3Sixty Insights is at the Hilton Diplomat in Hollywood, Fla., this week to attend isolved Connect, the vendor's annual customer conference. So, naturally, we recorded an episode of the #HRTechChat video podcast onsite with Amy Mosher, isolved's chief people officer, and Lina Tonk, vice president of marketing for isolved.

For our chat, we dove deeply into isolved's recent rebrand, the positive impact this has had on its employees and customers alike, and, as well, isolved's successful internal use of its own platform to grow its own workforce by 40 percent this year. Earlier, this summer, 3Sixty Insights published a case study delving into the particulars. Download it for free, and, if you're feeling enterprising, go here to learn all about our case study on Key Training Center's successful use of the isolved platform.

By the way, you read that right: #isolvedconnect is an in-person event this year. Related activities and festivities remain in full swing through the conclusion of Tuesday's Final Night Party, and it was my pleasure to deliver a presentation here on Monday: Melding the Two Hemispheres of HCM: Concrete and Abstract. After close to two years now meeting with colleagues only virtually, you tend to forget how great it is to see familiar faces and meet new people in real life.

In my opinion, isolved has conducted itself in an exceptionally savvy way as of late -- Amy, Lina, and I even dipped briefly into analyzing the effect of isolved's new colors, pink and black.

#HRTechChat from Hollywood, Florida at #isolvedconnect 2021

Who should own the employee experience (EX)? "There's room for everyone," said isolved Senior Vice President of Marketing Lina Tonk during her guest appearance on the #HRTechChat video podcast. And she's right. The EX occurs everywhere any employee is involved in work. "I do believe the final responsibility should reside with HR. And I think HR leaders will probably agree with that." They probably would, yes. HR's job is not to micromanage the EX, however; it is to shepherd, lead and help shape it. From this, responsibility naturally flows.

Speaking of marketing, have you ever wondered whether, why or how marketing and HR could join forces to bolster and improve EX? I know that I have. And it turns out that it's an idea gaining steam....

In January of this year, isolved conducted a survey of 500 HR leaders based in the United States and from a broad cross-section of industries. The resulting whitepaper, "Transforming Employee Experience: 500 HR Leaders Talk Talent, Tech, Tactics & Threats," is an interesting read that spans several areas of interest as they relate to isolved's goal with the research: ascertaining HR's top challenges of today and top opportunities for tomorrow. And the exercise unearthed some intriguing findings vis-à-vis an emerging role for marketing in the EX and HR's sentiments regarding this.

According to isolved's survey, 65 percent of HR leaders say they want their marketing team involved with EX. Specifically, 52 percent are seeking marketing’s involvement because the department plays an important role in how the company is perceived in the market, and another 40 percent want to leverage marketing’s creative ability.

HR and marketing work together in these ways at isolved. During our chat, Lina described her on-the-job relationship with her colleague Amy Mosher, chief people officer at isolved. "I'm super transparent with Amy," with whom she speaks daily to align goals. During our conversation, Lina got granular in explaining what aligning marketing's goals with HR's looks like at isolved — where HR has its own goals for the employee experience, and marketing has some related to the employee experience, too, "and I believe that cross-functional teams can only work in that manner if goals are attached to them."

Lina delved even deeper, providing a glimpse into what this kind of collaboration, between HR and marketing, looks like from an executional standpoint — something else I've always wondered about. For example, advocacy is incredibly important to isolved, especially for HR leaders because of its impact on retention, which is "key to everything that we're doing," said Lina. Related to this, isolved has an internal advocacy tool that it provides to all its employees. "We needed not only the creativity on the content for marketing, but also the insights and the drive from HR."

Usually, several tangents will surface during the #HRTechChat video podcast, and this episode is no different. Lina and I got to talking about where EX possibly matters most. There's probably no definitive answer to this question, but we both agreed: it's hard to argue that onboarding isn't critical to EX in terms of setting the tone for the long term. Incidentally, speaking to this is a soon-to-be-published report by isolved compiling results from a survey of 1,000 employees. Among the findings is this: 49 percent of employees say they’ve been tempted to leave a new job after a poor onboarding experience that includes limited transitioning, an unprepared first day and excessive paperwork.

