600s in HRTech by RedThread Research

Stacia Garr & Dani Johnson
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600 Seconds in HRTech is for HR leaders who are tired of vendor content that looks like research and want a faster, easier way to stay current.  Hosted by RedThread Research analysts, each episode features a focused conversation with a HRTech leader or product expert, asking the questions buyers actually want answered: What problem does this solve? Who isn't it right for? What did you get wrong before you got it right? What's really behind that acquisition? Then the analyst unpacks it solo. No vendor present. You get what was genuinely useful, what was marketing, and what to push back on in your own evaluations. 600 Seconds in HRTech covers talent platforms, learning technology, people analytics tools, and more. One episode at a time, you build a clearer picture of the landscape without chasing every press release or conference session yourself. Want to be part of the conversation? Join our community for free and connect with others shaping the future of work. Learn more about RedThread Research here: https://redthreadresearch.com/home 

  1. 3d ago

    Learning Beyond the LMS: How Absorb Is Reimagining AI-Powered Workforce Development

    Can learning platforms move beyond delivering training and become the operating system for workforce capability?  In this episode of 600 Seconds in HRTech, Dani Johnson sits down with Kimberly Williams, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer of Absorb, to explore how AI is reshaping learning technology, why traditional LMS platforms are evolving, and what organizations should prioritize as skills become increasingly dynamic.  The conversation covers the shift from content delivery to personalized capability development, how AI can close the gap between learning and performance, and why human judgment may become one of the most valuable skills in an AI-enabled workplace.  QUESTIONS ANSWERED   How is AI changing the role of learning management systems?  AI is transforming LMS platforms from systems that simply deliver courses into platforms that personalize learning, recommend development opportunities, and connect learning directly to business outcomes.  Why is personalization becoming so important in workplace learning?  Kimberly explains that AI allows organizations to move beyond one-size-fits-all training. Instead, employees can receive learning experiences tailored to their individual needs, role, performance, and career aspirations.  What skills will matter most in an AI-powered workplace?  While AI will automate many routine tasks, Kimberly argues that uniquely human capabilities such as judgment, critical thinking, and contextual decision-making, will become increasingly valuable as organizations adopt AI more broadly.  TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Introducing Kimberly Williams and Absorb  02:15 – Kimberly's journey into technology leadership  06:00 – The evolution of learning technology and AI  11:30 – Why personalization is changing workplace learning  17:45 – Connecting learning with business performance  22:40 – AI, skills development, and organizational capability  27:15 – Dani's reflections: the future of learning and judgment as a skill  RESOURCES & LINKS  Learn More About Absorb Absorb Official Website: https://www.absorbai.com/ Kimberly Williams on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlydolanwilliams/ Connect with RedThread Research  RedThread Research Official Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/ RedThread Research on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/ Dani Johnson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dani-johnson/

  2. 5d ago

    Rethinking Learning in the AI Era: How OpenSesame is Balancing AI with Human Judgment 

    How should learning platforms evolve as AI transforms the way organizations develop their people? In this episode of 600 Seconds in HR Tech, Dani Johnson talks with Josh Blank, President of OpenSesame, to discuss how AI is reshaping corporate learning, why human judgment still matters, and how OpenSesame is approaching product innovation in an era of rapid technological change.  The conversation explores how AI is reducing the cost of experimentation, why content curation remains a strategic differentiator, and how learning providers can use AI to enhance (rather than replace) the expertise of L&D professionals. Josh also shares how OpenSesame's innovation lab is helping the company rapidly test ideas while staying focused on solving real customer problems.  QUESTIONS ANSWERED How is AI changing the way HR technology companies build products?  Josh explains that AI has dramatically reduced the time and cost required to test new ideas. What once required large teams and months of development can now be prototyped in weeks, allowing HR technology companies to innovate much faster while remaining customer-focused.  Why is human judgment still essential in learning and development?  While AI can improve recommendations and automate many tasks, Josh argues that organizations still need human expertise to curate learning experiences and make nuanced decisions. AI should support professionals instead of replacing crucial judgment and curation.  How is OpenSesame approaching AI differently?  Rather than adding AI everywhere, OpenSesame is taking a measured approach by introducing AI where it creates genuine value. Through its innovation lab, the company is experimenting quickly while ensuring that human decision-making remains central to the learning experience. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Introduction to OpenSesame and Josh Blank  00:45 – Building companies before and after AI  02:10 – How does AI lower the cost of experimentation?  04:35 – Solving customer problems instead of chasing technology 06:20 – AI's role in learning content and curation  09:10 – Does human judgement still matter in L&D?  11:30 – OpenSesame's innovation lab and rapid product development 13:10 – Dani's Reflection  RESOURCES & LINKS Learn More About OpenSesame  OpenSesame Official Website: https://www.opensesame.com/ Josh Blank on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuablank/  Connect with RedThread Research  RedThread Research Official Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/RedThread Research on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research/ Dani Johnson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dani-johnson/

  3. Jul 14

    The Year of the Humans: Workera’s Vision for AI and Skills

    What if every meeting, message, document, and AI interaction could become an opportunity to develop your skills? In this episode of 600 Seconds in HR Tech, Dani Johnson sits down with Kian Katanforoosh, CEO and founder of Workera, to explore Ambient, Workera’s approach to continuous skills measurement and development in the flow of work.  The conversation examines how Ambient uses signals from everyday work tools to measure behaviors rather than activity, why Workera believes learning and work are beginning to converge, and how continuous skills data could change the role of managers, L&D, and workforce transformation leaders.  As Kian explains, “the next breakthrough is not just AI getting smarter. It’s helping humans learn fast enough to keep up with it.”  QUESTIONS ANSWERED What is Workera Ambient and how does it work?  Ambient is designed as an always-on skills coach that connects with the tools employees already use at work. It analyzes signals from day-to-day work, measures progress against selected skills, and provides short coaching moments and feedback tied directly to what the individual is working on.  How can AI help employees learn in the flow of work? Kian argues that work and learning have historically been treated as separate activities. Ambient aims to bring the two together by turning meetings, documents, conversations, and interactions with AI into continuous learning opportunities.  As Kian explains, “work can become a learning experience itself. Every meeting, every document, every conversation with a colleague or with an AI can become an opportunity to get a little better.”  How does Ambient measure skills without simply measuring activity? Workera focuses on behaviors rather than volume. Sending more Slack messages or writing more AI prompts does not automatically indicate improvement. Instead, Ambient looks for evidence of behaviors such as explaining complex topics, asking thoughtful questions, validating AI outputs, decomposing problems, and driving decisions.  TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Introduction to Workera and Ambient  00:35 – What does the Ambient experience look like?  02:31 – Why 2026 could be “the year of the humans”  04:03 – How Ambient fits into Workera’s assessment strategy  07:49 – How Ambient could change the manager’s role  09:39 – Privacy, consent, and employee control over skills data  11:20 – Connecting hiring, mobility, performance, and L&D  13:00 – Where Workera’s skills data fits in the HR tech ecosystem 14:21 – Dani’s reflections on Workera and Ambient  RESOURCES & LINKS Learn More About Workera  Workera Official Website: https://workera.ai/Kian Katanfaroosh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiankatan/ Connect With RedThread Research  RedThread Research Official Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/ RedThread Research on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research Dani Johnson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dani-johnson/

  4. Jul 7

    The Cost of Outcomes and the Future of HR Workflows with Oracle

    What happens when AI moves beyond simple assistants and starts orchestrating entire business outcomes? In this episode of 600 Seconds in HR Tech, Stacia Garr sits down with Yvette Cameron, Senior Vice President of Cloud HCM Strategy at Oracle, to discuss Oracle's latest AI innovations, including AI workflows, AI agents, agent teams, and the company's new concept of agentic applications.  The discussion also examines one of the most important emerging topics in HR tech: how organizations will manage AI costs as adoption grows and consumption-based pricing models become more common across the industry. As Yvette explains: "Agentic apps package the orchestration, the agents, and the enterprise context into outcome-based business experiences." QUESTIONS ANSWERED What are the differences between AI workflows, AI agents, agent teams, and agentic applications? Oracle views these as four connected layers of capability. AI workflows automate business processes and approvals.AI agents perform specific tasks such as creating job descriptions, summarizing feedback, or answering payroll questions.Agent teams coordinate multiple specialized agents to support broader business processes.Agentic applications sit above all of these layers, orchestrating work around business outcomes while surfacing exceptions that require human attention.Why does human oversight still matter in an AI-enabled workplace? Both Yvette and Stacia emphasize that AI should reduce cognitive load, not eliminate human decision-making. While AI can automate repetitive work and provide recommendations, organizations still need human critical thinking, judgment, and accountability for important business decisions. How is Oracle approaching AI pricing differently? Unlike many HR technology providers that are moving toward consumption-based pricing models, Oracle includes its base generative AI capabilities within its core SaaS subscription. Organizations only incur additional costs when using premium AI models beyond Oracle's standard offering. This approach is possible because Oracle owns the entire technology stack, including applications, infrastructure, and database services. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Introduction and overview of Oracle's latest AI innovations 00:33 – What are AI workflows, AI agents, agent teams, and agentic applications? 02:35 – How agentic applications surface business outcomes and exceptions 03:57 – The key difference between agent teams and agentic apps 05:29 – Balancing automation with human decision-making 07:31 – Oracle's approach to AI pricing 08:53 – Consumption-based pricing and AI units explained 09:19 – Moving toward outcome-based AI pricing 13:45 – Stacia's analysis and key takeaways 17:29 – Why AI pricing may become one of HR Tech's biggest challenges 18:32 – How Oracle's ownership of the technology stack creates a pricing advantage RESOURCES & LINKS Oracle Official Website: https://www.oracle.com/  Yvette Cameron on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvettecameron/ CONNECT WITH REDTHREAD RESEARCH RedThread Research Official Website: https://redthreadresearch.com RedThread Research on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research Stacia Garr on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staciashermangarr/

  5. Jun 30

    The Need for Decision-Grade Data with Ingentis

    How can HR leaders build trustworthy organizational data that supports workforce planning, succession planning, and AI-powered decision-making? In this episode of 600 Seconds in HR Tech, Stacia Garr sits down with Dr. Timo Sandritter, Global President and Executive Board Member of Ingentis, to explore why organizational design is becoming a critical foundation for effective workforce planning and AI adoption. The conversation examines how organizations can move beyond fragmented workforce data, why "decision-grade data" matters more than perfect data, and how organizational design can help leaders better future workforce needs. Timo also shares his perspective on the growing convergence of workforce planning and organizational design, and why AI is only as valuable as the data foundation beneath it. As Timo explains, "The goal is not perfect data. The goal is decision-grade data." QUESTIONS ANSWERED How does organizational design improve succession planning? According to Timo, organizational design helps make succession planning visible, structural, and actionable. Rather than simply asking who is on a succession list, organizations can identify areas of organizational risk, model potential leadership changes, and understand the downstream impact of succession decisions across the business. Why are workforce planning and organizational design converging? Workforce planning helps organizations determine what capabilities and capacity they need, while organizational design determines how those capabilities should be structured to drive performance. As business environments become more dynamic, organizations increasingly need both disciplines working together to make effective workforce decisions. What role should AI play in organizational decision-making? AI should support leaders by helping them make more informed decisions, not replace leadership judgment. However, AI is only effective when it is built on a strong data foundation. Organizations must understand the quality, limitations, and governance of the data powering AI recommendations before relying on those insights. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Introduction to Ingentis and organizational data foundations 00:48 – Why trust is the starting point for AI initiatives 02:12 – The concept of decision-grade data explained 05:41 – How organizational data supports better leadership decisions 07:45 – Why an organizational design company is focused on succession planning 09:20 – Moving from succession lists to organizational risk management 11:50 – Workforce planning and organizational design working together 13:30 – Stacia's reflections on data architecture and decision-grade data RESOURCES & LINKS Ingentis Official Website: https://www.ingentis.com/ Dr. Timo Sandritter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrittertimo/  CONNECT WITH REDTHREAD RESEARCH RedThread Research Official Website: https://redthreadresearch.com RedThread Research on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research Stacia Garr on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staciashermangarr/

