WorkTech Podcast

WorkTech Podcast

Future Insights, Strategy, Innovation

The WorkTech Podcast explores the critical trends shaping the future of work and HR tech. George LaRocque of WorkTech, drawing from years of advising top innovators, investors, and enterprises, guides you through market deals, issues, opportunities, and trends—all through a strategic, actionable lens.

Workday’s PipeDream, Payroll Pitfalls, and HR’s Strategic Crossroads
WorkTech PodcastNovember 28, 202500:33:09

Workday’s PipeDream, Payroll Pitfalls, and HR’s Strategic Crossroads

Exploring venture capital paradoxes, Workday’s agent ambitions, payroll automation risks, workplace safety, and HR’s evolving role in the future of work. George and Kate dissect the paradox of HR Tech funding, Workday’s PipeDream acquisition, payroll automation failures, workplace safety concerns, a...

Inside Workday’s Acquisition of Paradox: Conversational AI Meets Enterprise Scale with CEO Adam Godson
WorkTech PodcastNovember 17, 202500:30:07

Inside Workday’s Acquisition of Paradox: Conversational AI Meets Enterprise Scale with CEO Adam Godson

Workday’s acquisition of Paradox marks a pivotal moment in HR Tech, combining enterprise scale with conversational AI to transform recruiting workflows. CEO Adam Godson joins George LaRocque to unpack the deal’s strategic rationale, market impact, and future of hiring across ecosystems and industrie...

Up Next @WorkTech: Funding, Fumbles, and the Future of Work
WorkTech PodcastNovember 12, 202500:26:20

Up Next @WorkTech: Funding, Fumbles, and the Future of Work

Mapping durable skills, decoding labor data, and chasing sun with unused PTO. In this crosspod episode, George and Kate unpack a week of seismic shifts across the HR and Work Tech landscape. UKG launches a venture fund, Personio exits the U.S. with layoffs in tow, and Mercor’s $10B valuation sparks ...

Shadow AI, Bold Bets, and Digital Twins: What’s Really Happening in Work Tech
WorkTech PodcastOctober 28, 202500:36:45

Shadow AI, Bold Bets, and Digital Twins: What’s Really Happening in Work Tech

This episode of Up Next at WorkTech dives into the latest HR Tech funding rounds, bold M&A strategies, and the rise of AI governance. George LaRocque and Kate Achille explore digital twins, shadow AI, and the growing tension between innovation, compliance, and workforce equity in 2025. From Findem’s...

PitchFest Prize Winner, Market Standout: Spirence’s Scalable Approach to Mental Wellness
WorkTech PodcastOctober 15, 202500:33:12

PitchFest Prize Winner, Market Standout: Spirence’s Scalable Approach to Mental Wellness

In this episode of WorkTech, George LaRocque sits down with Laura Kunz, co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of Spirence, the runner-up at this year’s HR Tech PitchFest. Spirence is tackling a critical gap in workplace mental health: the 75% of employees who don’t need clinical care but still want su...

Humanly's Bold Roll-Up to Become A Comprehensive AI Hiring Platform
WorkTech PodcastOctober 14, 202500:32:48

Humanly's Bold Roll-Up to Become A Comprehensive AI Hiring Platform

In this Breaking News episode of WorkTech, George LaRocque sits down with Prem Kumar, CEO of Humanly, alongside AJ Richichi (Sprockets) and Darrian Mikell (Qualifi) to unpack Humanly’s acquisition of three high-impact platforms: Sprockets, Qualifi, and HourWork. This move marks a major milestone in ...

Up Next at WorkTech: The Resume Isn’t Dead, the Jobs Report Is, and Other HR Tech Headlines
WorkTech PodcastOctober 13, 202500:29:59

Up Next at WorkTech: The Resume Isn’t Dead, the Jobs Report Is, and Other HR Tech Headlines

In the premiere of our new bi-weekly crossover series, George LaRocque of the WorkTech and the WorkTech Podcast and Kate Achille of the Devon Group and the Up Next at Work Podcast, team up to bring a sharp, strategic lens to the headlines shaping HR and Work Tech. From the quiet but consequential de...

Greenhouse CEO Daniel Chait at HR Tech 2025: Is AI Saving or Sinking Recruiting?
WorkTech PodcastSeptember 22, 202500:13:14

Greenhouse CEO Daniel Chait at HR Tech 2025: Is AI Saving or Sinking Recruiting?

George LaRocque of WorkTech joins Daniel Chait, CEO of Greenhouse, live from HR Tech to explore AI-powered recruiting, advanced analytics, and the evolving ATS market. The conversation highlights product innovation, regulatory risk, and the urgent need to restore human connection in talent acquisiti...

SmartRecruiters CEO Rebecca Carr on the SAP Acquisition, AI, and the Future of Talent Platforms
WorkTech PodcastAugust 06, 202500:24:59

SmartRecruiters CEO Rebecca Carr on the SAP Acquisition, AI, and the Future of Talent Platforms

Rebecca Carr joins WorkTech's George LaRocque to unpack SmartRecruiters' SAP acquisition, the rise of AI-native recruiting, and what it means to stay product-first and HCM-agnostic. Rebecca Carr, CEO of SmartRecruiters, days after announcing their acquisition by SAP. We talked about what the deal me...

The Truth about VC with Allison Baum Gates, Semper Virens' General Partner
WorkTech PodcastJuly 28, 202500:37:28

The Truth about VC with Allison Baum Gates, Semper Virens' General Partner

I sat down with Allison Baum Gates to talk about what it really takes to win in today’s venture-backed WorkTech market. From launching Semper Virens' accelerator to raising $177 million across two funds, Allison shares candid lessons, real market dynamics, and founder truths VCs rarely admit. In thi...