Many careers pages today seem to carry a badge: “Great Place To Work Certified.” But to the job market, what does it typically signal, and where does it fall short? As an analyst engaging with HR leaders, employees, and HR tech vendors, it seems like Great Place To Work certification is seen less as the sole indicator of a “good company” and more as part of a body of evidence that includes retention statistics, internal mobility metrics, cultural trends, and employee feedback initiatives. Taking a Closer Look Great Place To Work (GPTW) is a workplace culture consultancy that has spent over 30 years researching employee experience and positioning itself as a global authority on workplace culture. GPTW says more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries […]
Leadership
Video: Human in the Loop or Just a Checkbox? Rethinking AI in HR and Support
In today’s video, Nicholas Biron break down a growing problem in both customer service and employee experience: AI is being used as a barrier, not an enabler. Vendors love to talk about “human in the loop,” but in reality, that human is usually sitting behind the scenes, not where customers and employees actually interact. The result? Frustration, loss of empathy, and an experience that feels increasingly robotic. He shares real example; from trying to reach a live agent at major providers, to a recent doctor’s visit where AI-driven prompts replaced real human connection, to how AI is affecting performance management. But it’s not all doom and gloom. AI can dramatically improve experience when used correctly. Payroll support is a great example, where AI agents can […]
Council Guest Post: HR Transformation: Effective Communication Strategies
Building Trust and Engagement through transparent and effective communication Introduction The landscape of Human Resources (HR) is continuously evolving, driven by technological advancements, globalization, and changing workforce dynamics. As organizations seek to stay competitive, HR transformation has become a vital process. However, any transformation journey can be fraught with challenges, and one of the most critical aspects of navigating these challenges is ensuring transparent and effective communication. Effective communication strategies not only facilitate the smooth implementation of changes but also build trust and engagement among employees. The Importance of Communication in HR Transformation Initiative Communication is the lifeblood of any organizational change. In the context of HR transformation, it ensures that all stakeholders are informed, engaged, and aligned with the transformation goals. Transparent communication helps […]
Video: Are Vendors Losing by Overloading on AI Features?
In this video, Nicholas Biron discusses a growing trend in vendor presentations: overloading audiences with AI features instead of focusing on solving real business problems. He shares observations from virtual analyst updates and emphasizes that line-of-business executives often lack advanced AI sophistication. Vendors are urged to differentiate by addressing customer challenges and practical outcomes rather than feature dumps.
Research Agenda: 2026 Go-to-Market B2B
Introduction Building on the insights and conversations from the 2025 GTM Research Agenda, this year’s focus deepens our understanding of how efficiency, authenticity, and AI collaboration are shaping modern go-to-market strategies. Through discussions with industry leaders and operators, we’ve identified emerging intersections between human creativity, data-driven precision, and automation. The 2026 agenda continues this exploration, emphasizing community-driven learning and practical application across the GTM ecosystem. These topics remain working hypotheses but have matured through initial discovery and community conversations. They are shared here to invite continued exploration and deeper dialogue with practitioners, vendors, and operators. Rather than presenting final positions, our intent is to surface the most relevant and timely GTM questions for 2026. We will continue to solicit input, opinions, and insights from practitioners […]
Small Gestures, Big Impact: Elevating Customer Experience in HR Technology
In our calls with multiple HR tech end-users in 2025, Nick Biron and I repeatedly came across a similar theme: when vendors appear similar on paper, service and genuine human relationships often become the real differentiators. This ties into a video Nick recently shared with me that touches on the concept of creating ‘moments that matter’ in sales and customer service. It’s those moments where a vendor goes just a little bit further than they need to to make you feel special or like your specific needs are being heard. According to the presenter, a 10% improvement across seven such moments can “double” revenue with that customer. I’m not sure the math is that simple, but anecdotally, it tracks with what we hear in HR […]
Zero Trust in the Age of AI: Why Enterprise Security Principles Are Becoming the Blueprint for Digital Trust
As enterprises wrestle with how to adopt AI responsibly, they’re rediscovering the same lesson cybersecurity mastered years ago: trust must be earned, verified, and continuously monitored. The Trust Recession in Technology I recently had the opportunity to sit down with John Armstrong, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Application & Network Security at Ivanti. Our conversation started with Ivanti’s approach to cybersecurity and the growing importance of Zero Trust. But as these conversations often do, it quickly expanded. We found ourselves talking not only about the challenges of securing networks but also about the growing challenge of trusting artificial intelligence. That connection between cybersecurity and AI is not accidental. Both domains are struggling with the same fundamental problem: trust. Cybersecurity spent decades building systems to verify […]
Video: Nicholas Biron on Software Demos – Why Sales Engagement Beats Features
In this video, Nick Biron from 3Sixty Insights shares a key insight from working with software buyers: features and functionality are no longer the primary differentiator, they have become table stakes. What really wins deals is how sales teams engage, listen, and respond during the buying process. Nick highlights a common pitfall: the “show up and throw up” demo, where vendors rush through features without interacting with the customer. Instead, he recommends interactive, consultative demos that start with understanding the customer’s needs, pause to gather feedback, and highlight what truly differentiates the platform. The takeaway: superior software alone is not enough. Sales teams that prioritize engagement and responsiveness are the ones that win.
