Mark Feffer
Contributing Analyst
mark@markfeffer.com

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Mark Feffer is the editor of WorkforceAI.News and the HCM Technology Report, and Contributing Analyst of 3Sixty Insights. Recognized as one of the most trusted journalists covering HR technology, he has written for Reworked, TechTarget, HR Magazine, SHRM, TLNT and TalentCulture. His podcast PeopleTech is downloaded by tens of thousands of listeners each month. Previously, he was executive editor of RecruitingDaily and Managing Editor of Dice. Mark began his career as one of the first online editors for Dow Jones and The Wall Street Journal. He then worked with a variety of companies as a writer of feature articles, executive presentations and multimedia features. His clients included AT&T, Charles Schwab, Merrill Lynch, Bloomberg and Dow Jones. He has a Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Science in Broadcasting and Film from Boston University. His novel “September” was published in 2006.

People Tech with Mark Feffer and Opal Wagnac on Navigating AI’s Impact on HR

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This guest podcast, originally aired on People Tech, features Mark Feffer in conversation with Opal Wagnac, Senior Vice President of Market and Product Strategy at isolved. Together, they unpack the state of AI in HR, exploring how leaders can distinguish between AI solutions that deliver real value and those that are mere hype. In this episode, Opal discusses the challenges of AI adoption in the workplace, the evolution of tools like retention predictors and recruiting automation, and the growing alignment between human intuition and machine learning. She highlights practical AI applications in recruiting, payroll, and employee learning, while shedding light on how AI is transforming HR tasks to focus on connection, empathy, and strategic innovation. Opal also delves into the art of the possible, offering […]

People Tech with Mark Feffer and Pragya Gupta on AI’s Role in HR

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This guest podcast, originally aired on People Tech, features Mark Feffer and Pragya Gupta, Chief Product and Technology Officer at isolved, as they explore AI’s growing impact on HR. In this episode, they discuss shadow AI, automation, and the ethical considerations shaping today’s AI applications in HR. Pragya shares insights on how AI is transforming daily HR tasks, enhancing personalization, and streamlining strategic decisions across organizations. Our #HRTechChat Series is also available as a podcast on the following platforms: Apple iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3sixty-insights/id1555291436?itsct=podcast_box&itscg=30200 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7hXSgrFWXwvJqPbnKunztv SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-965220588 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6aDtrRPYoCIrnkeOYZRpAQ/ iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-3sixty-insights-78293678/ Amazon Music & Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/7e7d809b-cb6c-4160-bacf-d0bb90e22f7c Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/3sixty-insights/PC:1000613511 PlayerFM: https://player.fm/series/3sixty-insights Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3sixtyinsights/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/iaopd0r7 blubrry: https://blubrry.com/3sixtyinsights/ Castbox: https://castbox.fm/channel/id4113025 ivoox: https://www.ivoox.com/en/perfil-3sixty-insights_a8_listener_25914379_1.html Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/3sixty-insights-1718242 Pocket Cast: https://pca.st/iaopd0r7 Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/show/3029712 Listen Notes: https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/3sixty-insights-3sixty-insights-DgeU6AW42hn/ TUNE IN: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business–Economics-Podcasts/3Sixty-Insights-TechChat-p1529087/ PodBean: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/9nugf-1e0a27/3Sixty-Insights-Podcast Audacy: https://www.audacy.com/podcast/3sixty-insights-hrtechchat-1ccab podimo: https://podimo.com/dk/shows/3sixty-insights rephonic: https://rephonic.com/podcasts/3sixty-insights See a service missing that you use? Let our team know by emailing research@3SixtyInsights.com. Transcript: Mark […]

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reworked Feature Article: Job Candidates Can Now Spam Employers More Efficiently

