'What Service?' Sapient Spills the Tea at HR Tech Conference—Plus More Session Recaps!

At the HR Technology Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas this week, Stacey Harris , Chief Research Officer at Sapient Insights Group, unveiled eye-opening results: For the first time in 15 years, HR's confidence in achieving outcomes took a nosedive. Frustration peaked with one respondent's blunt remark on vendor support: "What service?"

Some standout findings:

• HR's ability to achieve talent, HR, and business outcomes declined across every measure.
• 64% blamed poor customer service for low vendor satisfaction.
• HR tech budgets are holding steady, with larger orgs planning to boost investment.
• User experience and satisfaction ratings for HRMS and payroll providers dropped significantly.
• The HR technologist role is evolving into a strategic powerhouse, even as many have less than three years' experience.

Want the full scoop on these? Check out the full recap .

AI Agents Assemble: Josh Bersin Predicts HR's Next Big Shake-Up

AI agents are about to revolutionize HR tech, said industry analyst Josh Bersin , also from the HR Tech Conference stage. He remarked, "This is going to be a really interesting war for agents," forecasting that these intelligent assistants will transform everything from employee experience to talent acquisition.

Discover how AI agents could redefine your HR strategies in this recap .

AI Is the Cavalry, Not the Enemy: Top TA Leaders Weigh In

At the Women in HR Tech Summit, talent acquisition heavyweights Joanna Clark of 富国银行 , Jennifer Tracy of Spectrum , and Yvette Stortz of CVS Health shared their secrets to balancing cutting-edge tech with human touch.

"It’s critical to have the recruiters come with you," Clark emphasized, highlighting the need for recruiter buy-in when implementing AI.

Stortz urged, "Let’s forget about [the way it was always done] and focus on the best process," advocating for a fresh approach over clinging to outdated systems.

Tracy advised flexibility in tech rollouts, noting, "Don’t be super grounded unless there is a business reason to do so."

Want more insights from these TA trailblazers? Read the full story .

HR Tech Sparks Debate on AI vs Human Judgment

As you can tell (and as you could have predicted), AI was a huge topic at the HR Tech Conference. Experts grappled with the balance between AI automation and human judgment in recruitment. Meghan Rhatigan , VP of Talent Acquisition Experience at 万豪酒店 , emphasized, “We feel like the humans still matter, and so we're not willing to take them completely out of it.”

Read the full recap .

The Mouse and the Mountain Trim Workforce Amid Pay-TV Slump

The entertainment titans 华特迪士尼公司 and Paramount+ are slashing hundreds of jobs as pay-TV continues to dwindle in 2024. “We have determined there are ways for them to operate more efficiently,” a Disney spokesperson stated. As streaming struggles to turn a profit and legacy TV audiences shrink, these layoffs mark another cost-cutting move heading into the crucial fourth quarter.

Find out how these changes could impact the industry—read the full story .

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall... What's Your Leadership Call?

Chris Caesar dives into how leadership style assessments help managers "identify, articulate, and optimize" their unique approach to leading teams. From Goleman's six leadership styles to tools like the PI Behavioral Assessment and Myers-Briggs, it's time to discover your leadership DNA.

Read the full article to see what makes you tick as a leader.

Appcast Elevates Leadership to Drive Future Growth

Appcast, Inc is set to welcome Matt Molinari as its new CEO at the start of the new year. Molinari, who has been instrumental in Appcast’s growth since 2017 as its COO, brings a wealth of experience from his time at Indeed , where he played a key role in the company’s expansion and eventual sale for over $1 billion.

In addition to appointing a new CEO, Appcast is reorganizing its executive team to support its next phase of growth:

• Stacie Yamaguchi joins as Chief Financial Officer
• Kristi Sampson is promoted to Chief People Officer
• Heather Salerno becomes Chief Growth Officer
• Kelsey Krater steps into the role of Chief Platform Officer
• Andrea Abbott is appointed Chief Customer Officer

Read the full story for more info.

Investigo Fills 180 Accounting Roles at Top Firms

Investigo has successfully placed 180 qualified accountants with leading companies like Sainsbury's and BT , addressing the significant talent shortage in the finance sector caused by Covid-era hiring freezes.

Andy Young , Director of Accountancy & Finance, emphasized the team’s expertise in bridging these gaps. With plans to grow their Accountancy & Finance department by 30% next year, Investigo is set to support high-growth, private equity-backed organizations across Europe.

Check out the article for the full scoop .