Integrate or Die: a work technology podcast

Steve talks with Jeroen Van Hautte about using technology to analyze skill requirements with organizations. Jeroen is the CTO and co-founder of Tech Wolf, a technology solution that helps organization understand and manage the capabilities of their workforce. Some of the things we cover
+ The importance of being clear on what you want technology solutions to do
+ The value of approaching HR problems from an engineering perspective
+ Why it is useful to view technology from a functionally agnostic perspective
 
We also learn how to turn a student project into a fast-growing global company.

Steve talks with Jason Corsello about the role of venture capital plays in driving innovation in HR technology. Jason is a founding partner of Acadian Ventures, a company focused on early investment in work technology companies.  Some things we cover 
+ Why we are set for a major transformation in the HR technology landscape in the coming years
+ What venture capital firms look for when they are deciding whether to fund a company
+ Why it is often not a good idea for entrepreneurs to seek venture capital funding
We also learn what early career experiences help people develop the skills needed to be successful start-up leaders.

Steve talks with Jai Shah about building HR technology solutions where mistakes could have life threatening consequences. Jai is the CEO and founder of Kahuna, a company that makes solutions to assess proficiency and certify qualifications for jobs requiring specialized skills. Jai has spent his career helping companies use technology to manage complex workflows, employment regulations and scheduling requirements primarily in the energy, manufacturing and healthcare industries. Some of the things we cover
+ Why the devil is in the details when it comes to assessing skills proficiency
+ How to win the support of operational business leaders when building solutions that directly impact their jobs and employees
+ The critical role integration plays when building high stakes solutions
 
We also learn why time in the field with employees is gold for HR technology designers

Steve talks with David Verhaag about adoption and renewal of HR technology solutions. Dave is Chief Customer Officer for Arist, a company that makes technology supporting employee learning and enablement. His career has focused on working with customers to ensure they get value from cloud HR technology solutions. Some of the things we cover:
+ Why customer success functions that sell software license renewals should be compensated differently from sales functions.
+ What customers should ask HR tech vendors during the sales cycle about solution adoption.
+ Why time to value is more important than people realize.
 
We also learn the benefits of small steps over big steps. 

Steve talks with Tony Ashton about workforce analytics technology.  Tony is Chief Product Officer at One Model, a people analytics software company. Tony is a pioneer in the field of workforce analytics having built some of the first global, cloud based people analytics technology solutions. Some of the things we cover
+ How the advent of hyper-scaler cloud technology platforms is transforming the field of workforce analytics
+ The cultural impact that results when companies start using HR data to make business decisions
+ The value of plugging things in versus building them yourself
We also learn why trying to build your own workforce analytics tool is like trying to build your own GPS mapping tool.

Steve talks with Christopher Lind about using technology to enable employee learning and workforce transformation. Chris is a former Chief Learning Office who began his career as an educational psychologist and computer programmer. He also studies and writes extensively on how AI technology is impacting work and society. Some of the things we cover:
+ Focusing learning strategies on impacting results instead of building knowledge
+ Aligning HR support functions with the businesses they are supporting
+ How AI enabled skills ontologies are changing how companies support employee learning
We also learn what it means to be an AI ethicist. 

Steve talks with Pierre Rousseau about the challenges of managing software integrations.  Pierre is the President of Cloud Connectors, a company that provides solutions that manage integrations between HR technology solutions. Some of the things we cover
+ What middleware technology does and why it is more than you might realize
+ Strengths and weakness of different types of middleware platforms
+ How to talk to technology vendors about integrations
 
We also learn why building your own software integrations tends to be a bad idea.

Steve talks with Bruce Mazza about the role partner management plays in HR technology. Bruce is the SVP of Global Alliances for 360 Learning, a collaborative learning solution. HIs career has focused on building effective partnerships between technology companies that provide different but complementary solutions. Some things we cover:
+ Why you should ask technology vendors about their partner strategy, and what to look for in their answers.
+ The critical but somewhat hidden role middleware plays in the world of HR technology
+ The increasingly critical role integration is having on the use of HR technology 
 

Steve and Jordan talk with Dr. Mike Hudy about using technology to improve hiring decisions and create positive and equitable candidate experiences. Mike is Chief Science Officer at HireVue and has years of experience building empirically validated assessments to support candidate selection. Some things we cover:
+ Why one of the criteria for evaluating technology solutions should be to consider the alternative 
+ The risk and danger of automating stupidity
+ The science of ensuring staffing selection algorithms are accurate, fair, and equitable
We also learn that the requisition process is the root of all evil in staffing, and that the first step to being a Chief Expert is to become a Junior Expert

Steve and Jordan chat with Jim Newman, founder of HRIZONS and Michael Pawlyczn, head of sales for SAP SuccessFactors North America about what it takes to convince organizations to invest in HR technology.  And the actions that have to take place after the initial sale to ensure high levels of adoption and long-term license renewals.