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The ability to stand out when applying for a job has been thwarted by AI. But a new tool promises job seekers an easier path to recruiters’ inboxes. The use of AI by talent acquisition teams has been explored by more articles, more panel discussions and more conference presentations than I can count. Now, in what seems like an inevitable step, AI has become available for job-seekers as well. It comes in the form of a bot called Auto_Jobs_Applier_AIHawk. If you know a bit of Python, you can set it up to apply for hundreds of jobs a day on LinkedIn. Unless you want to tweak its work on the fly, it’s completely automated. The bot, which is available on GitHub, is meant to “balance […]

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Market Alert: Unlocking Hiring Efficiency: Paychex’s New AI Recruitment Tool for SMBS

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The News Paychex recently launched Paychex Recruiting Copilot, an AI-assisted recruiting tool for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and HR professionals. In partnership with Findem, Paychex Recruiting Copilot allows customers to quickly find appropriate talent instead of relying solely on passive recruiting methods. Paychex Recruiting Copilot analyzes potential employees through a natural-language search engine to produce a list of qualified individuals for open positions. It identifies those candidates based on hiring requirements, job descriptions, and filters such as job title, location, skills, experience and industries. Based in Redwood City, Calif., Findem seeks to improve recruiting outcomes by enhancing the data employers use in their search for candidates. The company maintains a data lake of people and company data, that it combines with AI-based capabilities to […]

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How AI is Driving the Future of HR

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly significant role in HR workflows, alleviating the burden caused by the growing list of tasks that HR professionals face. In fact, according to a recent survey of 1,000 HR professionals conducted by isolved in partnership with Talker Research, 77% of HR professionals believe AI training is critical to enhancing their roles, and 81% of those whose companies have adopted AI report using it in their daily tasks. On average, AI handles 34% of HR-related tasks in these organizations. In AI, HR professionals see an opportunity to provide their workforce with more personized, more responsive service. The technology’s ability to sort through data and speed a variety of technical tasks can free up a significant amount of time – […]

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Guest Podcast: Developers Look Beyond AI, with 3Sixty Insights’ Dylan Teggart

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In this episode of PeopleTech, Mark Feffer sits down with Dylan Teggart, of 3Sixty Insights. This episode focused on AI and what end users think about it, but also look at what else developers are building while advanced tech gets all the attention. That and more, on this edition of PeopleTech. Listen to the full podcast here: Developers Look Beyond AI, with 3Sixty Insights’ Dylan Teggart

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Guest Podcast: 3Sixty Insights’ Geoff Webb on Changing Perceptions of AI

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In this episode of PeopleTech, Mark Feffer sits down with Geoff Webb, a contributing analyst at 3Sixty Insights. Together, they explore the evolving perceptions surrounding AI. Are these shifts simply part of the natural growth cycle, or is there something more at play? Tune in as they discuss where AI truly stands today—in both reality and customer perceptions. Listen to the full podcast here: 3Sixty Insights’ Geoff Webb on Changing Perceptions of AI

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Market Alert: SAP Strengthens Transformation Strategy with WalkMe Acquisition

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The News SAP has agreed to acquire WalkMe, a San Francisco-based company whose products help employees and consumers use technology by overlaying cues and automation on top of enterprise applications and websites. The agreement results from the companies’ three-year partnership, which has seen WalkMe’s tools implemented on SAP SuccessFactors, Ariba and Concur. At $14 per share, the agreement boosts WalkMe’s valuation to $1.5 billion. It also represents a 45% premium over the company’s stock price just before the announcement. Although WalkMe has a respectable balance sheet, that’s a fair amount of money for a business that generated subscription revenue of about $250 million in its last fiscal year. Total revenue for 2023 was $267 million. In February, the company estimated it would earn revenue of […]

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Press Release – Analyst Firm 3Sixty Insights Launches Partnership With WorkforceAI.News

