600s in HRTech by RedThread Research cover art

600s in HRTech by RedThread Research

600s in HRTech by RedThread Research

By: 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/homeRedThread Research 2026 Economics Management Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • The AI Adoption Gap Is Closing: How HiBob Is Bringing AI to SMBs

    The AI Adoption Gap Is Closing: How HiBob Is Bringing AI to SMBs
    Jun 18 2026
    Are small and mid-sized businesses really falling behind in AI adoption, or is that assumption becoming outdated?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/
    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • Beyond Employee Listening: How Perceptyx is Fixing Employee Engagement

    Beyond Employee Listening: How Perceptyx is Fixing Employee Engagement
    Jun 16 2026
    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
    Show More Show Less
    14 mins
  • AI Doesn’t Belong Everywhere: Proving the Value of Learning With Docebo

    AI Doesn’t Belong Everywhere: Proving the Value of Learning With Docebo
    Jun 11 2026
    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 Peacock
    • 00:51 – How conversations around AI are changing
    • 02:21 – Docebo’s evolution after acquiring 365Talents
    • 03:46 – Are customers adapting quickly enough to AI change?
    • 05:40 – Data challenges and AI readiness
    • 07:00 – Why course completion doesn’t prove learning impact
    • 08:23 – Changing buyers and expanding HR tech functionality
    • 11:39 – Dani’s reflections on AI, skills, and learning outcomes
    RESOURCES & LINKS
    • Docebo Official Website
    • 365Talents
    • Scott Peacock on LinkedIn
    CONNECT WITH REDTHREAD RESEARCH
    • RedThread Research Official Website
    • RedThread Research on LinkedIn
    • Dani Johnson on LinkedIn
    Show More Show Less
    15 mins
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