiring faster and more personalized. Employers gain better hiring insights with integrated ATS data, improving candidate quality and reducing hiring costs. M&A remains a priority for JobGet, with more strategic acquisitions likely to expand its leadership in hourly hiring. Resources Mentioned: JobGet Website: jobget.com Tony Liu’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/tony-liu WorkTech Market Intelligence: 1worktech.com Chapters 00:00 Introduction to JobGet and Seasoned Acquisition 03:08 Market Dynamics and Acquisition Strategy 05:59 Quality and Technology in Recruitment 08:56 App-First Approach and User Experience 11:48 Integration of Platforms and Cross-Pollination 15:11 Data Analytics and Hiring Automation 17:48 Future of M&A Strategy and Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

HR teams are under pressure to do more with less, and Symba is helping them get there. Ahva Sadeghi joins me to discuss how AI-powered workflow automation is transforming HR by streamlining onboarding, offboarding, compliance, and training—helping top employers boost efficiency while improving the employee experience. In this episode, we look at HR automation, AI-driven workflows, employee experience, onboarding solutions, workforce efficiency, people operations, and internal mobility. As HR leaders seek to optimize processes, AI-powered platforms like Symba are making workflow automation more accessible, scalable, and impactful than ever before. Key Takeaways: AI-powered automation is revolutionizing HR workflows, eliminating inefficiencies and enhancing employee experience. Organizations can automate key people processes, including onboarding, offboarding, compliance, and training. Symba integrates with 300+ HR tools, streamlining processes and reducing tech redundancy. HR leaders need automation strategies that align with business goals, rather than using AI for the sake of AI. Companies leveraging Symba reduce manual processes, enabling HR teams to focus on strategic workforce initiatives. Intelligence-driven insights will shape the future of HR, helping organizations optimize talent development and internal mobility. Symba Website: symba.io Ahva Sadeghi’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ahvasadeghi WorkTech Market Intelligence: 1worktech.com Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Automation and AI in HR 02:36 Ahva's Journey and the Evolution of Symba 04:27 Market Shifts and Strategic Pivots 08:57 Understanding Symba's Product and Customer Integration 12:12 Workflow Automation: Creativity and Flexibility 15:50 The Role of Automation in Solving Business Problems 18:35 Overcoming Resistance to Change in Automation 19:57 Defining Success in Automation Projects 22:13 Future Directions for Symba and Automation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lightcast’s Cole Napper joins George LaRocque to discuss the power of workforce data, AI-driven skills taxonomies, and talent intelligence. They explore how organizations can leverage labor market insights to navigate workforce risk, optimize hiring strategies, and prepare for the evolving future of work. This episode examines talent intelligence, workforce risk, AI-powered skills taxonomies, labor market insights, employer branding, competitive intelligence, and HR data strategy. As AI reshapes the future of work, understanding workforce dynamics and skills-based hiring has never been more critical. Key Takeaways: Talent intelligence is redefining workforce strategy, integrating labor market insights with internal HR data. Skills taxonomies and ontologies powered by AI are streamlining workforce planning and talent mobility. The Workforce Risk Outlook Report reveals which industries and companies face the biggest hiring and retention challenges. AI is transforming talent intelligence, enabling organizations to anticipate workforce trends and upskill employees effectively. Competitive intelligence is a game-changer, helping employers benchmark talent strategies against industry peers. Lightcast partners with major HCMs and HR tech platforms, ensuring seamless integration of labor market data into HR ecosystems. Resources Mentioned: Lightcast Workforce Risk Outlook Report: lightcast.io/riskoutlook Lightcast Website: lightcast.io Cole Napper’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colenapper More Market Insights: 1worktech.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI is transforming HR, but adoption stalls without governance, compliance, and trust. Guru Sethupathy, CEO of FairNow, joins the WorkTech Podcast to break down AI risk, ethics, and compliance in HR tech. We explore how organizations can simplify AI governance, reduce risk, and ensure responsible adoption at scale. This episode examines AI governance, HR compliance, risk management, ethical AI, data security, regulatory compliance, and AI adoption. With global AI regulations evolving rapidly, HR and HR tech leaders need a clear strategy to ensure compliance, build trust, and unlock AI’s full potential. Key Takeaways: AI governance is essential for responsible adoption, compliance, trust, and risk mitigation. Organizations need clear AI governance frameworks to navigate evolving global regulations. AI bias, privacy, and compliance concerns are top challenges for HR and HR tech vendors. AI in HR is expanding rapidly, but without governance, adoption barriers increase. Vendors and HR leaders must align on governance standards to streamline AI implementation. AI regulations are increasing worldwide, making governance a competitive advantage. Resources: Forbes: Where the AI Regulatory Landscape Is Heading Learn more about Fairnow at fairnow.ai Get more HR and Work Tech global market insights at 1worktech.