Josh Rock is part of a group of hockey-loving HR professionals who use social media to exchange HR ideas and take jabs at one another’s favorite teams. In recent years, they have met up for some friendly competition at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Annual Conference & Exposition. They organized a competitive kickball game when the conference was in Chicago, a “The Big Lebowski”-themed bowling party at the Orlando event and a poetry slam in Las Vegas last year. At each gathering, Rock and his fellow “HR Puckheads” raised thousands of dollars for Share Our Strength’s
No Kid Hungry campaign to end childhood hunger in the U.S.
Rock was part of SHRM’s social media team at the Annual Conference last summer. As a member of SHRM’s
Minnesota State Council, he coordinated the SHRM state conference for three years and engaged members through social media for two. He is currently focusing on college relations.
How did you get interested in HR?
When I served as a vendor of recruitment advertising in a previous role, I heard about some of the problems HR had with candidates—such as engagement—and candidates would complain about the lack of response to their applications. I thought there had to be a better way for me to help companies, candidates and the profession. Every day I’ve spent in HR since then has been with the mission to improve those elements.
What’s your work philosophy?
Working within a medical field, I go into each day thinking that patient care starts at my desk. If I don’t deliver the best-quality talent, the patients and their families aren’t ensured of getting the best-quality care. With that, I strive to find the best and brightest to serve our future patients.
What do you do in your spare time?
Play and watch hockey. Just ask my fellow HR Puckheads. I‘ve also coached—and I even drank from the Stanley Cup.