Discovering What’s Hot in #HRTech Alliances – Video Interviews at #UNLEASH18 in Amsterdam – #HRTech Advisor & #HRTechAlliances
Contextualizing the UNLEASH 2018 Ecosystem
The 2018 iteration of UNLEASH, formerly known as HR Tech World, established itself as the premier venue for HR technology disruption. As artificial intelligence and machine learning began their transition from theoretical concepts to practical, integrated features within HR software, the event focused on how these tools could optimize employee engagement, streamline administrative workflows, and bridge the gap between legacy systems and modern, cloud-based architectures.
The conference floor was dominated by the theme of "alliances." Unlike previous years, where vendors often maintained siloed approaches to product development, the 2018 conversation shifted toward ecosystem integration. The presence of major industry players—such as Facebook, NGA Human Resources, and Mercer—underscored the necessity of cross-platform collaboration to meet the demands of global, mobile-first workforces.
The Dynamics of HR Tech Alliances: Key Executive Perspectives
Among the notable contributors to the HR Tech Advisor interview series was Anita Lettink, the Senior Vice President of Strategy & Alliances at NGA Human Resources. Her insights into the structural shift of HR departments highlighted the move from reactive administrative functions to proactive, data-driven strategic centers. Lettink’s discussions at the event emphasized that the efficacy of HR technology is no longer measured solely by individual feature sets, but by the fluidity with which those features communicate across an enterprise’s existing technological stack.
Similarly, the engagement with Cyrus Akrami, representing Workplace by Facebook, provided a clear glimpse into the consumerization of HR tools. Akrami noted that for a digital-native workforce, the barrier between professional and social digital interaction is dissolving. He highlighted the importance of partnerships with entities like ServiceNow, Cornerstone, and ADP, explaining that the ultimate goal of these integrations is to drive engagement by meeting the user within a familiar, intuitive interface.
Innovation in Analytics: The Role of activ8 Intelligence
The event was notably sponsored by activ8 intelligence, a firm that exemplifies the industry’s push toward simplified data interpretation. John Cusack, Commercial Director at activ8 intelligence, utilized the platform of UNLEASH 2018 to advocate for a new paradigm in HR analytics. The core challenge addressed by the firm is the "complexity gap"—whereby HR leaders are overwhelmed by raw data but lack actionable, plain-English insights.
Cusack’s presence at the conference was marked by a strategic focus on collaborative development. The firm’s introduction of partnership models that allow for the co-ownership of Intellectual Property (IP) represented a significant departure from standard vendor-client relationships. This approach reflects a broader industry trend where vendors seek to align their long-term incentives with the specific, proprietary needs of their customers, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution.
Chronology of the Event and Strategic Engagements
The timeline of the conference was structured to maximize knowledge transfer and networking. The early stages of the event were characterized by high-level keynotes focusing on the sociological impacts of automation, while the middle segments—where the interviews occurred—transitioned into deep-dives regarding technical integration.
- Opening Plenaries: Industry analysts presented findings on the 2018 state of the labor market, emphasizing the talent shortage and the subsequent need for better candidate experience tools.
- Mid-Conference Integration Workshops: This period, where the HR Tech Advisor interviews took place, focused on the "how-to" of platform integration. Executives from both established giants and agile startups discussed the technical hurdles of API connectivity and data security.
- The Partnership Expo: The final phase of the event allowed for the formalizing of the alliances discussed during the interviews. It was here that many companies, including those interviewed by the advisor team, announced joint marketing initiatives and co-developed feature sets.
Supporting Data and Industry Trends
According to industry research reports released during the 2018 cycle, HR technology investment had reached record levels, with global spending on HR software expected to exceed $15 billion by the end of the year. Key drivers for this expenditure included:
- Employee Engagement Analytics: Companies reported a 22% increase in productivity when employees used collaborative, AI-integrated platforms.
- System Interoperability: Approximately 78% of HR leaders cited "lack of integration" as their primary barrier to digital transformation.
- Mobile Adoption: By late 2018, nearly 60% of workforce-related interactions were taking place on mobile-first applications, necessitating a shift in UX design for HR vendors.
These figures clarify why the conversations at UNLEASH 2018 were so heavily weighted toward partnerships. When individual tools cannot communicate, they create "data silos" that hinder the very productivity they were designed to improve. The alliances formed in Amsterdam were, in effect, a collective response to this industry-wide pain point.
Official Responses and Strategic Implications
The discussions held at the Mercer booth and during the various video interviews indicated a unified stance among top-tier vendors: the era of the "all-in-one" proprietary suite is being challenged by the era of the "connected ecosystem."
John Cusack of activ8 intelligence observed that the most successful HR technologies in the coming decade would be those that treat the HR professional as a partner rather than a subscriber. This sentiment was echoed by other interviewees, who collectively agreed that the "Future of Work" is not a single product but a mosaic of services that must function as a cohesive whole.
The implications for the broader HR market are significant. Small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) now have access to enterprise-grade analytics through these integrated partnerships, while large multinational corporations can scale their digital transformation efforts without abandoning their legacy back-office systems. The "Future of HR" panel, often cited during these interviews, serves as a testament to the fact that marketing and product development are now inextricably linked.
Broader Impact: The Future of HR Technology
As UNLEASH 2018 concluded, the lasting impact of the event was the solidification of the "partnership-first" mentality. The interviews conducted by HR Tech Advisor provided a cross-section of an industry in transition. Whether it was the focus on customer engagement via Workplace by Facebook, the sophisticated analytics modeling from activ8, or the strategic alliance architecture managed by NGA Human Resources, the underlying message remained the same: human capital management is becoming a technical discipline that requires high levels of collaboration.
The shift observed in Amsterdam was not merely about software; it was about a fundamental change in the human-machine interface within the workplace. By fostering an environment where competitors and collaborators could sit down to discuss the integration of their systems, the event set a precedent for the industry’s trajectory through the 2020s.
Looking back, the 2018 Amsterdam summit serves as a definitive case study in how technology vendors navigated the transition from manual, siloed processes to the integrated, intelligent ecosystems that define the modern workplace. For those involved, the event was more than just a conference; it was a realization that the complexities of the global labor market are best solved through shared innovation, transparent data practices, and the relentless pursuit of an optimized employee experience. The legacy of these discussions continues to inform how HR departments approach their digital roadmaps today, ensuring that technology remains a servant to human potential rather than an obstacle to it.