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rise of AI in HR presents opportunities and challenges, particularly in reducing bias. I explore these dynamics with Torin Ellis, discussing insights from his latest report and strategies for implementing AI ethically. We focus on the transformative potential of AI to enhance equity and inclusion in hiring while delivering tangible business outcomes. In this episode, we look at reducing bias with AI, ethical AI in HR, diversity and inclusion strategies, the role of HR leaders in AI adoption, AI in hiring processes, business outcomes of DEI initiatives, and inclusive technology solutions. These critical insights prepare HR professionals to navigate the future of work confidently. Key Takeaways AI, when deployed thoughtfully, can expand hiring pipelines and reduce bias in decision-making. The ethical implementation of AI requires collaboration between HR, DEI leaders, and technology teams. Human oversight remains essential to ensure AI complements rather than replaces nuanced decision-making. Long-term benefits of AI include enhanced employee engagement, productivity, and retention. Organizations must align AI solutions with their DEI goals to maximize business and social impact. Redefining traditional metrics with AI, such as focusing on durable skills, creates equitable opportunities for talent. Download Torin's report at plum.io Learn more about everything happening in the Work Tech and HR Tech market at 1worktech.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

HR innovation takes center stage as we explore how Humareso’s acquisition of Rhabit Analytics creates a new standard in data-driven talent management with Humareso CEO John Baldino and Rhabit Analytics CoFounder Kevin Kelly. We discuss gamification, behavioral analytics, and longitudinal measurement as tools to boost employee engagement, develop leadership, and deliver actionable insights for workforce planning. In this episode, we look at HR tech innovation, talent management strategies, gamification in HR, behavioral analytics, employee engagement tools, longitudinal measurement, and leadership development solutions. These themes redefine how HR leaders measure success and foster organizational growth. Key Takeaways Gamification and mobile-first tools drive higher engagement and meaningful feedback. Behavioral analytics provide actionable insights for leadership development and workforce planning. Longitudinal measurement enables continuous improvement in employee engagement and performance. Effective employee engagement correlates with leadership behaviors and workplace policies. Rabbit Analytics’ platform integrates seamlessly with Humoriso’s consultative approach for holistic solutions. The acquisition signals a growing trend of service providers adopting tech-forward strategies in HR. Learn more about Humareso at humareso.com Learn more about Rhabit Analytics at rhabitanalytics.com Learn more about what's happening in the HR and Work Tech markets at 1worktech.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recruitment marketing is evolving, and we take a look at how HireClix’s innovative approach to career sites, advanced analytics, and employer branding is transforming the candidate experience. With CEO Neil Costa, we explore what it takes to deliver measurable ROI and create lasting impressions in today’s talent acquisition landscape. In this episode, we cover recruitment marketing, career site optimization, advanced analytics, candidate experience, employer branding, AI-driven hiring solutions, and workforce trends. These themes highlight the strategies shaping the future of HR technology and talent acquisition. Key Takeaways Career sites must deliver seamless, consumer-grade experiences to attract top talent. Advanced analytics offer clear ROI insights, improving recruitment marketing efficiency. AI-powered tools enhance engagement and personalization while preserving data privacy. Employer branding succeeds with creative, non-generic campaigns on diverse platforms. Effective recruitment balances traditional job boards with innovative consumer media strategies. Organizations must invest in scalable, flexible tech solutions to adapt to future hiring trends. Learn more about HireClix at hireclix.com Get more insights on the HR and Work Tech markets at 1worktech.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Frontline hiring is undergoing rapid transformation. George LaRocque and Wonolo CEO Yong Kim discuss how Wonolo’s AI-powered job manager is setting a new standard for flexibility, efficiency, and transparency. They explore the balance between automation and the human touch, delivering seamless experiences for both employers and candidates in high-turnover industries. This episode looks at frontline hiring, AI-powered staffing, candidate experience, workforce automation, talent acquisition innovation, employee retention strategies, and technology-driven HR solutions. These insights provide actionable strategies for navigating today’s complex hiring landscape. Key Takeaways AI technology accelerates frontline hiring by addressing high-volume, high-turnover challenges. Human-centered design enhances the candidate experience, promoting engagement and transparency. Flexible hiring solutions cater to both short-term gig workers and long-term job seekers. Employers benefit from faster time-to-fill rates, higher-quality matches, and improved worker retention. End-to-end data cycles optimize job-worker matching for better outcomes and reduced turnover. Combining AI with human oversight ensures personalized and efficient staffing solutions. Learn more about Wonolo at wonolo.com Get more insights into the future of WorkTech at 1worktech.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices