Inspiration for the future - HR Tech Las Vegas 2023

In this month's newsletter, inspiring insights from HR Tech in Las Vegas are shared - inspiration for the future in areas such as AI, HR system strategy, and future competence development.

🍁 Welcome to the 9th Monthly Newsletter - 2023 🍁

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This Month's Contents:

* Monthly Reflection - Inspiration from HR Tech Las Vegas

* Noted in the HR Tech Industry πŸ’‘

* Podcast News 🎧

* Events and Other Professional Development - 2023

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Since the last newsletter, I've been unusually busy 🐝. That's why this newsletter is coming a bit later than usual this month. I simply haven't had the time 🫣.

I've been at the Personal & Chef, HR Technology Conference & Exposition in Las Vegas, HR Days, and I've been conducting training sessions (HR πŸ’œ Tech & AI with the HR-Association and Basic Training - Digitization for HR with HR Digi).

Both of these training sessions needed updates because there's so much happening in the HR Tech field, especially in AI & HR. Additionally, I've given several presentations and provided some guidance πŸ˜…, all during October.

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🍁 So, now during the tranquility of the autumn break, the newsletter is finally here 🍁

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Now is also the last chance to respond to my survey for this year 🫡 What level is your organization at in terms of HR Digitization? What level are you actively working at?

Reflections on Sweden, digitization, and trends will be in the next newsletter, where I'll include the survey results alongside the release of this year's trend episode.

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Monthly Reflection

Inspiration for the Future - HR Tech Las Vegas

It was wonderful to be back in Las Vegas! Not so much for the place itself but mainly to see how the tech market has evolved globally over the year. This time, I had the company of Γ…sa Landin, Johannes Sundlo, and Jonas Carlberg πŸ™πŸ»

πŸ“½οΈ They share their reflections in the video you can find in my earlier post from HR Tech Week.

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Wow! What can I say? HR Tech in Las Vegas is an experience in itself. With around 500 exhibitors and about 10,000 attendees, it felt like being in a melting pot of innovation and expertise. It provides so much energy and inspiration πŸ™πŸ»

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General Reflection

HR Tech in Las Vegas is incredibly vast, but it's not just the quantity that impresses – the quality is also top-notch, as usual. The expo showcased everything from the largest players to the smallest up-and-comers. The expertise of the speakers was incredibly high, with many being global-level analysts. It was also very exciting to see so many customer examples – something we often lack in Sweden. Behind all of this lay an impressive amount of technology and vendors that enable new ways of handling HR issues, especially within large organizations.

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AI is everywhere

AI was like the air we breathed at the expo – everywhere! AI is affecting us, employees, suppliers - everyone. And it was noticeable. It's also evident in what is discussed at our local events in Sweden, as well as what is written about on LinkedIn and other platforms.

The trend that Josh Bersin identified regarding AI and vendors is that he divided them into three groups:

  1. Those adding AI to their existing solutions, for example, adding a ChatBot. This is what the majority of vendors are doing.
  2. Those building AI into the solution from the start, like Workday and SuccessFactors.
  3. Those who built their solution with AI from the beginning, including companies like Eightfold, Fuel 50, and several new vendors in the skills area.

What are you, system providers in Sweden, doing?

Have you integrated AI into your solutions? πŸ€–

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gritify.io is a Swedish example.

You can read the article here: Gritify revolutionizes the recruitment industry with AI technology.

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And for those of you working in HR - have you learned how to leverage AI? It's time to hop on the AI train because it has already left the station! πŸš‚

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Skills, Competence, and Skillstech

A central theme at the event was also the discussion about skills. I usually describe that skills and competence are two different things, where "skills" refer to specific transferable abilities, and competence involves a broader set of knowledge, skills, and abilities, usually related to a job role. There's no doubt that competence requirements are changing and challenging worldwide. With fewer people working, an aging population, and a new generation entering the job market with entirely different expectations and needs, it becomes increasingly important to understand and address these changes. You also need to think about new ways to recruit based on potential, develop and train internally, and understand what skills your organization needs.

When it comes to vendors in this area, there are plenty to choose from. Microsoft made a significant launch of their "Skills" at HR Tech, and other players like Workday presented their own "Skills" solutions.

You can read the article here.

