Most AI roadmaps look impressive.

Pilots are underway. Copilots are deployed. Budgets are allocated. Boards are informed. And yet, very few organizations are seeing sustained, enterprise-level impact.

In my recent conversation with Ross Crooke, SVP, BTS Europe, and Fredrik Schuller, EVP and Global Head of Centers of Excellence at BTS, one theme surfaced repeatedly: AI is not stalling because of technology. It is stalling because of leadership.

The first wave of AI adoption has centered on personal productivity. As Ross noted, organizations are seeing strong uptake in tools like Copilot, ChatGPT, and Claude. Individuals are drafting faster, researching faster, synthesizing faster.

That matters. But personal productivity rarely redesigns work. It improves tasks without challenging structure.

The organizations moving ahead are doing something harder. They are giving teams both permission and responsibility to experiment. As Ross put it, if leaders limit teams to a single top-down tool, they unintentionally constrain creativity. AI maturity requires confidence at the front lines, not just compliance.

That is where many roadmaps quietly stall.

The conversation shifted when Fredrik reframed the issue. AI expands what is possible. The real question is whether leaders are clear about what is desirable and impactful. Without that clarity, AI becomes fragmented. Teams optimize locally. Enterprise transformation never materializes.

The difference between acceleration and reinvention lies in outcomes.

When organizations stop asking how to automate current workflows and start asking what outcomes need to be reimagined, productivity gains compound. Fredrik described teams completing projects with smaller groups, lower risk, improved quality, and dramatically shorter cycle times. In some cases, productivity improvements are measured in multiples, not percentages.

That kind of change does not come from incremental tool adoption. It comes from redesign. And redesign exposes a deeper constraint: management systems.

Many organizations still reward delivery over evolution. Yet, as Fredrik emphasized, breakthroughs come through retooling and iteration. Leaders must clear obstacles rather than control outcomes. They must create space for experimentation without sacrificing accountability.

This is the inflection point.

Some debate whether AI will produce meaningful productivity gains at scale. Ross is clear that the “productivity paradox” narrative does not match what he is seeing. Where workflows are redesigned, gains are significant. Where AI is layered onto existing processes, impact plateaus.

That is the dividing line. The question facing leaders is no longer which tool to standardize on. It is this: Where are we willing to rethink how work gets done?

Organizations that treat AI as a software rollout will see incremental gains. Organizations that treat AI as an operating model shift will redefine performance.

If this tension reflects what you are seeing internally, I encourage you to watch the full discussion with Ross Crooke and Fredrik Schuller. The examples and insights go deeper into how organizations are moving from isolated pilots to enterprise reinvention.

You can access the session here.

AI is not waiting.

The question is whether leadership is.

The post Most AI Roadmaps Aren’t Failing. They’re Stalling. appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.

Brandon Hall Group, the home of the prestigious HCM Excellence Awards®, today announced the winners of the 2025 Excellence in Action Awards, recognizing organizations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to elevating their people through innovative, high-impact programs across 17 human capital categories.

This year’s Excellence in Action Awards attracted submissions from organizations around the world, representing initiatives across Employee Engagement, Promotion & Succession, Career Development, Employer Branding, Company Culture, Technology Environment, Leadership, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Talent Mobility, Attracting Top Talent, Change Readiness, Hybrid Work, Wellness, Feedback & Recognition, Organizational Teamwork & Collaboration, Innovation & Creativity, and Learning & Development.

Across these categories, winning organizations showcased programs that strengthened culture, improved employee experience, accelerated performance, advanced workforce capabilities, and delivered meaningful, measurable impact.

“The Excellence in Action Awards honor organizations that have made extraordinary commitments to elevating their people. These winning programs demonstrate how thoughtful design, intentional culture-building, and authentic employee engagement can transform the workplace experience. Each honoree represents a powerful example of what it means to put people at the center of business success,” said Rachel Cooke, Brandon Hall Group Chief Operating Officer and leader of the Excellence Awards program.

A People-Centered, Impact-Driven Evaluation Process

The Excellence in Action Awards use a comprehensive methodology grounded in people impact, strategic intent, program design excellence, and authentic employee voice. Each submission undergoes a multilayered evaluation that includes:

• Program Strategy & Intentional Design
• Implementation Quality & Employee Experience
• Measurable Impact & Organizational Outcomes
• Employee Testimonials and Impact Stories
• Organization-Wide Influence & Cultural Contribution
• Sustainability & Scalability

“What sets the Excellence in Action Awards apart is our rigorous, independent evaluation process focused on real organizational impact. Our judges assess each entry based on measurable improvements in employee experience, culture, and performance. The organizations recognized this year have set a new benchmark for empowering their people and driving meaningful, sustainable change,” said Mike Cooke, Brandon Hall Group Chief Executive Officer.

