Up Next @ Work
When every day feels like a new adventure, Up Next @ Work delivers the insight and intelligence you need to succeed. Join HR influencers, Jeanne Achille and Katie Achille of The Devon Group, who believe better communications are vital for making sense of what’s happening around you. Listen in as Jeanne and Katie chat with the thought leaders, practitioners, and providers sitting at the intersection of people, processes, and technology to discover what’s Up Next @ Work.
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Uncertainty abounds, dueling AI regulations, cultural challenges at SHRM, and more.
<p>In episode five of Up Next @ Work Tech, Katie Achille and George LaRocque talk through the turbulence defining today's labor market. From conflicting signals and the rise of AI-driven HR roles to the urgent need for thoughtful regulation, Katie and George consider how to navigate this liminal moment. </p> <p>Key Takeaways</p> Gartner's predictions for the HR roles of the future The disconnect between layoffs and stock market highs What ServiceNow's acquisition of Veza represents The importance of Findem's partnership with AnitaB.org And of course, the SHRM lawsuit as it unfolded
Q3 2025 Market Intelligence, AI Agent Trends, and HR Strategy for the Future of Work
<p>In this installment, Katie Achille and George LaRocque dissect the paradox of HR Tech funding, Workday’s Pipedream acquisition, payroll automation failures, workplace safety concerns, and The Economist’s claim that HR has “taken over the world.” </p> <p>Key Takeaways</p> Despite $4.9B invested in 2025, early-stage founders face unprecedented challenges in raising capital. Workday’s acquisition of Pipedream positions it as a leading enterprise AI agent platform for HR and finance. AI-driven payroll failures highlight the need for human oversight and off-cycle payment safeguards. The Amber Czech tragedy underscores the importance of escalation processes, psychological safety, and frontline worker pro...
Decoding Labor Data, Mapping Durable Skills, and Chasing Sun with Unused PTO.
<p>In this episode, George LaRocque and Katie Achille dig into another whirlwind week in HR and Work Tech, from massive valuations and new funds to geographic exits and the morass of missing data. </p> <p>Key Takeaways</p> Demand and the impact on valuation The ethics and economics of AI training How durable skills are influencing a shift toward "boring jobs" The need for alternative data sources Clever marketing reminds us to use that PTO
The Future of AI in Everyday Applications
<p>Katie Achille and George LaRocque are back with another episode of Up Next @ WorkTech, and this time, they're talking about everything from the latest M&A wave to hit HR Tech to Microsoft's introduction of "Mico," the so-called Clippy of the modern era. </p> <p>Key Takeaways</p> Humanly, Jack & Jill, Findem and FairNow were out there making moves. Is AI augmenting our work or coming for our jobs? Seems like the jury's still out as Amazon, Meta, and the like lean into layoffs. Reddit is suing everyone, particularly Perplexity —what does that mean? Women leave the workforce in dr...
Creating Extraordinary Workplaces Through Approachable Leadership with Philip Wilson
<p>In this episode of Up Next @ Work, Jeanne Achille talks to Phillip B. Wilson, labor lawyer turned leadership consultant and CEO of LRI Consulting Services. While there’s no shortage of leadership advice out there, it’s rare to find a proven framework that sticks. Drawing from his Amazon No. 1 bestseller, The Leader-Shift Playbook, Phil shares what he believes drives meaningful change in the workplace: approachable leadership. Phil also opens up about his own professional journey, including what’s worked, what failed, and how listeners can learn from it. </p> <p>Episode highlights include:</p> Your impact matters—every time. Le...
AI, Ethics, and Employee Experience: HR Lessons with Beth White of MeBeBot
<p>In this must-listen episode, host Jeanne Achille sits down with Beth White, the dynamic founder of MeBeBot, to explore how AI is transforming the employee experience—and why HR professionals must take the lead in this shift. Beth shares her fascinating journey from decades in HR to leading enterprise retail tech sales, where she learned firsthand how consumer experience principles can and should be applied to the workplace. </p> <p>Episode highlights include: </p> AI isn’t new—but it is different now. Beth reminds us that AI has been around for decades. What’s new is the accessibility and main...
George LaRocque and Katie Achille unpack the latest HR Tech headlines—from the Workday age discrimination lawsuit and resume manipulation tactics using AI, to the BLS jobs report blackout and Sora’s viral rise.
<p>In the first episode of "Up Next @ WorkTech," George LaRocque and Katie Achille look at AI in recruiting, HR Tech lawsuits, resume optimization, applicant tracking systems (ATS), workforce planning, HR compliance, and future of work trends.</p> <p>Key Takeaways</p> Workday’s age discrimination lawsuit moves forward, with court-mandated social media outreach and protected client disclosures—raising major compliance and reputational risks for HR Tech vendors. AI-generated resume hacks resurface, including embedded ChatGPT prompts and invisible keyword stuffing—reviving concerns about ATS manipulation and ethical recruiting practices. The missing BLS jobs report disrupts Q4 workforce planning, forcing HR leader...
The Enduring Power of the Office
<p>In this episode of Up Next @ Work, Jeanne talks with Ranya Nehmeh, a senior HR strategist based in Vienna, about her latest book titled “In Praise of the Office: The Limits to Hybrid and Remote Work.” Co-authored with Peter Cappelli of the Wharton School, the book delivers a balanced, research-based approach to navigating the complex landscape of remote and hybrid work. Jeanne and Ranya explore when in-office works best, when fully remote is viable, and what’s required to make hybrid work. </p> <p>Episode highlights include:</p> The hidden benefits of being in person The new employee journey, examin...
Culture Matters with Jenni Catron
<p>Recent research from Gallup puts U.S. employee engagement at only 31 percent. That means for every one of your three employees sitting around the conference room table, two of the three might be looking for a new job or doing the minimal amount of work to get by. There’s a direct correlation between engagement and culture, and Jenni Catron, author of “Culture Matters,” joins host Jeanne Achille for this episode of Up Next @ Work to explore how to help your team grow and thrive. </p> <p> Episode highlights include:</p> The intersection of culture and business goals What it tak...
What It Means to Be an Analyst in 2025 with Aspect 43
<p>In this episode of Up Next @ Work, host Katie Achille sits down with Joey Price and Tami Nutt of Aspect43 to demystify the role of the HR tech analyst in 2025. What exactly is an analyst today, and how have their responsibilities evolved?</p> <p>Joey and Tami bring their decades of HR practitioner experience to the conversation – discussing how analysts serve as strategic advisors to both HR leaders and tech vendors alike. From decoding buyer sentiment and trends to helping HR teams make more informed business cases, Joey and Tami share what it really means to connect the dots be...