Additionally, there were many specialists on-site offering expertise in this area.

Talent marketplace is also a hot topic, where companies can match the right talent with the right opportunities internally in an organization through internal projects, jobs, and assignments. The entire area is a game-changer, but also a challenge to make it work.

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HR System Strategy

One of the highlights of the expo was the new report from Sapient Insights Group. It emphasized the importance of an HR system strategy and what it means for the organization - the whole organization. It emphasized that HR should not only lead the change journey but also lead companies into the AI era.

You can read more on Sapient Insights Group's website.

It's no longer a question of "if" but "how" and "when" we should implement these strategies.

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Technology and Solutions

Here are some quick points that stood out:

  • Employee experience: It was fascinating to see how many different ways there are to focus on this area. For example, Simpplr and Socrates.ai presented a platform similar to Service Now/Intranet. Other players like Firstup used AI to improve communication, with MGM Resorts as a customer. Confirm showed how performance management can be handled with nominations, with customers like Canada Goose and United Health Group. 15Five presented its survey tools with Hubspot as a customer, while FOUNT Global, Inc. with its friction analysis is used by IKEA. Microsoft Viva was also a name that came up several times. 🌟

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  • Other tech: Flexible pay was a hot topic, as well as People Analytics with players like Crunchr & Visier Inc., where the latter has Cardinal Health as a customer.πŸ“Š

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  • Recruitment: It was interesting to see how the recruitment process is changing, with an increased focus on all types of employees, including gig workers and temporary staff. There are also many opportunities in the ways we can reach out, select, and conduct the recruitment process.

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  • HR data integration platforms: We all know how challenging integrations can be. Now more vendors in this area are specializing in HR data. πŸ–₯️

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  • Health: In the USA, this is a significant issue, and it was interesting to see how it differs from what we are used to in Sweden. 🍏

In summary, HR Tech in Las Vegas was a reminder that there are so many digital opportunities that we are not yet fully prepared for in Sweden. It was inspiring to see how technology can transform the HR landscape and how companies can leverage these innovations to improve their HR processes and employee experience. I look forward to seeing how these trends develop and are implemented globally 🌍

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HR Tech Europe

And as a conclusion, we can delight all our readers with the news that HR Tech is coming to Europe, to Amsterdam, on May 2-3, 2024 🌟

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Noted in the HR Tech industryπŸ’‘

Now, Fosway has released a new European 9-grid for Cloud HR.

Some exciting observations include:

  • What exactly is Cloud HR? So many areas emerging on the map.
  • Microsoft is at the top left with great potential for the future.
  • Visier in the top right corner along with SAP, Oracle, and Workday. They are an analytics platform?! πŸ€” But incredibly interesting that they have a place. They are one of my favorites πŸ’œ
  • The same goes for ServiceNow.
  • And Sympa, as the only Nordic company, if I read correctly πŸ‘πŸ» which means they are big enough to be included.

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SaaS Company of the Year at Breakit SaaS Summit: Mentimeter πŸ‘πŸ»

Part of the motivation: Mentimeter continues to impress the Swedish SaaS scene with strong growth from a high level. They continue to focus on their product that allows everyone to be heard, promotes inclusion, and drives engagement in an outstanding way.

Here is all the winners on Saas Summit 2023

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Optimize your education tech strategy with a new procurement guide: Buying Edtech

Now, the Edtech map's procurement guide is being launched for companies, organizations, and educational institutions. It's a treasure trove of tips, advice, and tools for smart purchases and optimal utilization of edtech services.

The procurement guide includes guides and checklists with the most common terms you need to be aware of, the contract forms that are best suited, and tips on what to consider before, during, and after a purchase. Many considerations need to be made: What is your current IT environment and workflows? What needs do you have, and what results do you want to see? Now, the complex becomes a little simpler.

The Edtech map has been developed in collaboration with Almega UtbildningsfΓΆretagen, Swedish Learning Association, KompetensnΓ€tverk i Stockholm AB, and Promise.

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HR Tech Scaleups in Sweden - on Breakit's SCALEUP LIST 2023

The Swedish tech industry is one of the strongest in the world, known for billion-dollar successes like Spotify, Klarna, Mojang, and Izettle.

