HR The Next Leap
Conifers: "Standard tech perks don’t solve the problems our people are actually facing”
Mor Elbaz Korobko, People Operations Manager, and Anat Maor, Senior Talent Acquisition Partner, at Conifers AI discuss recruiting under fire, managing employee burnout, and overcoming AI anxiety in the workplace, as part of CTech’s HR: The Next Leap series.
“I’ve moved away from the standard tech perks because, frankly, they don’t solve the problems our people are actually facing,” says Mor Elbaz Korobko, People Operations Manager at agentic AI cybersecurity platform Conifers. “When I look at burnout today, it’s not just about work. It’s about the mental load of life in Israel.”
From active and looming war threats, to AI rapidly and constantly redefining what it means to be productive, running a company in Startup Nation brings with it its own category of challenges and rewards. HR: The Next Leap takes a glimpse into the heart of Startup Nation via the HR professionals shaping its culture. We survey the executives whose jobs are more demanding and more vital than ever, as they heed the future-proofing of their workforce, while simultaneously ensuring business continuity and employee wellbeing during relentlessly unprecedented times.
Joining Korobko is Conifers’ Senior Talent Acquisition Partner, Anat Maor, who believes that “you haven't truly managed a recruitment pipeline until you've had to navigate an interview during a siren or a sudden reserve duty call-up.” Navigating these on-and-off disruptions that have been a definitive reality during the last few years in Startup Nation, Maor notes that “I’ve learned that being a recruiter in this environment means being a part-time coordinator and part-time support system.”
You can read the entire interview below.
Company Name: Conifers.ai
Sector: Agentic Soc cybersecurity
Founders: Tom Findling, Alon Yotvat, and Mark Kurman
Year of Founding: 2024
Investment stage: Series A
Total investment to date: $30M
Investors: SYN Ventures, Picus Capital, Washington Harbour Partners
Current number of employees: 40
Website: www.conifers.ai
Social Media: LinkedIn, Instagram
As of March 2026, the market officially shifted into an 'employer's market'. How have your screening criteria changed, and do candidates - including senior-level ones - still hold any leverage in negotiating salaries and terms?
AM: The market shift hasn't just changed the numbers; it has changed the conversation. I see it every day; where candidates once drove the entire process, we are now seeing a more balanced, cautious landscape.
When I sit down with a candidate today, the focus has shifted toward precision. We aren't just looking for 'skills', we are looking for a 'laser-fit' individual who can navigate market volatility and the AI transition. But make no mistake: when I find a high-caliber professional with deep technical depth, the 'power' hasn't disappeared, it has evolved. My job now is to manage expectations on both sides, ensuring that the final negotiation isn't a tug-of-war, but a calculated alignment of value and impact.
How have/are you managing operational continuity and recruitment while the economy navigates the emergency state triggered by the conflict with Iran? With the threat of escalation looming at any moment, how are you and have you been handling everything from interviews interrupted by sirens to managing teams thinned by massive, ongoing reserve duty?
AM: You haven't truly managed a recruitment pipeline until you've had to navigate an interview during a siren or a sudden reserve duty call-up. This is our reality. I don’t treat these as 'disruptions', I treat them as part of the process.
My approach is to lead with radical transparency. If a candidate’s availability fluctuates due to emotional strain or military service, we don't penalize, we adapt. I’ve learned that being a recruiter in this environment means being a part-time coordinator and part-time support system. We simply regroup, reschedule, and keep the human element at the forefront. If we can't be empathetic during the interview stage, how can they trust us to be empathetic as employers?
Beyond the role of empowering employees, which roles has AI eliminated over the past year, what percentage of your workforce was reskilled to avoid being phased out, and how has this impacted entry-level hiring?
MEK: I deal with the 'AI anxiety' by turning it into an open project. We don’t wait for the technology to disrupt us; we bring it into the room and experiment with it together.
My focus is on removing the fear of being replaced. We provide the tools and the 'sandbox' for everyone, especially our juniors, to master AI. It’s about building professional confidence. I see my role as ensuring that, as the tech moves faster, our people feel more in control, not less. We are intentionally building a culture where AI is a partner that speeds up our vision, rather than a threat to our roles.
Against the backdrop of the unstable security and political climate, are you seeing an increase in relocation requests or 'quiet quitting' by top-tier talent moving abroad, and what is the most proactive step you are taking to retain them in Israel?
MEK: In a country where the external reality changes by the hour, I view 'stability' as a primary employee benefit. My mission is to ensure that Conifers remains a predictable, safe space.
I spend a lot of time balancing the 'where' of work. For those who find the office to be their only 'island of sanity' and community right now, I make sure our doors and support systems are wide open. If you need to go home to feel secure, we provide the infrastructure to do so without guilt. We don't just offer 'flexibility'; we offer a framework that adapts to the personal resilience of each individual.
In an era where stability has replaced flashy perks, how are you addressing the deep mental burnout of employees torn between the professional and security fronts, and what is the most critical benefit you offer today in place of the bonuses that have vanished?
MEK: I’ve moved away from the standard tech perks because, frankly, they don’t solve the problems our people are actually facing. When I look at burnout today, it’s not just about work. It’s about the mental load of life in Israel.
My response has been to tackle the small, daily stresses. We didn't just 'update a policy'; we increased meal stipends to remove one daily chore. When I see our reservists' families struggling, we send hot meals to their homes, not as a 'bonus,' but as an acknowledgment of our shared destiny. I spend my days checking in, not just on performance, but on physical and mental safety. In this era, my job isn't to provide fun; it's to provide peace of mind.
