
Punk Rock HR
Welcome to the Punk Rock HR Podcast, hosted by the influential and unconventional Laurie Ruettimann. This podcast breaks away from the traditional constraints of the HR world to bring you candid and compelling conversations with some of the most disruptive and innovative minds in the business. Each episode, Laurie dives deep into critical topics surrounding the real world of work, exploring the modern workplace's nuances, and challenging the status quo of HR.Guests range from renowned thought leaders, authors, and entrepreneurs to HR professionals and individuals who have reshaped the way we approach work and organizational culture. Punk Rock HR is not your usual HR talk. It’s a blend of insight, wit, and irreverence, aiming to bring a fresh, unfiltered perspective to the challenges and opportunities facing today’s workforce.Whether you’re an HR professional looking to revamp your approach, a leader trying to understand the people side of the business better, or just someone interested in the dynamics of the modern workplace, this podcast is your ticket to engaging discussions and actionable insights. Expect energizing conversations, guests with big ideas, and a punk rock twist, with episodes released every Monday.Follow the Punk Rock HR Podcast to keep your finger on the pulse of work, leadership, and human resources. Your journey towards a more progressive and enlightened workspace starts here!
Latest episodes

Dec 17, 2021 • 6min
#185: Your Work is Not Your Worth
In this episode of Punk Rock HR, I’m unpacking the mindset of knowing that your work is not your worth as I prepare for the launch of the paperback version of “Betting on You.”

Dec 10, 2021 • 11min
#184: Why Work Sucks (and What You Can Do About It)
Welcome back to Punk Rock HR! In this episode, I’m sharing why we think work sucks, plus some tips on how to turn those negative feelings into positive and effective action.

Sep 27, 2021 • 27min
#183: Building Trust and Connection in a Whole New World of Work With Dan Schawbel
In this episode, I am joined by Dan Schawbel. He’s a New York Times bestselling author and the managing partner of Workplace Intelligence, a research and advisory firm helping HR adapt to trends, drive performance and prepare for the future.Listening to employees and building connections encourages employees and helps them get behind a company’s vision of success. Listen to this episode to hear Dan and I discuss the foundations of trust, and how we can take those lessons into the future.

Sep 20, 2021 • 21min
#182: The Mystery, the Myth and the Magic of Big Data With Chas Fields and Teresa Smith
My guests today are Chas Fields and Teresa Smith. They're part of the HCM Advisory Group at the Workforce Institute at UKG, where they offer insights and advice to corporate HR leaders and business leaders just like you. Today's conversation is all about understanding big data. If you're on an HR journey and you're asking yourself how big data can be used as a tool for better corporate storytelling or to improve the employee experience, sit back and enjoy this conversation.

Sep 13, 2021 • 23min
#181: Moving From Employee Wellness to Holistic Health With Dr. Jarik Conrad
My guest today is Dr. Jarik Conrad, vice president of the Human Insights and the HCM Advisory team at UKG. Dr. Conrad is also executive director of the UKG-sponsored Equity At Work Council, an interdisciplinary group of experts and practitioners dedicated to providing evidence-based strategies to eliminate workplace inequities. Dr. Conrad discusses how we can start thinking more holistically about employee wellness and how to better connect employees to answers for their physical and emotional health needs.

Sep 6, 2021 • 26min
#180: The Evolution of the Labor Movement With Dr. Chris Mullen
This week on Punk Rock HR, Laurie Ruettimann is joined by Dr. Chris Mullen. He's the executive director at The Workforce Institute at UKG. Chris is an experienced leader with a demonstrated history of working in the technology and HR industries. He's highly skilled at the employee experience and leveraging technology, and his PhD research was focused on work-life balance and the use of mobile technology. In the conversation, Chris and Laurie talk about all the good stuff — COVID workforce issues, burnout — but most importantly, they talk about making work better. You’ll want to hear this conversation so you can make work better, too. Punk Rock HR is proudly sponsored by UKG. They are an award-winning all-in-one HR platform. If you’re curious and want to fix work and do HR better, check out our sponsors at UKG.com.

Aug 30, 2021 • 29min
Reissue: Amplifying Black and Brown Voices with Zach Nunn
This summer, I'm reissuing some of my favorite episodes of Punk Rock HR. In this episode, we revisit my conversation with Zach Nunn, a change management consultant and one of the co-founders of the podcast and movement Living Corporate. We discussed all the things that are not normally talked about at work or in diversity, equity and inclusion programs. It’s important to keep the antiracism movement from becoming another cyclical thing and make it a true reconstructive movement.

Aug 23, 2021 • 29min
#179: Being a Caregiver with Vadim Liberman
My guest today is my dear friend Vadim Liberman. He’s the editor at TLNT and ere.net. But Vadim’s on the show today not to get super-nerdy about sourcing or recruiting. Instead, he's here to talk about his mom, who has Alzheimer’s. We speak candidly today about the challenges, the pressures and the stress of being a primary caregiver. Listen in to hear Vadim and I discuss the joys of caring for the person you love and why handling caregiver stress is so important for everyone involved.

Aug 16, 2021 • 24min
#178: What Is Talent Management? with Mike Sipple Jr.
My guest today is Mike Sipple Jr. He’s the co-founder and CEO of the Talent Magnet Institute. The Talent Magnet Institute is a membership community and a consultancy that provides leaders with tools, resources and support to develop a holistic approach to leadership. In today’s conversation, we’re talking about it all: expert talent attraction strategies, executive coaching, mentorship, proactive leadership — all with the goal of moving people and organizations to become a talent magnet.

Aug 9, 2021 • 18min
#177: How to Improve Child Care for Working Parents with Ilnort Rueda
Child care in the United States had problems before the pandemic, and it feels like it’s only gotten worse. I wanted to know what lessons we’ve learned and how HR departments can continue to move the needle forward. I sat down with Ilnort Rueda of Arvorie to talk about child care for working parents, the accessibility crisis that the pandemic brought to light and what HR departments can do to help fix it.