3Sixty Insights #HRTechChat with Lina Tonk, Senior Vice President of Marketing at isolved

#HRTechChat: Geoff Webb, Vice President of Solutions, Product, and Marketing Strategy at isolved

Pragya Gupta, Chief Product Officer at isolved, talks about the significance of HR data and people analytics. Gupta highlights the growing recognition among business leaders on the power of people data in understanding workforce readiness, engagement, DEI&B efforts and much more.  Teeing up an isolved people hero (customer) story, we are encouraged to be mindful of “the next best step” in HR solutions and to look for the ROI to the larger people organization. All in all, Gupta reminds us to look for the people data story to make informed decisions and drive business strategy.

Nine To Thrive HR

Harnessing the Potential of HR Data

With the Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action, there are reports that corporations are following suit and slowing down diversity programs. Coupled with economic uncertainty and companies trying to do more with less, diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEI&B) programs are under attack. Amy Mosher can explain why that is a bad idea both in the short and long term and how companies can still invest in DEI&B even amid budget cuts.

Don't Ditch Diversity

Geoff Webb joins Nine To Thrive to discuss AI as a tool to work in collaboration with human capabilities rather than replacing them. The discussion ranges from leveraging AI to personalizing employee experiences, and correlating efficacy with data input. Despite initial job displacement fears, a survey reveals growing openness among employees toward AI's beneficial impact. 

Looking forward, the conversation predicts future HR themes around AI, urging discussions on policies and ethics. The discussion advocates for a proactive, gradual adoption approach, encouraging readiness for AI's transformative potential in HR while prioritizing ethical implementation.

Supplement Human Capabilities: AI's Role in HR Transformation

As the role of brokers continues to evolve, they are no longer just insurance providers but strategic advisors helping businesses navigate workforce complexities.

3Sixty Insights' Geoff Webb sits down with Andrea Dumont, Vice President Channel Marketing at isolved, to discuss how brokers are adapting to meet the changing needs of HR and HCM. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Andrea shares insights into how brokers are expanding their service offerings, leveraging technology, and strengthening client relationships to provide greater value.

She explores the increasing reliance on brokers for strategic business advice, the impact of compliance challenges, and how HR technology plays a central role in delivering long-term success.

How are brokers differentiating themselves in a crowded market? What role does trust and technology play in building lasting client partnerships?

Tune in as Andrea breaks down the latest trends shaping the broker landscape and how HCM platforms like isolved are helping them stay ahead.

#HRTechChat: The Evolving Role of Brokers in HCM with Andrea Dumont of isolved

As big brands pull back on DEI&B, small and midsize businesses are stepping up. In this episode, Opal Wagnac shares why DEI&B is more than a trend — it’s a business necessity. She explores how SMBs are uniquely positioned to lead with inclusion, close the gender gap, and create workplaces where everyone belongs. From allyship to the bottom-line benefits of belonging, this conversation offers real insights for HR leaders navigating today’s evolving workforce.

Equity at Every Level: From the Boardroom to the Breakroom

Heidi Barnett, President, Talent Acquisition Solutions at isolved, joins Nine to Thrive HR for a deep dive into the future of hiring and employee experience. Heidi shares how ApplicantPro’s full integration into isolved is helping organizations streamline recruiting, enhance employer branding and create more engaging candidate journeys. She also unpacks the critical balance between AI-powered efficiency and the human elements that make a workplace thrive. Tune in for actionable insights on how HR leaders can attract top talent, improve retention and build people-first cultures in today’s competitive landscape.

Redefining Talent Acquisition & Employee Experience in the Age of AI

Payroll fraud is evolving and small and midsize businesses (SMBs) are in the crossfire. In this episode of Nine to Thrive HR, Steve Lenderman, Head of Fraud Prevention, unpacks the rising threat of payroll fraud and why SMBs are often the easiest targets. With schemes averaging $2,800 in losses per month and going undetected for over a year, the stakes are higher than ever.

Inside Payroll Fraud: How SMBs Can Fight Back Without Breaking the Bank

Looking for fresh content to solve your human capital issues but don't have a full hour? Subscribe to the HCI podcast series to gain access to leading HR practitioners from Fortune 1000 companies, as well thought-leaders, authors, and academics. These experts cover everything from talent acquisition and analytics to engagement, retention, and development.

The buying cycle for enterprise software and technology shouldn't be a power struggle between departments. 3Sixty Insights is a research, advisory, and consulting firm providing deep understanding of how to bridge the gap in perception and priorities between stakeholders. Through our research, we unearth strategic approaches for streamlining the decision-making process, successfully managing solutions, and maximizing value from business software and technology investments.

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