DisruptHR: Julie Rust-Bodenmann – An Ode to the CEO No One Asked For
At DisruptHR Zurich, Julie Rust-Bodenmann steps onto the stage with what sounds like a tribute: “An Ode to the CEO.”
But the illusion dissolves quickly. This is no celebration. It is a confrontation — wrapped in poetry, satire, and razor-sharp social commentary.
With lyrical precision, Julie exposes a corporate world where efficiency trumps empathy, stock prices outrank psychological safety, and “business relevance” overrides the wellbeing of the very people keeping the business alive.
When the CEO Becomes the Hero — and the People Pay the Price
Julie opens by painting a picture of a CEO being applauded:
Costs are down to zero, stock values rising — a “hero”.
But this praise comes with a dark undertone:
The long-hyped “people-centric trend” has finally been dismantled.
DEI, wellbeing, and empathy are treated as burdens — luxuries that leadership is relieved to let go of.
Instead of meaningful cultural work, employees receive token gestures: fruit baskets, puppy yoga, one-off burnout trainings.
Meanwhile, the real cultural issues are tucked away in “shiny caskets,” untouched and unresolved.
Burnout as an Occupational Hazard of a Toxic System
The speech shifts into raw, lived experience.
Julie shares the story of an employee who opens up about their mental exhaustion, hoping for understanding — only to hear:
“What about the deadlines?”
She highlights a bitter truth: Many employees can’t even attend wellbeing initiatives because they are too busy burning out in the very environment those initiatives are supposed to improve.
And yet, organisations proudly showcase participation rates and loyalty metrics — all while the internal numbers paint a devastating picture:
50% highly stressed
25% burning out
Burnout risk 7.5x higher due to toxic behaviours
20% output wasted, with rising costs tied to stress and presenteeism
The paradox is stark: Everything is measured — except what actually matters.
“Mental health isn’t my responsibility” — a dangerous leadership myth
A central theme in Julie’s talk is the refusal of leaders to see their role in wellbeing.
Common excuses she highlights include:
“This isn’t in my jurisdiction.”
“HR should handle that.”
But Julie makes it clear: This isn’t about therapy sessions. It’s about psychological safety — the foundation for performance, trust, and sustainable work.
She extends empathy even toward CEOs and managers. They, too, are caught in the machinery of pressure and expectations. But leadership comes with accountability — and with the power to shift tone, culture, and behavioural norms.
The Bitter Ending: When People Become FTEs
Toward the end, Julie delivers the line that sears itself into memory: “Insincerely yours, just another FTE about to be replaced by Chat GPT.”
A closing that is both cynical and brutally honest. Because at the core of her message lies one painful truth:
In too many organisations, people are reduced to headcount, costs, and replaceable units.
This is not just criticism — it is a wake-up call. A poetic protest against a corporate system that celebrates productivity while silently eroding humanity.
Key Takeaways from Julie Rust-Bodenmann’s Talk
Companies celebrate efficiency — often at the expense of people.
Rising stock prices do not equal healthy cultures.Symbolic wellbeing initiatives can’t fix a toxic workplace.
Yoga sessions and fruit baskets are not culture.Burnout is a system problem, not a personal failure.
The structure — not the individual — is the root cause.Psychological safety is leadership work.
Managers don’t need medical training — just the willingness to create safe environments.Wellbeing doesn’t show up in the P&L — but it shapes long-term performance.
What isn’t measured is often ignored, yet it is essential.When people become FTEs, organisations lose their humanity — and eventually their effectiveness.
No company is stronger than the culture it cultivates.
About Julie Rust-Bodenmann
Former Global Head of Wellbeing at UBS and Credit Suisse, Healthy Performance Consultant
Julie Rust-Bodenmann is the former Global Head of Wellbeing at UBS and Credit Suisse. With a background as a McKinsey strategy consultant, she brings extensive experience supporting organizations through large-scale transformation and disruption.
Julie specializes in driving sustainable high performance through strategic, integrated approaches to wellbeing, as well as executive and team coaching.
A Swiss national with a global perspective, she has lived in eight countries and holds degrees from INSEAD, Yale, and Columbia University.
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About DisruptHR
Innovative, fresh ideas and opinions that rethink and reshape the working world, presented by around 10 speakers in just 5 minutes each: that’s DisruptHR.
Our speakers are coached by our TEDxLausanne Speaker Coach, Christopher Lübbers, to help them bring out their very best.
SPOT ON has been organizing these events for many years in Zurich. To date, more than 100 speakers have taken the stage at our events.
