Integrate or Die: a work technology podcast

Michael Fitzsimmons - Quality of Hire Technology

Steve and Jordan talk with Mike Fitzsimmonsabout using technology to measure and improve quality of hire. Mike is the CEO of Crosschq and is focused on helping  companies improve their hiring intelligence through the use of data. Some things we cover:
+ The transformative impact created by accurately measuring the quality of hiring decisions
+ Factors impacting new hire performance that have nothing to do with the employee
+ The challenges to measuring and improving quality of hire at a holistic level
We also ponder why people persist in doing things that are clearly not working as intended. 

Michael Grimm - Data Visualization Technology

Steve and Jordan talk with Michael Grimm about design and use of technology that enables companies to effectively visualize and interpret workforce data. Michael is the founder of Ingentis, where he has helped hundreds of companies use technology to integrate, interpret and act on workforce, financial and operations data from multiple sources. Some things we cover:
+ The transformational power associated with being able to see data in a meaningful way
+ The value of using technology that is designed to work across different HR platforms
+ Why people are one of the biggest barriers to getting good data
We also learn the Latin word for genius and Steve tells a story about heated car seats. 

Jenny Dearborn - Learning Technology

Steve and Jordan talk with Jenny Dearborn about using technology to support employee learning. Jenny is the Chief People Officer for BTS and has had a career focused on using technology to improve employee development. She also wrote the book Data Drivenon using workforce data to improve sales performance. Some things we cover:
+ Why traditional learning technology often fails to improve employee skills and performance
+ The value and limitations of using employee assessment tools to support development
+ Building learning programs that business leaders will value as being effective and relevant
 
We also learn to never ask a question unless you know what you will do with the answer

Imran Sajid: Payroll Technology

Steve and Jordan talk with Imran Sajid about the under-appreciated impact payroll technology has on organizational performance and employee experience. Imran is the Global HR and Payroll Technology Executive at EPI-USE and has spent a career deploying, developing and educating people on the use of complex global payroll solutions. Some things we cover:
+ The challenges of building technology where 99.99% accuracy is considered a total failure.
+ How providing employees insight and control over how they are paid affects their lives
+ Why seemingly small changes to pay practices can create massive logistical issues
 
Jordan is also forced to concede to Steve that the topic of payroll is actually very interesting.  

Ben Granger - Employee Listening Technology

Steve and Jordan talk with Ben Granger using technology to understand and influence employee attitudes, engagement and commitment. The Chief Workplace Psychologist at Qualtrics, Ben is a pioneer and leading expert in the use of technology and data to understand and act on employee experience, perceptions, and attitudes. We go much deeper into the true purpose of employee listening technology and the fact that the way in which organizations operationalize employee matters a great deal. Some things we cover:
+ Why trust is at the heart of the employee experience
+ The difference between employee listening and monitoring. The former build trust and the latter often does the opposite. 
+ Employee listening is about honest conversations. When we conflate this with evaluation listening data becomes corrupted
We also learn what nutria rats are and what nutria rats have to do with employee listening.

Adam Greenberg: work scheduling technology

Steve and Jordan talk with Adam Greenberg about using technology to manage employee shift schedules. Adam is President and CEO of MakeShift and is a leading figure in using technology to reimagine how companies manage employee’s time. Some things we cover:
+ Why scheduling is far more complicated than people realize
+ How methods used to manage work schedules impact employee morale and team building
+ The diverse data used for workforce scheduling from weather forecasts to employee skills
 
We also go down memory lane when Jordan reveals he had a Diner’s Club card and Steve talks about the movie “Clockwise”.

Thomas Otter - Future of HR Technology

Steve and Jordan talk with Thomas Otter about the current state and future growth of the HR technology market. Thomas is a General Partner at Acadian Ventures, a company the funds the growth of HR technology companies. During his career he has held almost every type of job in HR technology one could have including leading product management for one of the largest HR technology companies on the planet. Some things we cover:
+ Workforce analytics and why HR should be making it more of a priority
+ The underestimated impact that AI will have on work and how people are managed
+ Why team building and team dynamics is an area in need of technological innovation
We also learn that the very first HR technology system in England was created in 1951. Guess what function it served? And Steve is told what would really happen if psychologists ruled the world.