Operational Excellence

#HRTechChat: The Economics of HR – Speaking the Language of Business with Maria Scarangella

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In this episode of #HRTechChat, Nicole Roberts is joined by Maria Scarangella to tackle one of the most persistent challenges facing HR today: proving business value in a climate defined by cost pressure, efficiency mandates, and heightened executive scrutiny. Drawing on her 37-year career at GEICO—including leadership of a $2.5B P&L—and her current work building Marstella, Maria explains why HR risks losing its strategic seat when it speaks only in HR metrics instead of business outcomes. Together, they explore how quantifying the true cost of hiring, onboarding, training, and turnover can fundamentally change executive decision-making—from smarter workforce planning to more targeted investments in technology and development. Maria outlines why “a lot” is not a number, how lifecycle cost visibility creates accountability across leaders, and why […]

#HRTechChat: Jeff Smith of 15Five on Building Better Managers in the Age of AI

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In this episode of #HRTechChat, Nicole Roberts sits down with Jeff Smith, COO of 15Five, to unpack what it really takes to build better managers in an era of AI, constant change, and overflowing HR to-do lists. A psychologist by training with deep R&D and product experience, Jeff brings a rare lens on how organizations can redesign systems, expectations, and technology to truly support people leaders—not just measure them. They dig into the mounting pressure on HR and managers, the shift from “HR owns all people issues” to shared accountability, and why management has to be treated as a daily practice, not a one-time promotion. Jeff explains how tools like 15Five and Kona AI can turn everyday one-on-ones into continuous performance data, simplify review cycles, […]

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Analyst Insight: What Makes a Certified Great Place To Work Company

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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 […]

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Council Guest Post: HR Transformation: Effective Communication Strategies

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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 […]

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GTM Innovators: The GEO Playbook – How Partner Marketing Fuels AI Discoverability with Michael Cole

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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 […]

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AT&T’s Market-Based Culture Shift and What It Reveals About the Future of Work – Part 2 of 2

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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 […]

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AT&T’s Market-Based Culture Shift and What It Reveals About the Future of Work – Part 1 of 2

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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 […]

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Council Guest Post: When Early-Stage Companies Should Actually Use AI (It’s Rarer Than You Think)

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Last week, I wrote about the AI feature trap—how early-stage companies add AI to their products not because users need it, but because it sounds sophisticated. The farm implement metaphor from the Shelburne Museum struck a nerve: too many companies are picking up impressive-looking tools without understanding what problems they actually solve. But based on some emails I got (such language!), I feel compelled to make this statement: if you are building a native AI application, then you are not the companies I am talking about! AI is its own thing and there are myriad applications than should and are being built to take advantage of the incredible promise that AI represents.  I was referring to companies who are seeking to add AI to existing […]

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Council Guest Post: HR Transformation – Data-Driven HR Decisions

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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 […]

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Council Guest Post: The Workplace AI Trap – When “Productivity Tools” Actually Make Work Harder

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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 […]

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Analyst Insight: HR Techonomics & The Napster Effect

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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 […]

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Winner Takes All: AI, Shareholders & the Future of Work

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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 […]

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Council Guest Post: AI Is Not Always the Answer

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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 […]

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Council Guest Post: HR Transformation – Leveraging Technology for HR Efficiency

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Utilizing HR Tech Such as AI and Analytics for Streamlined Processes Introduction In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the role of Human Resources (HR) has transcended traditional boundaries. The integration of advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and analytics is revolutionizing HR functions, enabling organizations to streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and improve overall efficiency. This article delves into the transformative impact of HR tech, specifically AI and analytics, and how they are reshaping the way HR operates. Rapid Innovations in HR Technology The advent of digital transformation has paved the way for HR technology to become an indispensable part of modern organizations. HR tech encompasses a wide range of tools and solutions designed to automate and optimize various HR functions, from recruitment and onboarding […]

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Workology Article: Q&A With Nicole Roberts

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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 […]

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Video: When Cost-Cutting Kills Customer Experience

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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.

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Video: Why Independent Research Creates Defendable Customer Stories

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In this video, Nicholas Biron underscores the real power of independent, third-party research in marketing. While vendors often publish their own case studies, these pieces rarely carry the depth or credibility needed to influence buyers—or withstand scrutiny. Nicholas explains how 3Sixty Insights approaches customer interviews differently: by probing deeper into decision drivers, evaluation processes, and real outcomes. The result is richer, more authentic stories that buyers and participants themselves use to validate choices, showcase investments, and even elevate their personal profiles.