Punk Rock HR

Are you aware that your workplace dynamics are being subtly manipulated by alcohol? That's right: from happy hours to casual Fridays, incorporating alcohol into our work culture has profound impacts that we seldom consider.  Join Laurie as she explores this topic with the brilliant Kate Bischoff, a Minneapolis-based employment attorney who offers her unique perspective on the complex relationship...

Have you ever wondered about the real cost of alcohol in the corporate world?  Brace yourself for an enlightening conversation with Ken Makimsy Middleton, the author of Bamboozled. Laurie and Ken unravel the insidious dangers of alcohol, discussing how it keeps us in a cycle of mediocrity and threatens our professional growth.  Ken opens up about his personal journey, sharing how alcohol, initiall...

Ever wonder how societal pressures and expectations can drive you towards unhealthy coping mechanisms?  On this episode of Corporate Drinker, Laurie’s conversation with Celeste Yvonne, a sober mom advocate, author, and certified recovery coach, will make you rethink the pervasive “mommy wine culture.” Celeste gets candid about her journey of sobriety, five and a half years in the making, and how h...

Could your choice of drink impact your career, culture, and health?  Join Laurie as we navigate the intricate world of alcohol, work, and culture with her guest, Dr. Lipi Roy. This renowned doctor, writer, international speaker, and media personality is a titan in addiction medicine. She’ll debunk some common misconceptions about alcohol, including the ubiquitous theory surrounding the health bene...

Today, on The Corporate Drinker, Laurie invites you on an extraordinary journey of bravery, resilience, and self-discovery with her guest, Bryan Wempen. With an openness that is at once jarring and inspiring, Bryan translates his personal battles with alcohol addiction into a narrative that brings to light the often unaddressed issue of substance abuse in the corporate world. We dive head-first in...

What if we told you that the corporate world could be playing a significant role in triggering addiction and mental health issues?  It's time to challenge perceptions and spark meaningful dialogues as we welcome Cheryl Brown Merriwether, Vice President and Executive Director at the International Center for Addiction and Recovery Education. With her experience in HR management, adult education, and...

Ever wondered how to transform workplace dynamics with a heart-centered approach and a dash of courage?  Join us as we reveal these secrets with Claude Silver, the Chief Heart Officer at Vayner X. Claude takes us on a compelling journey, sharing stories from her early days in advertising, where she defied the norms and chose not to participate in strip club-related client meetings. Her reminiscenc...

Have you ever wondered how unseen forces of elitism might drive the dynamics of your workplace? Join us as we sit down with the remarkable Leah Goodridge, an attorney and city planning commissioner from Brooklyn, New York, who has some thought-provoking insights to share about this very subject. Leah draws our attention to the often-overlooked intersection of work and alcohol and how it contribute...

Join me as I chat with Carly and Ian Blessing, founders of the alcohol-free brand “All the Bitter.” They share their candid journey from struggling with alcohol use disorder to launching their innovative brand in the cocktail scene. We explore their experiences working at The French Laundry, how they navigated their path to sobriety, and how they channeled their challenge into an opportunity. Carl...

As a host, I’ve had the privilege of discussing many bold and brave stories. Still, this conversation with Jessica Winder, the senior vice president of people at Refine Labs and founder of Hidden Gem Career Coaching, truly resonates deeply. Brace yourselves as Jessica unearths her personal confrontation with alcohol addiction, an unspoken secret in her family tree, and the lifeline she found in he...

Ever wondered about the deep-rooted intersection of alcohol science and corporate culture? In this inaugural episode, I welcome Dr. Jared Pelo, a physician, executive, and entrepreneur who takes us on an insightful journey through the uncharted territories of corporate drinking and its impact on health. His experiences, including an acquisition by Microsoft, have honed his perspective on thriving...

My guests on this episode of Punk Rock HR are both from Betterworks: Andrea Couto, head of solutions engineering and sales readiness, and Harini Sridharan, head of product marketing. We discuss the evolution of performance management into performance enablement, how small businesses can experiment with performance enablement and the role of people analytics in performance. To read the full show no...

My guest on this episode of Punk Rock HR is Conrad Shaw. He is a writer, filmmaker, co-founder of Comingle.us and a universal basic income (UBI) researcher. Conrad is a font of wisdom about UBI, and we discuss what it is, how it works, his upcoming documentary series “Bootstraps” and more. To read the full show notes for this episode, visit:  https://laurieruettimann.com/showing-the-real-life-stor...

My guest for this episode of Punk Rock HR is my friend Carlos Escobar, who is a seasoned HR, talent development and change management leader. Tune in as we discuss how Carlos uses change management and design thinking to drive meaningful change, what he expects from AI and his personal philosophy about work. To read the full show notes for this episode, visit:  https://laurieruettimann.com/unlocki...

My guest for this episode of Punk Rock HR is Nicole Roberts, HR leader and founder and president of the People Solutions Group. She is a leader, mentor, mom and friend who's also fighting for her life and career after being laid off and diagnosed with cancer. My friend Jennifer McClure, CEO of Unbridled Talent, and I sat down with Nicole to talk about her diagnosis, how she found support through h...

My guests for this episode of Punk Rock HR are Dustin Clinard, vice president of strategic partnerships at Betterworks, and Mike May, vice president of the UKG tech partner program at UKG. In this conversation, we’re talking about the unique partnership between ‌these HR tech companies, the trends affecting HR tech buyers and the future of performance management. To read the full show notes for th...

My guest on this episode is Liz Vaccariello, who is the former editor-in-chief of Real Simple, Reader’s Digest and People magazine. Liz and I discuss why she pivoted her career to align with her purpose, the challenges of building trust over Zoom and what it really means to be a writer and editor. To read the full show notes for this episode, visit:  https://laurieruettimann.com/pivoting-to-your-p...

My guest on this episode of Punk Rock HR is Jeannine K. Brown. She is the CEO of Everyday Lead and the author of the book “Unstuck and Unstoppable.” Jeannine and I discuss the state of the job market, what job seekers should be doing and what to look for in a psychologically safe workplace. We also discuss how her book is helping professionals accelerate their careers. To read the full show notes...

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

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://...

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 m...

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 no...

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...

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-...

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 m...