Gallup’s 2024 report highlights that highly engaged teams are 23% more profitable. As we approach 2025, key trends like hybrid work, mental health prioritization, and demand for growth opportunities are shaping employee expectations. A 7-step plan—spanning goal-setting, wellbeing initiatives, feedback loops, and transparent communication—offers practical ways to boost motivation and productivity. Start small, prioritize where needed, and build a thriving, high-performing team.

With the squeeze still on the employment market, many companies are considering hiring early-career employees - but how do you interview them?

Are there any elements you can use to hire early career stage roles next year? We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to Amplify HR or connect with Karen on LinkedIn.

As companies plan for 2025, many are re-evaluating remote, hybrid, and office work. To increase office-based days successfully, key steps include gathering employee feedback, setting clear goals, creating a welcoming office, offering flexible hours, ensuring strong tech support, and regularly adapting based on employee satisfaction. This approach helps balance business goals with employee needs.

As we hurtle toward year’s end, it's time to consider employee retention. January is a common time for employees to consider moving to a new role.

November is also when we look at how many weeks we have left of the calendar year. A little bit of stress and frustration can set in when we think of everything we need to do before the year is out. 

Do you have a staff retention strategy ready for the new year? We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to Amplify HR or connect with Karen on LinkedIn.

On the latest episode of Find Grow Keep, I sat down with Ed Greenwood from Eton HR to tackle a phrase we’ve all heard: “culture fit.”

But what does it really mean? 🤔 Too often, it’s used as a vague reason to reject candidates, leaving them feeling dismissed and disrespected. Ed challenges us to define our company culture clearly and avoid hiding behind this term, which can even mask unconscious bias.

It's time to rethink how we approach hiring. Let’s make it fair, transparent, and truly about the right fit for both sides.

What happens when you realise you need to make changes to your leadership team if you want to continue to grow? Maybe even let some of you leadership team go?

This can be a really difficult realisation for business owners and leaders because it means you need to make some tough decisions. But if you don’t make these critical decisions, your company can enter what’s been called the Valley of Death.

The "Right to Disconnect," starting August 26, 2024, lets Australian employees decline work communication outside regular hours unless unreasonable. To implement it, businesses need more than policies—they must foster a culture of work-life balance, use tech to manage after-hours contact, and have leaders set the example.

When it comes to building a strong workplace culture, some things work and some things definitely don’t. Hiring an HR manager is not going to fix your problem, and neither is conducting endless employee surveys. This post explores the solutions that do work, like defining your purpose, aligning your values, committing the leadership to proactive change and engaging your organisation with the power of your mission. 

Does your organisation need to shift its culture? We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to Amplify HR or connect with Karen on LinkedIn.

With rising living costs, employees now seek more than just a paycheck. This episode emphasizes the crucial role of career development, work-life balance, and mental health support in retaining top talent. By prioritizing these areas, businesses can attract and retain high-quality employees.

A strong and adaptable culture is a prerequisite for sustainable growth - so what are the practical steps required to build a growth-friendly culture?

Is your workplace culture geared for growth? We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to Amplify HR or connect with Karen on LinkedIn.