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BOSTON (June 12, 2024) – 3Sixty Insights Inc., a leading research and consulting firm, and WorkforceAI.News, a news service providing news and insights about the use of AI and technology by HR functions, announced a partnership under which they will jointly produce and publish industry media products and analysis. Under the agreement, 3Sixty Insights will spearhead business development efforts for WorkforceAI, while the media company incorporates 3Sixty’s intelligence and analysis into its editorial package. Mark Feffer, editor and publisher of WorkforceAI, has joined 3Sixty Insights as a contributing analyst. “Our partnership with WorkforceAI will allow 3Sixty Insights to reach a wider range of industry leaders,” said 3Sixty Insights Founder and CEO Nicholas Biron. “Plus, working Mark Feffer’s insights into our line of products and services […]

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TechTarget – SAP snaps up WalkMe for $1.5B

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ORLANDO, Fla. — SAP has agreed to acquire digital adoption platform vendor WalkMe for $1.5 billion. The acquisition was unveiled on Day 2 of the SAP Sapphire conference. WalkMe, based in Tel Aviv, Israel, provides a software platform that can help employees understand and use enterprise applications more effectively. SAP expects to integrate WalkMe into its portfolio of applications that aids companies through transformations from on-premises systems to cloud systems ready to support technologies such as AI. That portfolio already includes Signavio, which SAP acquired in 2021, for understanding business processes; and LeanIX, which SAP acquired in 2023, for understanding an IT application architecture as a whole. The WalkMe platform sits on top of an organization’s IT applications layer and determines where users might experience […]

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Guest Podcast: AI – Perception and Reality with Author and Analyst Geoff Webb

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Mark Feffer welcomes Geoff Webb to this edition of PeopleTech. Geoff, an author and contributing analyst at 3Sixty Insights, has an impressive resume in technology and product development, including his role as isolved’s VP of solutions, product, and marketing strategy. In this episode, we’ll delve into AI, focusing on its messaging and marketing. We’ll also discuss reskilling and some unexpected challenges. All that and more, on PeopleTech. Listen to the full WorkforceAI podcast here: AI – Perception and Reality with Author and Analyst Geoff Webb

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WorkforceAI – Why SMBs are Good Prospects for the Right AI Solutions

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Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) present a valuable opportunity for AI solutions providers. Despite often being overshadowed by larger enterprises, SMBs are heavy users of technology, with 95% of American small companies using at least one tech platform. They spend nearly $1.5 trillion annually on technology, and 3.2 million SMBs utilize cloud-based software. However, many SMBs have yet to adopt AI solutions, often due to cost concerns. By offering cost-effective AI tools that seamlessly integrate into existing workflows, providers can tap into this market and help SMBs enhance efficiency and productivity. Article Excerpt:  In particular, small companies like tools that fit neatly into the flow of work, said Geoff Webb, a contributing analyst with the Boston-based analyst firm 3Sixty Insights. “The trick here is to […]

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Market Alert: Visier’s Vee AI Chatbot Makes Data More Accessible to Managers, Boosts Vision of ‘Democratization’

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The News Visier released a generative AI chatbot that answers workforce questions for HR leaders, managers and company executives. Called Vee, the product also serves as the foundation for Visier’s Embedded generative AI analytics tool, which is designed to speed product roadmaps for the company’s partner SaaS vendors and solutions providers who offer workforce-related AI. Rather than rely on Visier’s traditional approach to queries – using pre-built guidebooks or building an analysis through the platform’s regular interface – Vee allows users to ask questions in natural language. Once it’s processed a query, the tool returns answers in plain English, then allows users to ask follow-up questions as needed. In terms of security, Vee’s results are only available to authorized users based on their assigned security […]

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Market Alert: Talespin Deal Positions Cornerstone OnDemand for New Class of Competitors

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The News Cornerstone OnDemand’s acquisition of the “extended reality,” “spatial learning” software provider, Talespin, marks a notable step toward realizing the company’s goal of offering an immersive, end-to-end learning platform. While the press release is all about offering a more dynamic, personalized and effective user experience, the acquisition will also help Cornerstone deflect the competitive threat of newer learning platforms and maintain its dominance of the corporate learning market. The move builds on last year’s introduction of Cornerstone’s Opportunity Marketplace and Content Studio. More specifically, Talespin, with its focus on workforce skills development, will strengthen CSOD’s content subscriptions, curation, creation and insights technology. At the same time, it moves Cornerstone’s product into the sphere of true immersive learning. CEO Himanshu Palsule described the move as […]

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Market Alert: Workday-Insperity ‘Strategic Partnership’ Stands Out in a Sea of SMB HR Solutions

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What Happened Workday, which provides enterprise cloud applications for finance and human resources, and Insperity, a professional employer organization (PEO) that develops its own HR and business performance technology and services, announced a strategic partnership and plans to jointly develop, brand, market, and sell a full-service HR solution for small and midsize businesses. The companies believe combining Workday’s technology and Insperity’s service will create a solution that helps emerging companies achieve success and maintain growth. Through the partnership, customers can take advantage of Workday HCM and Insperity’s Workforce Optimization service, which includes dedicated HR specialists, payroll and benefits, risk management, and compliance support. The combination will enable businesses to seamlessly manage their entire employee lifecycle, from ‘hire to retire’ and optimize their talent management, payroll, […]

Guest Podcast: 3Sixty Insights’ Pete Tiliakos on What Payroll Practitioners Think

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Mark Feffer was joined by Pete Tiliakos, principal analyst and managing partner at 3Sixty Insights. Pete just launched a survey for payroll practitioners. The goal is to get a look at the realities of Payroll, and what’s going on in practitioners’ heads. He gave us the details of the survey and talks about what comes next, on this edition of PeopleTech.   View and take the survey here: Payroll Profession Confidence Survey Watch The Full Episode of PeopleTech here: 3Sixty Insights’ Pete Tiliakos on What Payroll Practitioners Think

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HCM Technology Report Guest Podcast: 3Sixty Insights’ Brent Skinner on the Realities of Single Suite Solutions

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 Brent Skinner, co-founder, director and principal analyst for HCM at 3Sixty Insights joins HCM Technology Report’s Mark Feffer . Not long ago, Brent kicked off a discussion on LinkedIn to consider the pros and cons of full-suite HCM technology versus single point solutions. Mark asks him to expand on that, and they will look at how employers can navigate the question, what it means for small businesses, and the dangers of trying to be all things to all people. On this edition of PeopleTech. You can listen to the entire podcast here: 3Sixty Insights’ Brent Skinner on the Realities of Single Suite Solutions

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HCM Technology Report Guest Podcast: Brent Skinner on HR, Technology and Change

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Brent Skinner, co-founder of 3Sixty Insights, where he leads the HCM practice, appeared last week on PeopleTech, the HCM Technology Report’s podcast. There, he and Mark Feffer, editor and publisher at the HCM Technology Report and executive editor at RecruitingDaily.com, waded into deep waters to address complex questions around just how, exactly, HR leaders and their departments can continue to influence the employee experience in a world of work where technology for HCM is becoming increasingly friendly and usable for line managers. Their discussion originally took place during a webinar Brent delivered on the same subject matter, for HCM Technology Report. You can listen to the entire podcast here: 3Sixty Insights’ Brent Skinner on HR, Technology and Change

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Webinar: Three Ways HR Can Keep its Skin in the Employee Experience Game | February 23rd, 2023 at 2:30pm EST

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Join Brent Skinner, host of the #HRTechChat video podcast and co-founder of 3Sixty Insights, and Mark Feffer, Executive Editor at HCM Technology Report, as they share insights on the importance of HR in shaping the employee experience. In this deep dive, you’ll learn why HR needs to stay ahead of the curve—and the importance of constantly evolving your strategy. Discover three practical and effective strategies for ensuring HR is not left behind in shaping the employee experience and gain valuable insights into the HCM technology landscape. Brent and Mark bring a unique combination of expertise to the table and their discussion is sure to provide valuable insights and spark new ideas for HR leaders everywhere. Register for this webinar taking place at 2:30pm ET on […]