Now, Breakit highlights the potential success stories - companies that have truly begun to scale up with a functioning business model. They have selected 104 companies this year that can be called Sweden's hottest fast-growers. When I look at the HR Tech companies on the list, I see two companies that offer solutions for managing the new regulations on pay transparency, Sysarb and Pihr - Pay Equity Software. The criteria for companies on the list are that they have between 5 and 1,000 million in revenue in the most recently published financial statement. And at least 20% growth. Other HR Tech companies on the list include Teamtailor and Learnifier.

Congratulations to all πŸ‘πŸ»

Soon, most Swedish companies will use AI in recruiting

You can read a report on this HERE.

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A newly released report on skills development.

I've been talking about it for a long time, that we need to get better at innovation and digitization in HR. To do that, we need to develop our skills. In this report by the responsible author Stefan Tengblad - Professor in Human Resource Management, HRM, at the University of Gothenburg - we get to read that "It's time to review the conditions that the HR/People function has for working with skills development. There are risks that Swedish companies are falling behind internationally as the knowledge requirements in the job market increase and change."

You can find my offerings on skills development on our website.

Maybe it's time to plan for your own development in 2024 πŸŽ‰

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Have you heard all the new buzzwords?

In TNG's article, you can read about Lazy Girls job, which is a Gen Z phenomenon. It's not necessarily about being lazy, as the name suggests. It's more about valuing and prioritizing a good work-life balance. In addition, in the same article, you'll find tips on how to recruit and retain Gen Z.

TNG also has articles on Quiet Quitting and all the other Quiet trends, like Quiet hiring, Quiet firing, etc.πŸ“–

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Are you a real AI nerd?

Then you can read this year's AI report πŸ€–

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Podcast News 🎧

One thing is for sure. The shortened versions of the episodes are a success! πŸ‘πŸ»πŸ‘πŸ»

You can find the latest episode of the podcast on Spotify HERE.

And, of course, the podcast is also available on other podcast platforms. Subscribe in the app and get a notification when a new episode is released. And please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️ to let us know what you think.

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Upcoming episodes:

🟣 4-day workweek - what is it and does it work?

With Caroline Lind, CEO of Sandqvist Bags & Items, and Anna-Carin Alderin ✨ Future of Work Solutions

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Other episodes will be a surprise as I need to reschedule my schedule 🫣

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Already released episodes:

🟣 Sponsored episode with Hailey HR and Fellowmind: The Business Value of Adopting HR Systems. With Jenny Clark and Kristian Randel.

🟣 Can diversity and inclusion be measured? With Lenka Prokopec Karlberg

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Events and other skill development

The year is coming to an end, and so is the event and training season.

I only have one event and one training session left on the 2023 list that are focused on HR and Tech:

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  • November 7 - Stockholm - HR System Day 2023 (Forum4IT) Sweden's leading suppliers of HR and personnel systems come together to present their news.
  • December 5 - Digital - New edition of HR πŸ’œ Tech & AI with updated content and a new title πŸ™ŒπŸ»
  • You will also find me at SIME Leader session on November 20-21 and at HR Day 2023 on November 17. Both in Stockholm.

If you follow me (Anna Carlsson) and click on the πŸ”” in my profile, you'll get a notification when I share something there. For example, posts about how it was at Personal & Chef and HR Days :)

In the next newsletter coming at the end of the month, the focus will be on 2024!

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About the newsletter

The goal of the newsletter is to write about news in the HR Tech market and the field of digitization and innovation for HR in various ways, and also to share information about episodes of the HR Digitalization Podcast.

Comment! What would you like us to write about next time? Any specific topic you're curious about? You can help determine the content.

Now remember to β–Ί click subscribe ︎

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About me, the author


My name is Anna Carlsson, and I'm a curious HR Tech analyst with over 20 years of experience at the intersection of business, human elements, and technology. I believe that technology is not a peripheral activity in HR; digitization is fundamental to creating a more human-centered workplace. My passion is to lead the movement for the future of HR, by co-creating it with clients and colleagues and by educating and developing organizations and individuals.

I run HR Digi, which includes the HR Digitalization Podcast, where I also serve as the podcast host. Within HR Digi, we offer consulting, advisory support, training, and inspiration to build a modern digital organization.

πŸ‘‰ Book a digital coffee with me, and we can discuss how I can support your work.

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