Trina Sunday

Today, PUNC becomes real.
Let the conversations begin.

Tomorrow.

The People Unconference begins.

And I am equal parts excited, grateful, slightly nervous and quietly wondering what I have forgotten, which I suspect is just the standard pre-event setting.

But more than anything, I am ready.

Ready to welcome a room full of people who care about the future of HR, leadership, culture and human-first work.

Ready for real conversations, generous thinking, honest challenge and the kind of connection you cannot manufacture in a giant conference hall.

PUNC was never designed to be something that simply happens to people.

It was designed as a room people help shape.

And tomorrow, that room finally comes to life.

There are only a few seats left. So if you’ve been thinking about it, this is your moment to be in the room.

And yes… there will be great food, and bubbles flowing afterwards, because the best conversations don’t end when the sessions do.

They continue over a glass, a laugh, and the kind of connection that makes events like this unforgettable.

See you at The Adnate.

What if the behaviours we label as "unprofessional" are really just challenges to outdated workplace assumptions?

In this episode, I talk about one of the most accepted yet least questioned ideas in the workplace: professionalism. From tattoos and babies at interviews to executive F-bombs, workplace romances and even a lawyer appearing in court as a cat. I take a closer look at how our understanding of professionalism has changed over time and why it continues to evolve. Along the way, I share personal stories from my own career and challenge some of the assumptions many of us have inherited without ever stopping to question them.

You'll learn why professionalism is often less about conduct and more about conformity, how workplace norms are shaped by power and social expectations, and why HR leaders have a responsibility to separate genuine behavioural concerns from outdated ideas about who belongs. If we're serious about building the future of work, we need to become more curious about the assumptions we're protecting and more willing to challenge them.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. What workplace assumption do you think is overdue for a rethink? And when was the last time you questioned a workplace norm simply because "that's how it's always been done"?

🎧 Find us on all major podcast platforms and the 🔗 for this specific episode is in the bio and comments below.

I was reviewing the PUNC registrations and one attendee answered the question “What are you expecting from PUNC?” with this:

“Epically fantastic honest truth bombs sprinkled with a generous dusting of humour-led HR chinwaggery.”

Honestly, I could not love that more.

Because yes.
That is very much the energy.

If that quote tells us anything, it’s that the right kind of people are finding their way into this room.

And that makes me very excited about what’s going to happen when we all get there.

PUNC is nearly here.

2 July 2026 | The Adnate Hotel, Perth

One week to go.

Which feels slightly wild, because this is the point where the calendar suddenly becomes very real and the people who have been meaning to book realise they may need to stop meaning and start doing.

The People Unconference is happening next Thursday at The Adnate Hotel in Perth, and the room is coming together beautifully.

This is not just another HR event.

It is a curated room for people who want to think more deeply about the future of HR, leadership, culture, trust, burnout, equity, technology, influence and what human-first leadership looks like in practice.

The conversations are going to be big.
The connections are going to matter.
The room is going to have energy.

And because this has been intentionally designed as an intimate, contribution-led experience, we won’t just keep adding more chairs until the room loses its shape.

The room matters.
The people in it matter.

And if this has been sitting in the back of your mind as something you might want to be part of, this is your cue.

Don’t leave it to future-you. Future-you already has enough going on.

2 July 2026 | The Adnate Hotel, Perth

Three months ago, I was sitting at the United Nations for CSW70 in New York.

I came home inspired, challenged and, if I’m honest, changed.

Not because I suddenly had all the answers. Quite the opposite.

I realised how easy it is to see gender equity through the lens of our own workplaces, organisations or even our own country. But when you zoom out, you see something much bigger. Progress isn’t linear. Rights can move backwards. Funding disappears. Hard-won gains can never be taken for granted.

Three months on, I find myself looking at leadership, HR and the future of work through a different lens.

That’s why it was such a privilege to join 100 Women for a live recording of Community Kind with Alison Terry, Chair of UN Women Australia.

Listening to Alison speak about the realities facing women’s rights organisations globally, the importance of sustained investment, and why long-term commitment matters wasn’t just interesting. It felt deeply connected to conversations that have been sitting with me since New York.

The experience reminded me that creating better workplaces and creating a more equitable world aren’t separate conversations. They’re the same conversation, just at different scales.

Whether we’re influencing a boardroom, a community, a business or international policy, meaningful change still comes back to the same thing: people choosing courage over comfort, and action over intention.

Thank you to 100 Women, Piper Alderman and Alison Terry for such a thoughtful conversation. I can’t wait to hear the episode when it launches in August.

Some conversations stay with you long after they finish.

This was one of them.

Most people can tell you what their job is.

Far fewer can clearly articulate the value they're paid to create.

Michelle Redfern is paid to do one thing: close the global leadership gender gap.

As a globally recognised gender equity strategist, Michelle works at the sharp end of two connected challenges. She helps organisations design and implement gender equity and DEI strategies that actually shift culture. And she works directly with women leaders to build the strategic authority, commercial credibility, and leadership brand that gets them into consequential conversations and keeps them there.

A trusted advisor and confidante across the HR community, Michelle is known for her ability to meet leaders where they are, whether that's in the boardroom or on the frontline of people and culture work.

She is the author of The Leadership Compass: The Ultimate Guide for Women Leaders to Reach Their Full Potential, the framework that sits at the heart of her work with ambitious women who are ready to move from contribution to consequence.

At The People Unconference, Michelle will challenge us to think differently about influence, identity and what she calls positional purpose — the value we are truly accountable for creating, regardless of our title.

Because when we understand the contribution we're uniquely positioned to make, we stop waiting for permission, start leading with greater intention, and create more impact in the places that matter most.

The People Unconference 📍 Adnate Hotel | Perth | Thursday 2 July 2026

EOFY is nearly here.

Which means there are probably a few professional development budgets that need a home before 30 June.
My suggestion?

Don't spend them because they're there.

Spend them where they'll make a difference.

On the people who influence culture.

Shape leadership.

Challenge thinking.

And help create workplaces where people and performance thrive together.

If you've got someone in your team who consistently steps up, asks better questions and cares deeply about the future of work, send them to PUNC.

And if that's you, perhaps this is your sign.

Need help making the case?

Comment BOSS below, and we'll send you a ready-to-use email template to help start the conversation.

💜 Trina

The People Unconference 📍 Adnate Hotel | Perth | Thurs 2 July 2026