How the Brandon Hall Group Institute Supports These 17 Categories

The Excellence in Action Awards represent more than recognition — they reflect the full spectrum of human capital practices that organizations must master to build thriving, people-centered workplaces. The Brandon Hall Group Institute plays a critical role in advancing these capabilities.

Through research-backed frameworks, capability-building programs, certification pathways, and applied learning experiences, the Institute works with organizations year-round to:

• Strengthen engagement and culture initiatives
• Build more effective leadership and succession systems
• Advance DEI, wellbeing, and employee experience efforts
• Improve talent mobility and career development strategies
• Enhance feedback, recognition, and performance practices
• Prepare organizations for hybrid work, change readiness, and innovation
• Design impactful learning and development ecosystems

Celebrating the 2025 Excellence in Action Honorees

This year’s honorees exemplify what is possible when organizations place people at the center of strategy, culture, and growth. Their achievements reflect the highest standards of innovation, purpose-driven leadership, and measurable human impact. The full list of winners is available at https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com.

Recognition at the 2026 Excellence Conference & Gala

Award recipients will be celebrated at the Brandon Hall Group Excellence Conference, taking place February 9–12, 2026, in West Palm Beach, Florida. https://excellenceconference.brandonhall.com/ Organizations represented at the Gala will be invited onstage to receive a commemorative Excellence in Action Award. Select winners will also share best practices during breakout sessions.

About Brandon Hall Group

Brandon Hall Group is the home of the HCM Excellence Awards® – the most prestigious and sought-after awards in Human Capital Management. For over 30 years, these awards have set the gold standard in recognizing organizations for innovative and effective HCM practices across Learning and Development, Talent Management, Leadership Development, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Human Resources, Sales Performance, and Technology.

Known as the “Academy Awards of Human Capital Management,” our awards programs attract entrants from leading corporations worldwide, as well as mid-market and smaller firms. With over 150 categories, the awards shine a spotlight on the most innovative and effective organizational achievements and the solution providers who power them.

Our awards process is rigorous and impartial, leveraging an international panel of veteran industry experts and Brandon Hall Group senior analysts. Winners not only gain international recognition but also receive critical insights to help them accelerate their business growth and impact.

The HCM Excellence Awards® program is complemented by our Technology Awards and our new Excellence in Action Awards, ensuring comprehensive recognition across all aspects of Human Capital Management.

At Brandon Hall Group, we don’t just celebrate excellence — we provide a platform for sharing best practices that drive the industry forward. Our awards program is a cornerstone of our mission to empower excellence in organizations around the world and advance the HCM profession as a whole.

Join the ranks of the most innovative and effective organizations in HCM. The Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards® — where excellence is recognized, celebrated, and shared.

The post Brandon Hall Group™ Announces Winners</br> of the 2025 Excellence in Action Awards appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.

Delray Beach, Florida — Thursday, December 4, 2025 —

Brandon Hall Group, the home of the prestigious HCM Excellence Awards®, today announced the winners of the 2025 HCM Excellence in Technology and Education Technology Awards, recognizing breakthrough innovations that are redefining the future of Human Capital Management and education outcomes across learning, talent, leadership, HR, DEI, workforce development, and academic performance. This year’s winning submissions showcase advancements in intelligence, AI-driven design, scalability, learner engagement, assessment innovation, and measurable organizational and institutional impact.

Organizations and solution providers from around the world submitted transformative technologies spanning corporate learning, K–12 and higher education, talent marketplaces, skills development platforms, learning experience ecosystems, AI coaching, immersive training, and groundbreaking EdTech that improves how people learn, grow, and perform across both workplace and educational environments.

Brandon Hall Group is also pleased to highlight an exceptional group of top achievers earning recognition across multiple categories: Absorb Software, Century 21 Heritage Group, D2L, EI Powered by MPS, Enthral.ai, EY, GP Strategies, HelpMeSee, The Writing Revolution, Unilever, Vantage Circle, NovoEd, Tata Consultancy Services, MetLife, and NIIT. These organizations and solution providers demonstrated exceptional design, innovation, and measurable impact. The full list of winners is available at https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/.

The HCM Excellence in Technology and Education Technology Awards® are regarded as the most rigorous and prestigious recognitions of innovation in Human Capital Management and learning technologies. Each entry undergoes a multilayered evaluation process designed to ensure fairness, consistency, and objective assessment. Submissions are reviewed by an international panel of independent industry experts with deep expertise across learning sciences, instructional design, HR technology, leadership development, educational research, organizational development, and workforce transformation. This diverse group of judges applies broad and disciplined expertise to evaluate each solution’s effectiveness and true contribution to both organizational and educational performance.

Entries are scored using a comprehensive methodology that assesses innovation, fit-the-need, program design and functionality, measurable benefits, and overall organizational or learner impact. Judges evaluate submissions independently to eliminate bias. Following the judging phase, Brandon Hall Group senior analysts and executive leaders conduct a thorough validation review to confirm scoring accuracy, category alignment, and methodological integrity. Award levels are determined solely by total points earned, reinforcing the impartiality, credibility, and global reputation of the awards.

Rachel Cooke, Brandon Hall Group Chief Operating Officer and leader of the Excellence Awards® program, emphasized the power of technological innovation to advance both work and learning, stating that “The Excellence in Technology and Education Technology Awards celebrate the most forward-thinking innovations shaping the future of learning, talent, and human capital management. This year’s winners exemplify how technology can unlock new possibilities — improving performance, enabling smarter decision-making, personalizing learning at scale, and transforming how organizations and institutions support and develop their people.”

Chief Executive Officer Mike Cooke highlighted the strength of the evaluation process and the extraordinary caliber of the recognized solutions, noting that “Our awards are built on a rigorous evaluation framework that measures true innovation, functional excellence, and quantifiable impact. The organizations and solution providers recognized this year reflect the highest standards in the industry, demonstrating how advanced technologies — from AI-powered learning systems to breakthrough EdTech platforms—can accelerate capability, efficiency, and results across both business and education.”

Award recipients will be celebrated at the Brandon Hall Group Excellence Conference, taking place February 9–12, 2026, at the Hilton West Palm Beach in Florida. Select winners will present leading practices during breakout sessions, offering attendees valuable insights into some of the most innovative and effective uses of HCM and EdTech solutions globally.

In addition to receiving recognition through the awards program, select winners will be featured in upcoming Brandon Hall Group research, frameworks, and case studies that showcase leading practices across Human Capital Management and Education Technology. These organizations contribute to the body of knowledge that informs the Brandon Hall Group Institute, which delivers world-class certifications, applied learning experiences, and capability-building programs for HR, learning, and talent leaders worldwide.

About Brandon Hall Group

Brandon Hall Group is the home of the HCM Excellence Awards® — the most prestigious and sought-after awards in Human Capital Management. For over 30 years, these awards have set the gold standard in recognizing organizations for innovative and effective HCM practices across Learning and Development, Talent Management, Leadership Development, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Human Resources, Sales Performance, and Technology.

Known as the “Academy Awards of Human Capital Management,” our awards programs attract entrants from leading corporations worldwide, as well as mid-market and smaller firms. With over 150 categories, the awards shine a spotlight on the most innovative and effective organizational achievements and the solution providers who power them.

Our awards process is rigorous and impartial, leveraging an international panel of veteran industry experts and Brandon Hall Group senior analysts. Winners not only gain international recognition but also receive critical insights to help them accelerate their business growth and impact.

The HCM Excellence Awards® program is complemented by our Technology Awards and our new Excellence in Action Awards, ensuring comprehensive recognition across all aspects of Human Capital Management.

At Brandon Hall Group, we don’t just celebrate excellence — we provide a platform for sharing best practices that drive the industry forward. Our awards program is a cornerstone of our mission to empower excellence in organizations around the world and advance the HCM profession as a whole.

Join the ranks of the most innovative and effective organizations in HCM. The Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards® — where excellence is recognized, celebrated, and shared.

The post Brandon Hall Group™ Announces Winners</br> of the 2025 HCM Excellence in Technology</br> and Education Technology Awards® appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.

Artificial Intelligence has officially moved from conversation to transformation, and HR leaders are at the center of it. After the success of our AI Summit in October, one message rang clear: Organizations are hungry for guidance that goes beyond theory. They need practical frameworks, ethical direction, and the skills to build AI strategies that actually deliver measurable value.

To meet that need, Brandon Hall Group is proud to announce the launch of the Certified AI Transformation Strategist (CAITS) program, a research-based, hands-on certification designed exclusively for Institute Members. The program equips HR and business leaders to build, govern, and measure responsible AI transformation within their organizations, using the same methodologies found in our award-winning AI Progression Model, now one of the most-requested resources among our members.

Leading with Confidence in the Age of AI

As Brandon Hall Group CEO Mike Cooke explains, “Our members told us they needed more than AI concepts; they needed a way to take meaningful action. The CAITS program bridges that gap, giving leaders the frameworks, data, and confidence to guide their organizations responsibly into the AI era.” Available only through Brandon Hall Group Institute Membership, CAITS brings together the best of our research and the practical wisdom of industry leaders. Participants complete the certification entirely online, on their own schedule, in approximately 20 hours. The journey is structured around three progressive phases that move from learning to application to transformation.

Phase 1: Competency Development — Building the Foundation

CAITS begins with a self-paced digital learning experience featuring 10 research-backed modules that explore every aspect of responsible AI transformation in HR. Each module combines evidence-based insights, real-world examples, and interactive quizzes to reinforce learning.

• Assessing AI Readiness and Maturity — Understand your organization’s current phase and identify gaps across governance, process, people, and technology.
• Designing AI Governance and Ethics Frameworks — Create ethical standards, oversight structures, and accountability for AI use in HR.
• Building the Business Case and Measuring ROI — Learn how to quantify AI’s value using benchmarks from award-winning organizations.
• Prioritizing and Selecting AI Use Cases — Choose the right initiatives for your maturity level and long-term goals.
• Building Organizational Capabilities and Skills — Develop AI literacy, role-based learning paths, and talent strategies to sustain transformation.
• Managing Cultural Change and Adoption — Address employee fears, build advocacy, and drive adoption through change management practices.
• Planning Technology Implementation and Integration — Align AI tools with existing systems, ensuring interoperability and data integrity.
• Measuring Value and Optimizing Performance — Use leading and lagging indicators to track progress and drive continuous improvement.
• Managing Risk and Ensuring Compliance — Anticipate governance and privacy risks while establishing proactive safeguards.
• Leading Continuous Innovation and Transformation — Sustain long-term success by fostering a culture of experimentation and learning.

Phase 2: Scenario-Based Application — The TechMark Solutions Case Study

In Phase 2, learners step into the role of a transformation consultant through a detailed case study called TechMark Solutions, a fictional technology services company navigating the complexities of AI adoption. Participants are challenged to diagnose TechMark’s AI maturity and organizational readiness, identify governance gaps, prioritize AI use cases based on feasibility and impact, build a data-driven business case, and create a 24-month AI portfolio that balances quick wins with long-term transformation. Each submission follows a 10-section framework, mirroring real-world consulting deliverables.

Phase 3: Organizational Application — Turning Insight into Impact

The final phase is where strategy meets reality. Participants take the same framework used in the TechMark exercise and apply it directly to their own organization, creating a personalized AI Transformation Strategy that reflects their culture, data landscape, and strategic priorities. Submissions are evaluated by Brandon Hall Group analysts for strategic alignment, practical application, and evidence-based recommendations. Completing this final phase earns participants the Certified AI Transformation Strategist (CAITS) credential — recognized across industries as a mark of excellence in AI leadership.

As Michael Rochelle, Brandon Hall Group Chief Strategy Officer, explains, “The CAITS program is grounded in our AI Progression Model — the same research that’s helping our clients advance from experimentation to measurable outcomes. It’s designed for leaders who want to move AI from conversation to capability.”

Momentum from the AI Summit and Beyond

The CAITS launch builds directly on insights from the October AI Summit, where hundreds of HR and learning leaders explored the realities of implementing AI across people processes. The summit highlighted one critical truth: while most organizations are eager to use AI, few are fully prepared to lead it responsibly. That’s where CAITS comes in: giving HR leaders the structured pathway, community support, and research foundation they need to succeed.

Your Gateway to the Future: Institute Membership

Enrollment in CAITS is available exclusively through Brandon Hall Group Institute Membership, which offers an integrated professional development ecosystem for HR and business leaders. Institute Members gain access to Brandon Hall Group’s complete research library, tools, and AI frameworks, expert-led analyst support and consultation, exclusive community networking with transformation peers, and access to additional certifications and continuous learning pathways. Membership connects learning with implementation, ensuring every insight can be put into practice immediately.

Continue the Conversation — Excellence at Work Podcast

For leaders eager to explore the future of AI and its impact on work, don’t miss Excellence at Work Episode 302: After Hours Edition — Navigating the Future of Work. Join leadership expert Mike Cooke and AI transformation leader David Chestnut as they dive into the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence: from IBM’s recent workforce changes to the rise of agentic AI systems. With a blend of personal anecdotes and professional insights, they discuss the challenges and opportunities facing leaders as they navigate AI implementation. Whether you’re a seasoned executive or an aspiring leader, this conversation explores the ‘Three I’s’ of AI implementation, the phenomenon of digital pareidolia, and the skills essential for tomorrow’s workforce.

Listen now: Work Episode 302: After Hours Edition — Navigating the Future of Work

The post Brandon Hall Group™ Launches the Certified AI Transformation Strategist (CAITS) Program — Empowering HR Leaders to Lead the Next Wave of AI Transformation appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.

PageUp presented a compelling vision at HR Tech 2025, positioning recruitment marketing as the next frontier in talent acquisition. Following their acquisition by EQT and subsequent global rebrand, the company has unified four previously separate brands into a cohesive platform serving over 700 customers with more than $100 million in revenue.

CEO Eric Lochner articulated how talent acquisition is following the same evolution as sales and marketing technology. Just as Salesforce revolutionized sales process tracking and HubSpot brought transparency to marketing ROI, PageUp envisions recruiters thinking about candidates the way businesses think about leads. Their research shows 86% of customers now view marketing as a core part of their recruiting role.

The platform’s strength lies in serving highly regulated industries including healthcare, higher education, government, and legal sectors. Notable clients include British Airways, the State of California, and the State of Virginia. These organizations value PageUp’s deep compliance capabilities, configurability, and comprehensive reporting—essential for meeting strict regulatory requirements.

Three compelling case studies demonstrate PageUp’s impact: Ancestry doubled their quality candidate conversion rates and can now run targeted campaigns in minutes instead of weeks; IWG now sources 20% of hires directly from their talent pool through automation; and Storyhouse Early Learning achieved 50% sourcing cost savings while maintaining a 6.7/7 candidate experience rating regardless of hiring outcome.

The company’s recent product launch, Paige (a virtual recruiting assistant), exemplifies their pragmatic approach to innovation. Rather than rushing to market with AI features, they beta tested with 25 customers over three months, incorporating feedback before general release. Paige handles administrative tasks from job posting to candidate identification, freeing recruiters to focus on strategic sourcing.

PageUp’s differentiation stems from three client-validated strengths: exceptional customer commitment (with half their workforce in customer-facing roles), transparent product development driven by client needs, and platform flexibility that allows clients to make changes without support tickets. Their partnership ecosystem includes over 180 integrations spanning the full talent acquisition lifecycle.

The company’s sweet spot is organizations with 5,000 to 25,000 employees, though they successfully serve clients up to 200,000 employees. Their geographic split reflects global reach: approximately 300 employees in Australia, 40% in the UK, and the remainder in the US. This distribution supports their growing US market presence, where they’ve achieved 3-3.5x year-over-year growth.

Related HR Tech 2025 Coverage:

• Fountain: Agentic-first frontline operating system reducing hiring time from two weeks to 22 minutes with mobile-first design
• iCIMS: Acquired Apli to address frontline hiring challenges, with SmartSearch technology and TrustArc AI certification
• NXTThing RPO: PersonaG enabling 30-60 second application-to-offer processes with AI scoring and TalentaG retention insights
• Phenom: Voice screening agent finding unexpected success in healthcare with fraud detection and AI boot camps
• Radancy: MyInterview acquisition bringing 72% reduction in time to hire with comprehensive Teams integration
• Daxtra: Talent Flow platform with explainable AI and marketplace approach for custom recruiting agents

I also stopped by to see recruiting powerhouses Greenhouse Software, SmartRecruiters, HireVue, Paradox, and Avature at the Expo.

About Brandon Hall Group Institute

Brandon Hall Group’s Institute provides strategic guidance, benchmarking data, and best practices to help organizations optimize their human capital management strategies. Our research and advisory services help HR leaders navigate complex technology decisions and drive meaningful business outcomes. Learn more about our comprehensive research offerings and how we can support your HR transformation journey, including our new AI Progression Model for HR.

The post PageUp Positions Recruitment Marketing as the Future of Talent Acquisition at HR Tech 2025 appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.

Daxtra is undergoing a strategic repositioning at HR Tech 2025, shifting focus from enterprise to mid-market opportunities while transforming from a resume parsing specialist to a comprehensive talent workflow automation platform. Under new leadership (90 days in), the company is consolidating 22 years of parsing expertise with their recent PivotCX acquisition to create Talent Flow.

The platform addresses critical recruiter pain points: managing 300 applications on day one while simultaneously struggling to fill other roles, despite sitting on millions of historical candidates. Talent Flow syncs with existing ATS systems to automatically match historical candidates to new jobs, rediscover past applicants, and use AI agents to screen candidates and verify they’re real people with relevant qualifications.

A key differentiator is the explainability of AI matching scores. Where traditional systems might score candidates as 92% or 82% matches without context, Daxtra’s platform explains why, giving recruiters insights to better present candidates to hiring managers. This transparency addresses a major concern in AI adoption—understanding and trusting the technology’s decisions.

