Season 2, Episode 8: Laurie Shakur--Putting the Human Back into Human Resources Artwork

[Trauma-Informed] Leadership Uncensored

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[Trauma-Informed] Leadership Uncensored

Season 2, Episode 8: Laurie Shakur--Putting the Human Back into Human Resources

April 20, 2021 • Dr. Dawn Emerick • Season 2 • Episode 8

5-Part Special Series on Change
1 of 5 Podcasts on Change: Laurie Shakur, aka "Work Mom", and VP, Head of People for Rakuten, USA & B2B, a Division of Rakuten, Inc., the largest eCommerce company in Japan, and third largest eCommerce company worldwide. Known for Putting the Human Back into Human Resources, she creates inclusive environments that encourage empathy and belonging while getting impactful work done.

Businesses must constantly transform and adapt to meet a variety of challenges—from changes in technology, to the rise of new competitors, to a shift in laws, regulations, or underlying economic trends. Failure to do so could lead to loss of talent, stagnation or, worse, failure. Change has a starting point (current state) and an end point (future state) and right in the middle are people. Business sectors are still responding to the prolonged COVID crisis, which has impacted—and sometimes traumatized—each member of the workforce in unique ways. Countless stories of toxic work environments and people not being their “best selves” are surfacing in video blogs and HR complaints, to name a couple. Leading dynamic organizations through any type of change is difficult, and it’s even harder when employees are experiencing high levels of emotional distress inside and outside of the workplace.