
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

May 15, 2023 • 30min
245: Why HR Leaders Are Business Leaders With Enrique Rubio
My guest for this episode is a dear friend: Enrique Rubio, founder of Hacking HR. Enrique and I discuss how he got started in HR, why HR shouldn’t overinvest in technology and why a shift in mindset can help HR leaders see themselves as business leaders.To read the full show notes for this episode, visit: https://laurieruettimann.com/embracing-hr-leaders-as-business-leaders

May 8, 2023 • 29min
244: Decoupling Your Purpose and Worth From Work With Lexi B
My guest for this episode is Lexi B. Lexi is a tech veteran, professional speaker, and the founder and community builder of Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech. Lexi and I discuss how she learned to “strategically scream” helped her find her voice, the importance of knowing your worth outside work, her “why” and her LinkedIn Live series.To read the full show notes for this episode, visit: https://laurieruettimann.com/decoupling-your-purpose-and-worth-from-work

May 1, 2023 • 27min
243: Creating a Culture of Performance Enablement With Betterworks’ John Schneider and Michelle Gouldsberry
In this episode, I’m joined by John Schneider and Michelle Gouldsberry of Betterworks. John is chief marketing officer, and Michelle is a senior content marketing manager. In this conversation, we’re talking about Betterworks’ research into the state of performance enablement. John and Michelle share the motivation for this research, the findings they’re most excited about and how HR leaders can make work better with performance management.To read the full show notes for this episode, visit: https://laurieruettimann.com/creating-a-better-culture-of-performance-enablement

Apr 24, 2023 • 29min
242: Moving the World Forward Through Conversations With David Glasgow
My guest on this episode is David Glasgow. He is the executive director at the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at NYU School of Law and the co-author of “Say the Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice.” We discuss the fear people have around these conversations, the mistakes they commonly make and how we can recover from them.To read the full show notes for this episode, visit: https://laurieruettimann.com/moving-the-world-forward-through-conversations

Apr 17, 2023 • 29min
241: Paving the Way For Transgender Equality in Corporate America With Mary Ann Horton
My guest for this episode is Mary Ann Horton, a transgender activist and the author of “Trailblazer: Lighting the Path for Transgender Equality in Corporate America.” In our conversation, we discuss her amazing career, how she advocated for one of the corporate world’s first transgender equality workplace policies, her book, and her advice to HR leaders looking to be more inclusive. To read the full show notes for this episode, visit: https://laurieruettimann.com/paving-the-way-for-transgender-equality-in-corporate-america

Apr 10, 2023 • 25min
240: Creating Opportunities for Tech Career Growth With Karoline Saffi
My guest for this episode is Karoline Saffi, chief people officer at Mission Cloud. Karoline and I discuss how HR can become more transparent, how Mission Cloud is creating tech career growth opportunities, and the importance of being agile and open-minded in HR today. To read the full show notes for this episode, visit: https://laurieruettimann.com/creating-opportunities-for-tech-career-growth-with-karoline-saffi

Apr 3, 2023 • 27min
239: Evolving Performance Management for a Better Workforce With Betterworks’ Doug Dennerline and Jamie Aitken
My guests today are Betterworks CEO Doug Dennerline and Vice President of HR Transformation Jamie Aitken. They’re back on the show to talk about their upcoming book, “Make Work Better: Revolutionizing How Great Bosses Lead, Give Feedback, and Empower Employees.” We discuss why they wrote the book, why traditional performance management needs to evolve into performance enablement, and the role of managers in this transformation.To read the full show notes for this episode, visit: https://laurieruettimann.com/evolving-performance-management-for-a-better-workforce

Feb 27, 2023 • 29min
BONUS: HR During a Time of War With Yulia Kudina
My guest today is Yulia Kudina, who's based in Kyiv, Ukraine, working as vice president of people at Reface, a technology startup based there. In this conversation, Yulia and I talk about how Reface prepared for war last year, what life has been like in the past year and how she is connecting with the local HR community through the People First Club.To read the full show notes for this episode, visit:https://laurieruettimann.com/hr-during-time-war

Dec 26, 2022 • 31min
#238: The HR Analyst Role in 2023 With Madeline Laurano and Kyle Lagunas
My guests for this episode are Madeline Laurano and Kyle Lagunas, the brainpower behind Aptitude Research. Aptitude Research is one of the best places to learn about what’s new, what’s next and what’s realistic in HR technology. In this conversation, Madeline, Kyle and I talk about what HR analysts do and how they can help companies fix work. We also talk about their predictions for work and HR in 2023.Punk Rock HR is proudly underwritten by The Starr Conspiracy. The Starr Conspiracy is a B2B marketing agency for innovative brands creating the future of workplace solutions. For more information, head over to thestarrconspiracy.com.To read the full show notes for this episode, visit: https://laurieruettimann.com/the-importance-of-hr-analyst-in-2023

Dec 19, 2022 • 27min
#237: The Complexities of Payroll With Eynat Guez
My guest today is co-founder and CEO of Papaya Global, Eynat Guez. Papaya is a unicorn company that Eynat co-founded after observing the technology gap in global payroll. The company combines her passions for technology and HR to reinvent global workforce management for the modern age. In this episode, Eynat and I talk about Papaya’s innovative software, her journey into payroll and what it truly means to run global payroll in your organization.Punk Rock HR is proudly underwritten by The Starr Conspiracy. The Starr Conspiracy is a B2B marketing agency for innovative brands creating the future of workplace solutions. For more information, head over to thestarrconspiracy.com.To read the full show notes for this episode, visit:https://laurieruettimann.com/the-complexities-of-payroll
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