  6. Jun 18

    The AI Adoption Gap Is Closing: How HiBob Is Bringing AI to SMBs

    Are small and mid-sized businesses really falling behind in AI adoption, or is that assumption becoming outdated? In this episode of 600 Seconds in HR Tech, Stacia Garr sits down with Yoni Friedman, Head of Core AI Unit at HiBob, to explore how AI adoption is evolving across the SMB market and what that means for HR leaders. The conversation covers the realities of AI implementation in smaller organizations, why HiBob has embedded AI directly into its platform, and how workforce data can help HR become a more strategic business function. As Yoni explains: "Everything we're building is ultimately about helping HR become a relevant and critical stakeholder in strategic business conversations." QUESTIONS ANSWERED Are SMBs really behind in AI adoption? While smaller organizations have historically been slower to adopt new technologies, Yoni argues that generative AI is changing the equation. Lower barriers to entry and faster implementation cycles are enabling many SMBs to move more quickly than larger enterprises. Why is HiBob embedding AI directly into its platform? Rather than treating AI as a separate add-on, HiBob has integrated AI capabilities into its core product experience. This approach helps customers realize value faster while reducing friction around adoption. Is job architecture still relevant in a skills-based world? Yes. Yoni explains that job architecture provides the foundation needed to connect roles, skills, workforce planning, and talent development initiatives. Can AI help HR become more strategic? Technology can provide better insights and decision support, but strategic impact still depends on HR's ability to interpret information, influence stakeholders, and drive action. KEY TAKEAWAYS AI adoption among SMBs is accelerating.Embedded AI experiences often drive higher adoption than standalone tools.Security, compliance, and governance remain critical considerations.Job architecture continues to play an important role in skills-based organizations.Data and AI can strengthen HR's strategic influence when paired with strong business acumen.TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Introduction to Yoni Friedman and HiBob 01:20 – The current state of AI adoption among SMBs 03:15 – Why HiBob embeds AI into its platform 05:20 – Driving AI adoption and overcoming skepticism 07:10 – The Future of connected HR technology 09:15 – AI governance, privacy, and compliance 10:50 – Skills, job architecture, and workforce intelligence 12:10 – Stacia's analysis and key takeaways RESOURCES & LINKS Connect with Yoni Friedman LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/friedmanyoni/ Connect with RedThread Research Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research Stacia Garr: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staciashermangarr/

  7. Jun 16

    Beyond Employee Listening: How Perceptyx is Fixing Employee Engagement

    In this episode of 600 Seconds in HR Tech, Dani Johnson sits down with Charles Newnam, Vice President and General Manager of Leadership and Learning Strategy at Perceptyx, to discuss the company's expansion beyond employee listening and into learning, leadership development, and AI-powered workforce improvement. Following Perceptyx's acquisition of Lyceum, the company launched Develop to bring together employee listening, personalized coaching, behavior-change nudges, and adaptive learning experiences into a single platform. The goal is to create a closed-loop system that identifies workforce challenges, recommends interventions, develops new skills, and then measures whether those interventions actually improve employee outcomes. As Charles explains, the vision is to create a system that can "automatically change behavior at scale" by combining employee feedback, organizational context, AI coaching, and learning experiences into a continuous improvement cycle. Questions Answered Why is Perceptyx moving beyond employee listening? After more than two decades in employee listening, Perceptyx sees an opportunity to help organizations act on workforce insights rather than simply collect them. By combining listening data with learning, coaching, and behavior-change technologies, the company aims to help leaders close capability gaps and improve employee outcomes more effectively. What is the vision behind Develop? Develop serves as the foundation for Perceptyx's learning and development strategy. The platform connects employee feedback, AI-powered coaching, adaptive learning experiences, and behavioral nudges to create a continuous feedback loop that supports skill development and performance improvement. What makes Perceptyx's approach to AI different? Perceptyx emphasizes what Charles calls "contextually aware AI." Rather than providing generic guidance, the platform incorporates information about an employee, their team, organizational goals, engagement data, and business context to deliver more relevant recommendations and coaching. Who is the buyer for Develop and Perceptyx's learning solutions? While chief learning officers, learning leaders, and CHROs remain important stakeholders, Perceptyx is also seeing opportunities to work directly with business functions such as sales, operations, and IT. The company believes workforce development increasingly requires collaboration between HR and line-of-business leaders. How is Perceptyx differentiating itself in a crowded market? Perceptyx believes its long history in employee listening provides a unique advantage. The company combines decades of workforce data, evidence-based behavioral science, AI-powered coaching, and adaptive learning experiences to create a more comprehensive workforce development solution. Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction to Perceptyx 00:48 – Why is Perceptyx branching out from employee listening? 01:49 – The vision behind Develop 04:13 – Where does Develop sit organizationally? 05:15 – Who is the buyer for Develop? 07:06 – How is Perceptyx differentiating itself? 09:00 – How does data fit into broader systems? 10:46 – Dani's reflection and analysis Resources & Links Perceptyx: https://www.perceptyx.com/ Charles Newnam on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cgnewnam/ Dani Johnson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dani-johnson/ RedThread Research Official Website: https://redthreadresearch.com/ RedThread Research on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/redthread-research