Rather than building endless agents, Daxtra is taking a marketplace approach, enabling recruiters to build their own agents within guardrails. Recruiters can identify workflow pain points—whether screening, sourcing, scheduling, or hiring manager communication—and create custom automations. This recognizes that recruiting workflows vary significantly not just between companies but even within teams.

Currently processing 100 million resumes monthly in 42 languages, Daxtra maintains partnerships with major platforms like iCIMS and UKG while building direct market presence. Their Capture product addresses data quality by creating aggregate candidate profiles and eliminating duplicates—a persistent ATS challenge. Future plans include HRIS integration to enable internal mobility and career pathing based on current skills rather than outdated initial profiles.

Related HR Tech 2025 Coverage:

• Fountain: Agentic-first frontline operating system reducing hiring time from two weeks to 22 minutes with mobile-first design
• iCIMS: Acquired Apli to address frontline hiring challenges, with SmartSearch technology and TrustArc AI certification
• NXTThing RPO: PersonaG enabling 30-60 second application-to-offer processes with AI scoring and TalentaG retention insights
• Phenom: Voice screening agent finding unexpected success in healthcare with fraud detection and AI boot camps
• Radancy: MyInterview acquisition bringing 72% reduction in time to hire with comprehensive Teams integration
• PageUp: Talent acquisition software solution designed to help businesses transform hiring and engagement experiences for all

I also stopped by to see recruiting powerhouses Greenhouse Software, SmartRecruiters, HireVue, Paradox, and Avature at the Expo.

About Brandon Hall Group Institute

Brandon Hall Group’s Institute provides strategic guidance, benchmarking data, and best practices to help organizations optimize their human capital management strategies. Our research and advisory services help HR leaders navigate complex technology decisions and drive meaningful business outcomes. Learn more about our comprehensive research offerings and how we can support your HR transformation journey, including our new AI Progression Model for HR.

The post Daxtra Repositions from Parsing Pioneer to Mid-Market Talent Flow Platform appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.

Radancy announced its acquisition of MyInterview at HR Tech 2025, adding AI-powered screening and scheduling capabilities to their comprehensive talent acquisition platform. The acquisition strengthens Radancy’s position as a software platform company, with the majority of revenue now coming from enterprise software rather than creative services.

The company’s investment focus centers on two key areas: candidate experience and recruiter efficiency. Based on extensive candidate focus groups, Radancy updated their platform with natural language job search and enhanced chatbot capabilities. Candidates now expect ChatGPT-like experiences, moving beyond traditional keyword and location searches to conversational queries about culture, hiring events, and career opportunities.

MyInterview brings impressive metrics to Radancy’s platform: 72% reduction in time to hire and near-instant candidate shortlisting. The technology focuses on post-apply screening and scheduling, integrating with existing ATS systems. Recruiters can use AI-generated scorecards or customize screening criteria, with options for full automation or human-in-the-loop approaches based on comfort level.

A standout feature addresses the hiring manager bottleneck through comprehensive Microsoft Teams integration. Hiring managers receive notifications, can reschedule interviews, and access all candidate information without leaving Teams. The platform handles complex scheduling scenarios including round-robin and multi-person interviews, recognizing that hiring managers’ primary job isn’t managing ATS systems.

Looking forward, Radancy sees significant synergies from the acquisition. They plan to optimize programmatic advertising based on quality scores, develop new quality-focused reports, and expand Teams integration across their platform. The company’s approach—solving real talent acquisition problems with appropriate technology rather than forcing AI everywhere—positions them well for organizations seeking practical efficiency gains.

Related HR Tech 2025 Coverage:

• Fountain: Agentic-first frontline operating system reducing hiring time from two weeks to 22 minutes with mobile-first design
• iCIMS: Acquired Apli to address frontline hiring challenges, with SmartSearch technology and TrustArc AI certification
• NXTThing RPO: PersonaG enabling 30-60 second application-to-offer processes with AI scoring and TalentaG retention insights
• Phenom: Voice screening agent finding unexpected success in healthcare with fraud detection and AI boot camps
• Daxtra: Talent Flow platform with explainable AI and marketplace approach for custom recruiting agents
• PageUp: Talent acquisition software solution designed to help businesses transform hiring and engagement experiences for all

I also stopped by to see recruiting powerhouses Greenhouse Software, SmartRecruiters, HireVue, Paradox, and Avature at the Expo.

About Brandon Hall Group Institute

Brandon Hall Group’s Institute provides strategic guidance, benchmarking data, and best practices to help organizations optimize their human capital management strategies. Our research and advisory services help HR leaders navigate complex technology decisions and drive meaningful business outcomes. Learn more about our comprehensive research offerings and how we can support your HR transformation journey, including our new AI Progression Model for HR.

