

Punk Rock HR
WRKdefined Podcast Network
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!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 18, 2021 • 24min
146: Why Work Will Never Be the Same with Zoë Harte
My guest is Zoë Harte, chief people officer at Upwork, and she’s here to answer our burning questions about the future of work. Zoë is passionate about the gig economy, remote work, and diversity and inclusion — all of the issues facing a critical inflection point in the coming months. So sit tight, enjoy the conversation, and prepare to face the future.

Jan 14, 2021 • 32min
145: Building a Job That Works for You with Mylena Sutton
My guest is Mylena Sutton, the founder of Voltage Vista LLC and a self-proclaimed leadership development fanatic. Mylena’s entrepreneurial story resonates with me — and will for so many of you, too. If you’re thinking of leaving your corporate HR job to take up your own consulting business in 2021, we recorded this just for you.

Jan 11, 2021 • 33min
144: Betting On You with Laurie Ruettimann, Hosted by Michael Bungay Stanier
On this episode of Punk Rock HR, I’m turning the tables on myself. Author and thought leadership coach Michael Bungay Stanier interviews me about my new book, “Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of Your Career.”

Jan 7, 2021 • 23min
143: Love the Way You Look on Zoom with Kim Foley
My guest is Kim Foley, a media and communications consultant and author of “Virtual Meetings With Power and Presence: The Ultimate Guide to Online Meetings.” She works with clients to help them look amazing on Zoom, and she shares her Zoom tips and tricks to make sure you do, too. After all, a great Zoom presence isn’t just about looking great — it’s about communicating your ideas clearly and with credibility.

Jan 5, 2021 • 28min
142: Being a Suicide Hotline Volunteer with Kate Yuan
In our first episode of 2021, I’m joined by Kate Yuan. During the day, she works in business development at Alibaba Cloud. However, on the weekends, she does something even more important: She volunteers for her county’s suicide hotline. She joins me to discuss her experiences as a volunteer and how you can discuss suicidal thoughts and ideations with someone.Please note: This episode of Punk Rock HR covers topics like depression, anxiety and suicide. If you are sensitive to these topics, this episode may not be for you. If you are thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 800-273-8255.

Dec 28, 2020 • 15min
141: Betting On You: Well-Being and Tijuana
Punk Rock HR is underwritten by Headspace for Work.In this last episode of 2020, I’m going to be talking about Pfizer. That’s right, I’m talking about the global drug company, my former employer, and the place where I decided to end my career in human resources.Back in 2012, Mitt Romney made the statement that corporations are people. At the time, I hated it because I loved Barack Obama. But, in retrospect, he was right. Companies are made up of people--good, bad, and indifferent. Just because you have a bad experience at a company doesn’t mean that reflects the company’s overall sentiment or culture.Today I’m discussing my own experience at Pfizer. I’m taking you through some of my deepest struggles and eventual realizations about what I had to do to create the life I wanted. I learned that if I wanted something bad enough, I had to be willing to invest in it and I want to share that same message with all of you today. Tune in to hear how I went from being miserable in a corporate job I hated to pursuing my dream to fix work.In this episode you’ll hear:
My biggest struggles throughout my time working in human resources at Pfizer.
When and why I decided to end my career there for good.
The problem with not investing in ourselves.
All about my experience getting lap band surgery in Mexico.
Why it is so critical to do whatever it takes to improve our well-being.
Resources from this episode:Laurie on InstagramLaurie on LinkedInRead more from LaurieWork with Laurie Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of Your CareerIf you enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go over to our podcast page at https://laurieruettimann.com/podcast/ to download it. ***EPISODE CREDITS:If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

Dec 21, 2020 • 28min
140: Making Work Human with Derek Irvine
Punk Rock HR Episode 140:Punk Rock HR is underwritten by Headspace for Work.My guest today is Derek Irvine. Derek has been in the human resources business for a long time, helping companies just be more human and more civil to one another. Today, he holds the position of Senior Vice President for the company Workhuman.Derek is also the author of the new book, Making Work Human. Derek and his co-author believe that by building a sense of belonging, purpose, meaning, happiness, and energy for every employee, you’ll create a profound connection between your organization and its goals. They wrote Making Work Human to provide you with everything you need to get there.I’ve known Derek for a long time. He was talking about making work human far before it was trendy. So if you’re interested in hearing from the pioneer of the work human movement, tune into my conversation with Derek.In this episode you’ll hear:
All about Making Work Human and why Derek wrote it.
Why we should always be thanking and celebrating essential workers.
The role of technology in making work human.
Why storytelling is so important, especially right now.
What writing a book does for your business.
What human resources leaders will learn from his book.
What he learned about himself as he wrote this book and throughout COVID-19.
How the stress of this season is impacting his own organization.
All about resilience and how it appears in his book.
Resources from this episode:Laurie on InstagramLaurie on LinkedInRead more from LaurieWork with Laurie Making Work Human: How Human-Centered Companies are Changing the Future of Work and the World Workhuman Derek on LinkedInIf you enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go over to our podcast page at https://laurieruettimann.com/podcast/ to download it. ***EPISODE CREDITS:If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

