WorkTech Podcast

WorkTech Podcast

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.

Episodes

March 19, 2026 21 mins
In this episode, George LaRocque sits down with Clément Lhommeau, co‑CEO and co‑Founder of Blify, the Paris‑based learning startup that just raised €1.8 million/$2.08 million in pre‑seed funding. Blify embeds learning directly into Slack, Microsoft Teams, and WhatsApp, creating an AI‑powered learning layer that eliminates the need for employees to log into a traditional LMS. Clément explains how the founding team blends deep HR tec...
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In this episode of Up Next @ WorkTech, George LaRocque and Kate Achille navigate a packed week of industry turbulence, from Workday’s ongoing age‑discrimination lawsuit to Senator Hassan’s public rebuke of data‑broker practices at Findem. They explore rising anxiety around AI’s impact on jobs, including Meta’s acquisition spree, rumors of major layoffs, and new research from Brookings and AIR forecasting profound workforce disrupti...
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In this episode, George LaRocque breaks down why 2026 marks a turning point for Work Tech, driven by architectural rigor, agentic AI, and a shift away from generic wrappers toward real business value. He explores the evolution of strategic workforce planning, the rise of autonomous agents as part of workforce capacity, and the escalating risks tied to agent complexity. George also outlines the four categories of high‑conviction inn...
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A fast-moving conversation on AI‑driven promotions, frontline automation, agent security risks, reverse recruiting, and the funding wave reshaping HR Tech in 2026. In this episode, George and Kate unpack how AI is reshaping work—from Accenture tying promotions to AI usage (“use of our key tools will be a visible input to talent discussions.”) to Burger King’s voice agent Patty tracking upsells and friendliness scores. They explore...
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In this episode, George LaRocque unpacks new data from the 2025 Global WorkTech Report, revealing why investment capital continues to rise even as deal volume declines. He explains the “squeezed middle” dynamic affecting growth‑stage vendors, the surge in early‑stage AI innovation, and the strategic bets shaping the market. George also breaks down the hype and hidden risks of vibe coding and warns HR leaders about the escalating le...
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In this episode, George and Kate unpack a turbulent week across Work Tech, starting with Workday’s CEO transition and workforce reductions, which arrive just ahead of its earnings call . They explore the hype and hazards of vibe coding, including security breaches and enterprise‑scale limitations . The conversation shifts to DEI transparency as Fortune 500 participation in the Corporate Equality Index drops sharply, raising concern...
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2026 kicks off with a jolt as George and Kate unpack a wave of developments reshaping HR tech. They dive into the new class action lawsuit against Eightfold, exploring what it signals for AI transparency, compliance, and vendor accountability. The conversation widens to worker power, including Microsoft’s landmark agreement with Australian unions, and the heated rhetoric coming out of Davos about AI and jobs. They also break down A...
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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, and The Economist’s claim that HR has “taken over the world.” This episode blends market intelligence, AI agent trends, and human resou...
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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 industries. In this episode, we look at: HR Tech innovation, M&A strategy, conversational AI, frontline hiring, recruiting automation, platform...
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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 debate about the ethics and economics of AI training. They spotlight Plum’s Durable Skills Index, explore Gen Z’s pivot toward “borin...
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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 $51M Series C to Humanly’s three-way acquisition and FairNow’s surprise exit, the conversation blends strategic insight with editoria...
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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 support. Laura shares how her background in behavioral health shaped the platform’s preventive approach, why Spirence is designed for dai...
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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 the evolution of high-volume hiring tech, consolidating capabilities across screening, scheduling, interviewing, and post-hire retentio...
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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 developments in the Workday Mobley case to the missing BLS jobs report and the viral return of resume “cheating,” they unpack what’s real...
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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 acquisition. In this episode we look at AI in HR, recruiting analytics, talent acquisition technology, HR Tech trends, candidate experience, c...
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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 means for the market, how AI is changing recruiting, why product CEOs matter now more than ever, and the bold future of talent platforms...
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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 this episode we look at venture capital, WorkTech, AI startups, HR Tech, startup funding, founder market fit, and the future of work. Th...
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George LaRocque and Rich Wilson dig into Gigged.AI’s latest $1.34M funding round, the power of skills-based platforms, and what’s next for the future of work and agentic AI. With $1.34 million in fresh funding, George talked with Gigged.AI CEO Rich Wilson about doubling down on the rise of skills intelligence and on-demand talent. They unpack how Gigged.AI is helping enterprise tech teams navigate hybrid work, digital transformati...
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George LaRocque and MeBeBot CEO Beth White unpack how Mebebot One is unlocking the next level of AI-powered support, automation, and compliance across the workplace. AI is moving fast. Beth White talks about how Mebebot One brings agentic AI to the enterprise with secure, compliant, and scalable support. From HR to IT, we explore how hybrid AI models reduce friction in the employee experience and deliver measurable ROI through wor...
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I sat down with Vonq’s Ritu Mohanka and Bill Fischer to unpack CPA+, their latest AI-powered innovation. We explore how embedded agentic AI is streamlining candidate screening, optimizing recruiter workflows, and poised to make CPA models more effective by delivering quality, prescreened candidates directly inside 50+ ATSs. In this episode, we look at recruitment automation, cost-per-application, AI in hiring, ATS integration, re...
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