GTM Innovators: The GEO Playbook – How Partner Marketing Fuels AI Discoverability with Michael Cole
In this episode of GTM Innovators, host Kyle James sits down with Michael Cole, SVP of Marketing at Everflow, to explore how Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is redefining the rules of search and discoverability. As AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini become the new front doors to information, long-tail SEO is giving way to a world driven by citations, partnerships, and authentic content. Michael shares how leading brands are adapting—building relationships with publishers, rethinking affiliate strategies, and creating human-led content that fuels visibility across AI-powered ecosystems. If you’ve ever wondered what replaces SEO in the age of AI, this conversation is your new playbook. Subscript to GMT Innovators Series on the following platforms: SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/research-859405782 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsoV6fwX4cpGR2Hg98rc1e1k2-cOqCbhb Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1gvDzcl0jxpPIfu9WYu6U4 iHeartReadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/258127960/ Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/podcast/gtm-innovators/PC:1001097038 iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gtm-innovators/id1790738579 Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1b000615-31cc-49dd-a5d8-f80d5098bf2d/gtm-innovators […]
AT&T’s Market-Based Culture Shift and What It Reveals About the Future of Work – Part 2 of 2
AT&T’s Market-Based Culture Shift and What It Reveals About the Future of Work Part 2 of 2: What It Means for the Job Market, HR Leaders, and the Future of Performance Management Editors note: This is the second part of a two part series on this topic. For the first part, you can find it here [hyperlink]. In my first installment of this series, I broke down AT&T CEO John Stankey’s memo to employees and what it reveals about the company’s shift toward a market-based culture — one focused on competition, accountability, and performance metrics. In this follow-up, I explore how that shift fits within today’s job market and what it means for HR and leadership. Is This What the Modern Job Market is Asking […]
AT&T’s Market-Based Culture Shift and What It Reveals About the Future of Work – Part 1 of 2
Part 1 of 2: Inside John Stankey’s Memo and the Rise of Market-Based Management at AT&T One piece of workplace-related news that I haven’t been able to get out of my head is the memo AT&T CEO John Stankey sent out to his company this summer. Stankey’s memo has garnered numerous (mostly negative) hot takes from analysts and influencers alike. Admittedly, I’m late to the party on addressing it. However, the reason I am now is because it seems to be evolving into an artifact of corporate transformation in real-time. I dove into the entirety of Stankey’s message and pulled out a few key concepts. Keep in mind, the “memo” is in fact a 4000-word essay that takes about 15 minutes to read on its […]
Council Guest Post: HR Transformation – Data-Driven HR Decisions
Utilizing Analytics to Inform and Drive HR Transformational Initiatives Introduction In the dynamic landscape of human resources, the role of data and analytics has evolved from a mere supportive function to a central pillar in shaping HR strategies and decisions. The contemporary HR environment demands a data-driven approach to enhance decision-making processes, optimize workforce management, and ensure organizational growth. This article delves into the critical aspects of data-driven HR decisions and how analytics can be harnessed to revolutionize HR practices. The Importance of Data-Driven HR Decisions Data-driven HR decisions involve the use of data analytics to inform and guide HR strategies. This methodology shifts HR from being intuition-based to evidence-based, ensuring that decisions are backed by empirical data and insights. The importance of this approach […]
Council Guest Post: The Workplace AI Trap – When “Productivity Tools” Actually Make Work Harder
Remember those mysterious farm implements from the Shelburne Museum I wrote about last week AI Is Not Always the Answer? Tools that clearly served important purposes in their time, but whose actual utility has been lost? That same disconnect between sophistication and usefulness is playing across the country as companies rush to deploy workplace AI. “We need to leverage AI to boost productivity,” executives announce, like archaeologists picking up an ancient tool and declaring it must be valuable because it looks complex. They’re so focused on having cutting-edge technology that they forget the most fundamental question every organization should ask: “Will this actually help our people do their jobs better?” With workplace AI spending projected to reach $79 billion by 2025, companies feel pressure to […]
Analyst Insight: HR Techonomics & The Napster Effect
Agentic AI is becoming table stakes, but the pricing model is broken for HR tech vendors. Given that platforms like ChatGPT are free for most HR tech users—or built into the existing fee structures for HR tech platforms—I fear that tying it to a zero-cost model may inadvertently propel HR tech AI into a fate similar to that of recorded music after Napster and the rise of music streaming. Napster proved to the world that music can be free, and the music industry never recovered from it. Record stores closed, artists suffered, and the music market was flooded with even more music, all of which was still available for free. Even decades later, when services like Apple Music and Spotify began to pop up, charging […]
