Aptitude Research is a leading human capital management (HCM) research and advisory firm based in Boston. Our in-depth research and vendor assessments help HR leaders develop a deep understanding of the HCM technology landscape, including talent acquisition and engagement, to ultimately make better purchase decisions.
Welcome to a new conversation in HR Technology. One that moves beyond features and functions to help organizations ask better questions about their strategy, processes and technology.
Aptitude Research is built on deep knowledge and experience. We use our expertise to inspire a future-forward workplace, and we are continually evolving based on the latest research into HCM practices and technologies. We analyze the facts and put the data into context, providing actionable insights to companies, technology providers and investors.
Our approach is both dynamic and forward-thinking. Founded by leading HCM authority, Madeline Laurano, Aptitude Research harnesses years of experience to foster a new and transparent conversation about the role of technology in the workplace.
Our flagship research, The Aptitude Index, delivers a comprehensive look at talent acquisition trends and technology. This knowledge, combined with our consulting and advisory services, enables companies to save time, money and improve the recruiting, hiring and workforce management experience.
From where we sit, it has never been a more exciting time to be a part of the HCM conversation, and we are excited to partner with other pioneers ready to embrace this new world.
Madeline Laurano is the founder and chief analyst of Aptitude Research. For over 18 years, Madeline’s primary focus has been on the HCM market, specializing in talent acquisition and employee experience. Her work helps companies both validate and re-evaluate their strategies and understand the role technology can play in driving business outcomes. She has watched HCM transform from a back-office function to a strategic company initiative with a focus on partnerships, experience and efficiency.
Before founding Aptitude Research, Madeline held research roles at Aberdeen, Bersin by Deloitte, ERE Media and Brandon Hall Group. She is the co-author of Best Practices in Leading a Global Workforce and is often quoted in leading business publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Yahoo News, The New York Times and The Financial Times. She is a frequent presenter at industry conferences including the HR Technology Conference and Exposition, SHRM, IHRIM, HCI’s Strategic Talent Acquisition conference, Unleash, GDS International’s HCM Summit, and HRO Today.
In her spare time, she is a runner, an avid sports fan and juggles a house full of boys (where a spontaneous indoor hockey game is not unheard of!).
Tim Sackett, SCP, is the CEO of HRUTech.com, a leading technical recruiting firm. Tim has over 20+ years of combined executive HR and talent acquisition experience working for Fortune 500 companies. Tim is a highly sought-after international speaker on leadership, HR &TA Tech, talent acquisition, and HR execution. Tim is currently a Senior Faculty member with the Josh Bersin Academy. He is also an Angel investor and advisor and sits on multiple HR Technology corporate boards.
Tim is the author of the newly released book The Talent Fix, Vol. 2. He also writes daily on his blog, the Tim Sackett Project. Tim is married to a hall-of-fame wife, has three sons, and his dog Tucker. In 2024, he was named a Top Global HR & Recruitment Influencer by HR Executive. He has more Twitter (X) followers than his 3 Gen Z sons and is sponsored on stage by diet Mt. Dew.
Torin leads a progressive boutique with a laser-like focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) strategy and risk mitigation. TE explores DEIB and talent management methodologies with a key understanding of today’s business challenges and opportunities — designing bespoke, data-driven, high-impact talent and organizational strategies.
Torin has created a constellation of activity, to include 120 conference appearances, no less than 75 podcast exchanges, and multiple coaching and consulting mandates, which is the reason some of the world’s most forward-thinking companies have trusted his firm to make DEIB promising and not punitive within their respective organization.
A trusted Practitioner and former Executive Producer and Host of Career Mix, a weekly show on SiriusXM. His voice has also become requested and trusted by some of the biggest conference organizers in the US and abroad. As said by Jamie Leonard, CEO & Founder, The Recruitment Events Co.: “This year (2019) you did something fantastic. When the tents dropped on RecFest, you stood alone. Our industry was awoke by one name and one voice. Torin Ellis.”
It’s fun to note Torin having been listed by Technical.ly as one of “10 Baltimore tech and entrepreneurship leaders who should run for mayor,” signaling an activist and community-centered side of this focused professional. And lastly, he authored his first book Rip The Resume (September 2016).
Laurie Ruettimann is an author, podcaster, keynote speaker, and top LinkedIn Learning instructor. A former HR leader with experience at Monsanto, Pfizer, and other major companies, she left corporate life to focus on self-leadership, workplace accountability, and fixing work from the inside out.