The post Radancy Enhances Platform with MyInterview Acquisition and Teams Integration appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.

Phenom showcased market-leading AI innovations at HR Tech 2025, with their voice screening agent emerging as the standout success story. Originally targeted at low-skilled, high-volume roles, the agent has found unexpected success in healthcare, with Baylor Scott & White’s nursing recruitment generating over 2,000 applications in one day — enough volume to temporarily overwhelm their system.

The voice screening agent’s sophistication sets it apart from basic automation. Rather than following rigid scripts, it engages in natural conversation, adapting questions based on candidate responses. When candidates hesitate to share information like salary expectations, the agent adjusts its approach to gather the best possible data. Organizations can configure the agent’s tone, personality, and even gender to match different roles and company cultures.

Beyond screening, Phenom demonstrated their fraud detection agent, addressing a critical industry concern. The system ensures candidate consistency throughout the hiring process, detects potential AI-generated responses during interviews, and provides real-time question suggestions to help interviewers validate authenticity. Even with low fraud incidence, the risk implications make this capability highly valuable.

Supporting their technology rollout, Phenom offers three-day AI boot camps for organizations, including process mapping, maturity assessment, and prescriptive technology implementation plans. This consultative approach helps HR teams navigate internal dynamics and scrutiny around AI adoption. The company advocates for keeping humans in the loop while enabling progressive automation based on organizational readiness.

Additional innovations include an intake agent built into Microsoft Teams that automates hiring manager meetings, a 24/7 career coach for employees, and a companion manager coach that shares employee engagement insights. These tools address the common challenge that most HR tools are built for HR professionals, not the managers who need to use them daily.

Related HR Tech 2025 Coverage:

• Fountain: Agentic-first frontline operating system reducing hiring time from two weeks to 22 minutes with mobile-first design
• iCIMS: Acquired Apli to address frontline hiring challenges, with SmartSearch technology and TrustArc AI certification
• NXTThing RPO: PersonaG enabling 30-60 second application-to-offer processes with AI scoring and TalentaG retention insights
• Radancy: MyInterview acquisition bringing 72% reduction in time to hire with comprehensive Teams integration
• Daxtra: Talent Flow platform with explainable AI and marketplace approach for custom recruiting agents
• PageUp: Talent acquisition software solution designed to help businesses transform hiring and engagement experiences for all

I also stopped by to see recruiting powerhouses Greenhouse Software, SmartRecruiters, HireVue, Paradox, and Avature at the Expo.

About Brandon Hall Group Institute

Brandon Hall Group’s Institute provides strategic guidance, benchmarking data, and best practices to help organizations optimize their human capital management strategies. Our research and advisory services help HR leaders navigate complex technology decisions and drive meaningful business outcomes. Learn more about our comprehensive research offerings and how we can support your HR transformation journey, including our new AI Progression Model for HR.

The post Phenom Leads Market with Voice Screening Agent and Comprehensive AI Boot Camps appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.

NXTThing RPO unveiled Personegy at HR Tech 2025, their new high-volume recruiting solution that has been live with customers for 18 months and officially launched this week. The RPO provider, experiencing 50% year-over-year growth in a flat market, has strategically shifted to become more technology-focused while maintaining their services expertise.

Personegy addresses the inadequate technology landscape for frontline and high-volume hiring. The platform features comprehensive recruitment marketing, career site development, flexible application options (chat, form, phone), and automated scheduling. A major client in the calibration industry now uses Personegy for approximately 15,000 hires annually in a hybrid model, having consolidated multiple systems into this single solution.

The solution’s AI capabilities include two distinct scoring mechanisms: an AI-matching component that crawls external sites to find and nurture candidates, and a weighted prescreening score for compliance-conscious organizations. The system can operate fully autonomously, moving candidates scoring above set thresholds directly to interviews or even offers—some clients go from application to offer with start date and shift assignment in 30-60 seconds.

TalentaG, their workforce insights platform, is expanding beyond analytics to include workforce planning and retention features. Currently in beta, the platform’s AI component identifies retention issues and provides actionable insights, analyzing survey data, external brand perception, and compensation benchmarks to recommend solutions for improving retention.

Looking ahead, Personegy’s roadmap includes an AI recruiter co-pilot that identifies “red recs” and provides specific action recommendations, while TalentaG will enhance its workforce planning capabilities. With implementation timelines significantly shorter than enterprise competitors, NXTThing RPO positions itself to capture market share as companies seek more agile solutions.