  8. Jun 11

    AI Doesn’t Belong Everywhere: Proving the Value of Learning With Docebo

    How are learning platforms adapting as organizations demand measurable business outcomes, better workforce data, and more intentional AI adoption? In this episode of 600 Seconds in HR Tech, Dani Johnson speaks with Scott Peacock, Head of Product at Docebo, live from Learning Technologies London 2026. The conversation explores how buyer expectations are changing across HR tech, why organizations are rethinking the role of AI in learning systems, and how Docebo is evolving beyond a traditional LMS following its acquisition of 365Talents.S cott explains that the market conversation around AI has matured significantly over the last year. Instead of simply asking for AI features, organizations are becoming more specific about where AI creates real value. As Scott explains, “there are situations where a deterministic workflow would actually be better. With compliance workflows or certifications, you don’t want AI.” QUESTIONS ANSWERED How are conversations around AI changing in HR tech? Organizations are becoming more intentional about AI adoption. Instead of asking for AI everywhere, buyers are increasingly focused on specific use cases where AI can eliminate manual work or improve decision-making. Why doesn’t AI belong in every workflow? Scott explains that some workflows are deterministic by nature and may not benefit from AI; therefore in some cases, adding AI can increase complexity or cost without improving outcomes. How is Docebo changing after acquiring 365Talents? The acquisition reflects Docebo’s broader move into skills intelligence, workforce visibility, and business outcomes. The platform is evolving from a standalone learning management system into a more connected learning and knowledge ecosystem. Why is proving the value of learning still difficult? Many organizations still rely on course completion as the primary measure of learning success. Scott argues that course completion alone doesn’t prove capability, performance improvement, or business impact.How is the HR tech buyer changing?As learning technology becomes more connected to workforce planning and business performance, buying conversations are increasingly involving CHROs, CIOs, CFOs, and broader business leadership. KEY TAKEAWAYS Organizations are shifting from “we need AI” to “we need AI for this specific business problem.”Compliance and certification workflows may not require AI-driven experiences.Learning platforms are increasingly being evaluated on measurable business outcomes.Skills intelligence and workforce data are becoming foundational for modern HR tech.Buying decisions for learning technology are moving higher up the organization.TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Introduction to Docebo and Scott Peacock00:51 – How conversations around AI are changing02:21 – Docebo’s evolution after acquiring 365Talents03:46 – Are customers adapting quickly enough to AI change?05:40 – Data challenges and AI readiness07:00 – Why course completion doesn’t prove learning impact08:23 – Changing buyers and expanding HR tech functionality11:39 – Dani’s reflections on AI, skills, and learning outcomesRESOURCES & LINKS Docebo Official Website365TalentsScott Peacock on LinkedInCONNECT WITH REDTHREAD RESEARCH RedThread Research Official WebsiteRedThread Research on LinkedInDani Johnson on LinkedIn

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600 Seconds in HRTech is for HR leaders who are tired of vendor content that looks like research and want a faster, easier way to stay current.  Hosted by RedThread Research analysts, each episode features a focused conversation with a HRTech leader or product expert, asking the questions buyers actually want answered: What problem does this solve? Who isn't it right for? What did you get wrong before you got it right? What's really behind that acquisition? Then the analyst unpacks it solo. No vendor present. You get what was genuinely useful, what was marketing, and what to push back on in your own evaluations. 600 Seconds in HRTech covers talent platforms, learning technology, people analytics tools, and more. One episode at a time, you build a clearer picture of the landscape without chasing every press release or conference session yourself. Want to be part of the conversation? Join our community for free and connect with others shaping the future of work. Learn more about RedThread Research here: https://redthreadresearch.com/home 

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