Dec 14, 2020 • 31min
139: Build Inclusive Cultures with Madison Butler
Punk Rock HR Episode 139:Punk Rock HR is underwritten by Headspace for Work.Today’s guest is Madison Butler. She is a human resources professional, a recruiter, a talent acquisition leader, and someone who is very passionate about startups. However, the reason that she’s on my podcast today is that no matter where she goes, Madison is unapologetically herself. Her self-confidence shines through no matter where she is, whether in real life or on social media.Madison speaks her mind even in the face of death threats. That’s right--Madison gets death threats from people in HR on LinkedIn. But even in the face of all that relentless negativity, Madison still believes in people. She still believes that human resources has a role in making the world a better place.All of that explains why I love Madison. I admire her so much and I know you will, too. So sit back and enjoy this conversation with my dear friend, Madison Butler.In this episode you’ll hear:
Why we need to fix how corporations view people.
The work Madison is doing within startups to change the world.
How she defines the work that needs to be done in corporate America.
Her reaction to HR professionals taking charge of DNI initiatives.
What those of us who are disgusted by the performative behavior of corporate America can do.
What Madison is experiencing and feeling as she interacts online.
How to know what a company is really like when you apply to work there.
How the interviewing and hiring processes are broken.
Why metrics are a bad way to take the pulse of an employee’s job performance.
Why Madison is doing the work that she is doing.
Resources from this episode:Laurie on InstagramLaurie on LinkedInRead more from LaurieWork with Laurie Madison on LinkedIn NY Times Article on Black LinkedInIf you enjoyed this episode, we’ve created a PDF that has all of the key information for you from the episode. Just go over to our podcast page at https://laurieruettimann.com/podcast/ to download it. ***EPISODE CREDITS:If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

Dec 7, 2020 • 25min
138: Friday Forward with Robert Glazer
Punk Rock HR Episode 138:Punk Rock HR is underwritten by Headspace for Work.My guest today is Robert Glazer. He’s the founder and CEO of a company called Acceleration Partners. But he’s also the author of one of my favorite newsletters, Friday Forward. Robert has made the 52 most impactful stories from that weekly email into an incredible book. Friday Forward the book will give you the inspiration you need to reach your goals, lead others, and ultimately fix work.Whenever somebody is struggling or down about their job, I like to give them books. They help them think through their experiences and get help from others. Friday Forward is one of those books that you could offer one of your friends in a similar situation.If you’re looking for different ideas or a different playbook about your job, or if you have friends who need that, tune into this conversation with Robert. In this episode you’ll hear:
How the transition to remote work has impacted women.
What Robert’s book is all about and where the inspiration for it came.
Some of the stories that stuck with him from the book.
Why he writes.
How the trend of open-sourcing the good stuff is growing.
What surprised him about writing this book.
Why the marketing side of writing a book is so difficult and what to do about it.
Important lessons from Friday Forward about the world of business
Resources from this episode:Laurie on InstagramLaurie on LinkedInRead more from LaurieWork with Laurie Robert's Friday Forward Friday Forward: Inspiration & Motivation to End Your Week Stronger Than It Started Robert on LinkedIn***EPISODE CREDITS:If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com

Nov 30, 2020 • 35min
137: Get nFormation with Deepa Purushothaman and Rha Goddess
Punk Rock HR Episode 137: My guests today are Deepa Purushothaman and Rha Goddess. They are the founders of nFormation, which is a first of its kind, app-based community created by women of color for women of color. The community provides a safe space for these women of color as well as career advancement opportunities.Deepa and Rha are on the show today because they are really trying to reimagine traditional power structures. They not only want to help more women of color find their seat at the table in corporate America but also want to leverage their collective power to change the way the table is formed.I like people with big ideas who do brave things and Deepa and Rha are doing just that. I am thrilled to introduce you to nFormation and these women who are shaking things up. If you’re like me and want to be a co-conspirator on this journey to revolutionize the workforce, tune into this conversation with Deepa and Rha.In this episode you’ll hear:
Why they came together to create nFormation.
How nFormation works and why women of color should join.
Their vision for recreating the corporate structure.
Why community is so important, especially right now.
How to overcome the terrible biases in the world.
What listeners who are not women of color can do to help their efforts.
Resources from this episode:Laurie on InstagramLaurie on LinkedInRead more from LaurieWork with Laurie NFormation's website "How Do Professional Women Of Color Rise To Meet This Moment" article Deepa on LinkedIn Rha on LinkedIn ***EPISODE CREDITS:If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com