Related HR Tech 2025 Coverage:

• Fountain: Agentic-first frontline operating system reducing hiring time from two weeks to 22 minutes with mobile-first design
• iCIMS: Acquired Apli to address frontline hiring challenges, with SmartSearch technology and TrustArc AI certification
• Phenom: Voice screening agent finding unexpected success in healthcare with fraud detection and AI boot camps
• Radancy: MyInterview acquisition bringing 72% reduction in time to hire with comprehensive Teams integration
• Daxtra: Talent Flow platform with explainable AI and marketplace approach for custom recruiting agents
• PageUp: Talent acquisition software solution designed to help businesses transform hiring and engagement experiences for all

I also stopped by to see recruiting powerhouses Greenhouse Software, SmartRecruiters, HireVue, Paradox, and Avature at the Expo.

About Brandon Hall Group Institute

Brandon Hall Group’s Institute provides strategic guidance, benchmarking data, and best practices to help organizations optimize their human capital management strategies. Our research and advisory services help HR leaders navigate complex technology decisions and drive meaningful business outcomes. Learn more about our comprehensive research offerings and how we can support your HR transformation journey, including our new AI Progression Model for HR.

The post NXTThing RPO Launches Personegy and Expands TalentaG for Frontline Workforce Solutions appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.

iCIMS announced its acquisition of Apli at HR Tech 2025, just seven days before the conference, marking a strategic expansion into frontline hiring while maintaining its position as an enterprise-grade talent acquisition platform. The acquisition addresses critical gaps revealed in their new 2025 State of Frontline Hiring Report, which found that 91% of frontline hiring managers say filling these roles is urgent, with healthcare showing the highest urgency at 96%.

The acquisition is particularly timely given the challenges their research uncovered: 62% of frontline hiring managers cite quality of candidates as their biggest challenge, while 60% of frontline workers report abandoning applications due to lengthy forms, uncertainty about qualifications, or lack of upfront pay information. Additionally, 69% of frontline workers feel employers ignore what candidates want in the hiring experience, highlighting the need for better frontline-focused solutions.

The company’s AI journey began in 2016-2017, with significant advancement through acquiring Dublin-based match and rank technology that became the foundation for their SmartSearch capabilities. Now in its third generation using VectorDB technology, SmartSearch drives both their ATS and CRM functionality. Looking ahead, iCIMS is developing “Assistant Search” for 2026, unifying search experiences across their multi-product platform.

iCIMS stands out for its commitment to responsible AI and compliance. They were the first HR technology platform to achieve TrustArc’s Trustmark for AI certification and maintain a robust privacy and compliance team. This focus on compliance enables customers to get AI capabilities through their internal approval processes—critical for enterprise adoption.

The platform’s AI strategy emphasizes embedded functionality rather than standalone tools. Their new sourcing agent, launching next month, helps recruiters leverage internal databases before posting externally. Wendy’s exemplifies the ROI: they hire the majority of candidates from iCIMS’ top-ranked suggestions, significantly reducing recruiting costs and improving efficiency.

Key innovations include a Gen AI digital assistant replacing canned responses with knowledge-base driven answers, continued investment in workflow automation, and a focus on all personas—recruiters, candidates, and hiring managers. The hiring manager experience receives particular attention, with plans to enable requisition opening and interview feedback through Teams or ServiceNow rather than requiring direct platform access.

Related HR Tech 2025 Coverage:

• Fountain: Agentic-first frontline operating system reducing hiring time from two weeks to 22 minutes with mobile-first design
• NXTThing RPO: PersonaG enabling 30-60 second application-to-offer processes with AI scoring and TalentaG retention insights
• Phenom: Voice screening agent finding unexpected success in healthcare with fraud detection and AI boot camps
• Radancy: MyInterview acquisition bringing 72% reduction in time to hire with comprehensive Teams integration
• Daxtra: Talent Flow platform with explainable AI and marketplace approach for custom recruiting agents
• PageUp: Talent acquisition software solution designed to help businesses transform hiring and engagement experiences for all

I also stopped by to see recruiting powerhouses Greenhouse Software, SmartRecruiters, HireVue, Paradox, and Avature at the Expo.

About Brandon Hall Group Institute

Brandon Hall Group’s Institute provides strategic guidance, benchmarking data, and best practices to help organizations optimize their human capital management strategies. Our research and advisory services help HR leaders navigate complex technology decisions and drive meaningful business outcomes. Learn more about our comprehensive research offerings and how we can support your HR transformation journey, including our new AI Progression Model for HR.

The post iCIMS Acquires Apli to Expand Frontline Hiring Capabilities at HR Tech 2025 appeared first on Brandon Hall Group.