Recognized by CNN as one of America’s top five career advisors, Laurie’s work has appeared in NPR, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and Vox. Her book, Betting On You (Henry Holt, 2021), and her podcast, Punk Rock HR, offer real-world tools for navigating work with integrity and courage.
Through her speaking, coaching, and leadership courses, Laurie helps guide corporations on the tools and technologies needed to help people show up fully at work and in life. She lives in Raleigh, NC, with her husband and two cats, runs ultramarathons, and believes that when we take care of ourselves, we can take better care of each other.
Kathryn Rose is a rising senior at Bentley University, double majoring in data analytics and diversity, equity, and inclusion, with minors in Spanish and business administration. They are a lifelong learner whose curiosity and drive for positive change motivate their research. In their research, they take a balanced approach, utilizing industry-specific insight and a sociological lens to contextualize findings from quantitative analysis.
In their free time, they enjoy staying active outdoors with friends, spending time with their family and cats back home in Maine, and giving back to their communities through various service initiatives. They look forward to learning more about the HCM market through extensive research with the Aptitude Research team!
Zhenhai Cai is a graduate student in Enterprise Risk Management at Columbia University, where he focuses on market risk, scenario analysis, and regulatory compliance. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from Bentley University and has worked on projects involving credit risk modeling, financial forecasting, and enterprise risk assessment.
Zhenhai combines strong quantitative skills with practical insights to address real-
world financial challenges. Outside of his academic and professional pursuits, he is
an avid soccer fan—especially of Lionel Messi—and enjoys strategic board games,
with Ark Nova being a personal favorite.
Lucas is pursuing a dual major in Computer Information Systems and Artificial Intelligence for Innovation at Bentley University, with minors in Applied Statistics and Business Administration. His academic and professional journey reflects a strong focus on applying emerging technologies—particularly AI and data science—to solve business challenges.
Currently a Software Engineering Intern at SAP LeanIX, Lucas is leading the development of a knowledge-based onboarding chatbot, leveraging conversational AI platforms and user documentation analysis to enhance customer success initiatives. He has also contributed to Bentley University’s Virtual Reality research initiative, designing and executing immersive educational experiences across disciplines.
In 2024, Lucas completed a data science internship at IE University in Madrid, where he developed predictive models using Python and advanced analytics tools to identify risk patterns in client data for Gi Group. His hands-on work included building regression models and creating visualizations that informed strategic decisions.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, Lucas brings both technical acumen and a global perspective to his work. He is passionate about exploring how AI can drive innovation in enterprise systems and workforce transformation.
Madeline Laurano is the founder and chief analyst of Aptitude Research. For over 18 years, Madeline’s primary focus has been on the HCM market, specializing in talent acquisition and employee experience. Her work helps companies both validate and re-evaluate their strategies and understand the role technology can play in driving business outcomes. She has watched HCM transform from a back-office function to a strategic company initiative with a focus on partnerships, experience and efficiency.
Before founding Aptitude Research, Madeline held research roles at Aberdeen, Bersin by Deloitte, ERE Media and Brandon Hall Group. She is the co-author of Best Practices in Leading a Global Workforce and is often quoted in leading business publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Yahoo News, The New York Times and The Financial Times. She is a frequent presenter at industry conferences including the HR Technology Conference and Exposition, SHRM, IHRIM, HCI’s Strategic Talent Acquisition conference, Unleash, GDS International’s HCM Summit, and HRO Today.
In her spare time, she is a runner, an avid sports fan and juggles a house full of boys (where a spontaneous indoor hockey game is not unheard of!).
Tim Sackett, SCP, is the CEO of HRUTech.com, a leading technical recruiting firm. Tim has over 20+ years of combined executive HR and talent acquisition experience working for Fortune 500 companies. Tim is a highly sought-after international speaker on leadership, HR &TA Tech, talent acquisition, and HR execution. Tim is currently a Senior Faculty member with the Josh Bersin Academy. He is also an Angel investor and advisor and sits on multiple HR Technology corporate boards.
Tim is the author of the newly released book The Talent Fix, Vol. 2. He also writes daily on his blog, the Tim Sackett Project. Tim is married to a hall-of-fame wife, has three sons, and his dog Tucker. In 2024, he was named a Top Global HR & Recruitment Influencer by HR Executive. He has more Twitter (X) followers than his 3 Gen Z sons and is sponsored on stage by diet Mt. Dew.