Winner Takes All: AI, Shareholders & the Future of Work
Many HR tech companies’ go-to-market strategies are fixated on enhancing employee experience. There’s often a heavy emphasis on frontline efficiency achieved through a bottom-up approach to bolster business. They aim to help employees first, enabling them to be more productive, which in turn benefits the company as a whole. A significant part of this movement is facilitated through the use of AI as a vehicle to accelerate progress. At HR Tech 2025, there was a recurring emphasis on the concept of “human in the loop” — the idea that even with advancements in AI, such as agentic AI, human oversight will always be necessary for its actions. Many business and tech leaders argue that AI is meant to assist, rather than replace, workers. And this […]
Council Guest Post: AI Is Not Always the Answer
That’s Cool! What is it? (The AI Feature Trap That Can Kill Early-Stage Companies) One of my favorite places to go is the Shelburne Museum in Vermont. Walk into one of the buildings on the expansive grounds and you’ll find yourself staring at a collection of mysterious farm implements. Interesting, well-crafted tools that clearly served important purposes—but nobody alive remembers what those purposes were. Curators can guess based on the materials and construction, but the actual utility? Lost to time. While there’s a pretty long leap from the bucolic scenery of rural Vermont to artificial intelligence, the notion of unclear use is exactly how many early-stage companies are approaching AI features today. “We need AI in our product to stay competitive,” they announce, like archaeologists […]
Council Guest Post: HR Transformation – Aligning HR Initiatives with the Organization’s Culture and Values
A Roadmap to a Harmonious and Productive Transformation Introduction In today’s dynamic and competitive business landscape, organizations are increasingly recognizing the pivotal role of Human Resources (HR) in driving transformation and achieving strategic goals. A critical aspect of successful HR Transformation is aligning HR initiatives with the organization’s culture and values. This alignment ensures that HR policies and practices not only support business objectives but also resonate with employees, fostering a cohesive and engaged workforce. Understanding Organizational Culture Organizational culture is the set of shared beliefs, values, norms, and practices that shape the behavior and interactions of employees within an organization. It is the social glue that binds the organization together and influences how employees perceive their roles, responsibilities, and the link of their role […]
Is HR Tech in its “It’s Toasted” Era?
One thing’s for sure in HR tech: everything is agentic AI. Or better yet, just “agentic.” In the frigid back conference halls of the Mandalay Bay convention center, past the food court, and up the escalator banks, the word “agentic” bounced across the walls and danced through the air. It’s the hot new thing. Everyone’s talking about it. And maybe that’s the problem. Over the course of the two and a half days at the 3Sixty Insights table, I was briefed, debriefed, and briefed again with vendors from across the HR tech industry. I met and spoke with many witty, intelligent, and forward-thinking people, all telling – or being told to tell – the same story. As an analyst, the result was often walking away […]
Workology Article: Q&A With Nicole Roberts
This interview is part of Workology’s HR spotlight series, where they highlight influential HR leaders who are shaping the future of work through bold ideas and real-world impact. For this post, they spoke with Nicole Roberts, 3Sixty Insights Analyst, Founder and President of People Solutions Group. Nicole Roberts is an HR strategist, executive advisor, and the Founder and President of People Solutions Group, a consulting and training firm that helps organizations align people practices with business strategy. With more than 20 years of experience spanning high-growth, PE-backed, and mission-driven organizations, she combines strategic foresight, human-centered insight, and practical HR leadership to drive meaningful results. Her expertise includes strategic workforce planning, leadership development, change management, culture transformation, and talent advisory. Nicole is especially skilled in guiding organizations through […]
Video: When Cost-Cutting Kills Customer Experience
In this video, Nicholas Biron of 3Sixty Insights draws a sharp contrast between the in-store experience of legacy retailers and the seamless efficiency of online shopping. What starts as a simple school shopping trip quickly becomes a lesson in why brick-and-mortar continues to lose ground to Amazon. Nicholas recounts disorganized stores, locked fitting rooms, low inventory, and disengaged employees at Target and Old Navy—problems that echo the decline of Sears. These failures highlight a deeper truth: retail isn’t losing because of Amazon’s prices alone. It’s losing because the customer experience has collapsed.