Laurie Ruettimann is an author, podcaster, keynote speaker, and top LinkedIn Learning instructor. A former HR leader with experience at Monsanto, Pfizer, and other major companies, she left corporate life to focus on self-leadership, workplace accountability, and fixing work from the inside out.
Recognized by CNN as one of America’s top five career advisors, Laurie’s work has appeared in NPR, The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and Vox. Her book, Betting On You (Henry Holt, 2021), and her podcast, Punk Rock HR, offer real-world tools for navigating work with integrity and courage.
Through her speaking, coaching, and leadership courses, Laurie helps guide corporations on the tools and technologies needed to help people show up fully at work and in life. She lives in Raleigh, NC, with her husband and two cats, runs ultramarathons, and believes that when we take care of ourselves, we can take better care of each other.
Torin leads a progressive boutique with a laser-like focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) strategy and risk mitigation. TE explores DEIB and talent management methodologies with a key understanding of today’s business challenges and opportunities — designing bespoke, data-driven, high-impact talent and organizational strategies.
Torin has created a constellation of activity, to include 120 conference appearances, no less than 75 podcast exchanges, and multiple coaching and consulting mandates, which is the reason some of the world’s most forward-thinking companies have trusted his firm to make DEIB promising and not punitive within their respective organization.
A trusted Practitioner and former Executive Producer and Host of Career Mix, a weekly show on SiriusXM. His voice has also become requested and trusted by some of the biggest conference organizers in the US and abroad. As said by Jamie Leonard, CEO & Founder, The Recruitment Events Co.: “This year (2019) you did something fantastic. When the tents dropped on RecFest, you stood alone. Our industry was awoke by one name and one voice. Torin Ellis.”
It’s fun to note Torin having been listed by Technical.ly as one of “10 Baltimore tech and entrepreneurship leaders who should run for mayor,” signaling an activist and community-centered side of this focused professional. And lastly, he authored his first book Rip The Resume (September 2016).
Kathryn Rose is a rising senior at Bentley University, double majoring in data analytics and diversity, equity, and inclusion, with minors in Spanish and business administration. They are a lifelong learner whose curiosity and drive for positive change motivate their research. In their research, they take a balanced approach, utilizing industry-specific insight and a sociological lens to contextualize findings from quantitative analysis.
In their free time, they enjoy staying active outdoors with friends, spending time with their family and cats back home in Maine, and giving back to their communities through various service initiatives. They look forward to learning more about the HCM market through extensive research with the Aptitude Research team!
Zhenhai Cai is a graduate student in Enterprise Risk Management at Columbia University, where he focuses on market risk, scenario analysis, and regulatory compliance. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Finance from Bentley University and has worked on projects involving credit risk modeling, financial forecasting, and enterprise risk assessment.
Zhenhai combines strong quantitative skills with practical insights to address real-
world financial challenges. Outside of his academic and professional pursuits, he is
an avid soccer fan—especially of Lionel Messi—and enjoys strategic board games,
with Ark Nova being a personal favorite.
Lucas is pursuing a dual major in Computer Information Systems and Artificial Intelligence for Innovation at Bentley University, with minors in Applied Statistics and Business Administration. His academic and professional journey reflects a strong focus on applying emerging technologies—particularly AI and data science—to solve business challenges.
Currently a Software Engineering Intern at SAP LeanIX, Lucas is leading the development of a knowledge-based onboarding chatbot, leveraging conversational AI platforms and user documentation analysis to enhance customer success initiatives. He has also contributed to Bentley University’s Virtual Reality research initiative, designing and executing immersive educational experiences across disciplines.
In 2024, Lucas completed a data science internship at IE University in Madrid, where he developed predictive models using Python and advanced analytics tools to identify risk patterns in client data for Gi Group. His hands-on work included building regression models and creating visualizations that informed strategic decisions.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, Lucas brings both technical acumen and a global perspective to his work. He is passionate about exploring how AI can drive innovation in enterprise systems and workforce transformation.
Madeline Laurano and Aptitude Research’s data is frequently quoted in the press, featured in podcasts and webcasts. Read, watch or listen to explore more.
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We are happy to provide quotes, perspectives or guest bylines. We allow for the reference of our research or charts with the proper attribution. Email madeline@aptituderp.com with “Press Request” in the subject line to schedule an interview, request a quote or discuss a contributed article.
