In this episode, Karen Kirton explores how workplace culture evolves over time—sometimes in ways that leaders don’t recognize until problems arise. She discusses why culture can deteriorate, even in businesses that have always had a strong foundation, and how to maintain momentum by actively listening and responding to employees.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Why workplace culture isn’t fixed and can change slowly over time—sometimes without leaders realizing it.
• Early warning signs of cultural dysfunction, such as unexpected resignations, stalled projects, declining customer retention, and disengagement.
• The importance of feedback loops, ensuring businesses continuously listen to employees and act on the information they receive.
• The impact of unspoken workplace norms, illustrated by the well-known "monkeys in a cage" experiment, and how behaviors can persist even when leadership changes.
• Key listening mechanisms that should be part of every internal communications plan, including: 
  • Engagement and satisfaction surveys, ensuring employees know their feedback is valued and acted upon.
  • First impression surveys, capturing insights from new employees after three months to understand their experience.
  • Roundtable discussions, where senior leaders gather candid feedback from employees they don’t interact with daily.
• Why failure to act on feedback leads to disengagement and the perception that providing input is pointless, reinforcing negative workplace habits.

This episode provides practical strategies for business leaders looking to proactively shape and sustain a healthy workplace culture, ensuring that small, unnoticed shifts don’t turn into long-term dysfunction.

Have you had trouble with your business culture? 

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We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to amplifyhr.com.au or connect with Karen on LinkedIn! 

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In this episode, Karen Kirton discusses how to manage extreme workplace behaviors, such as bullying, harassment, discrimination, or toxic conduct. While these situations can be difficult to navigate, having a clear policy, training, and structured response process in place ensures that businesses address these issues effectively and maintain a safe, respectful work environment.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Why ignoring complaints or excusing behavior can lead to a toxic culture, employee disengagement, and legal risks.
• The three essential steps for handling workplace behavioral issues: 
  1. Having a clear policy that defines unacceptable behaviors and outlines the complaint process.
  2. Providing regular training to ensure employees understand workplace expectations and how to report concerns.
  3. Following the policy consistently, ensuring that complaints are taken seriously and addressed appropriately.
• The importance of setting clear expectations for new employees through training and onboarding to reinforce workplace culture from day one.
• Different training approaches, from standard online courses to interactive workshops and scenario-based learning using real-life role plays.
• Why documenting and following policy procedures is critical if issues escalate to external regulatory bodies.

This episode provides practical guidance for business leaders looking to prevent and address problematic behaviors, ensuring a positive, inclusive, and legally compliant workplace culture. 

Have you dealt with a problem person? 

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We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to amplifyhr.com.au or connect with Karen on LinkedIn! 

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Get our free eBook packed with practical strategies to attract, engage, and retain top talent. Perfect for business owners and leaders focused on building a thriving team. Download it at amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/find-grow-keep

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores how psychometric assessments can be powerful tools for employee and leadership development. While they are often used for hiring, these assessments also provide valuable insights into personal and professional growth, team dynamics, and leadership effectiveness.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Why psychometric assessments are useful for development, providing structured, quantifiable feedback that helps individuals understand their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
• Different types of assessments, including self-report tests, 360-degree feedback, cognitive ability tests, and leadership development tools—each offering different levels of depth and insight.
• The importance of using scientifically validated assessments to ensure reliability, accuracy, and meaningful results.
• How to choose the right assessment, considering factors such as past experience with psychometric tools, job roles, and the specific skills or behaviors you want to develop.
• Best practices for implementing psychometric assessments, including ensuring confidentiality, proper debriefing, and using assessments as an ongoing development tool rather than a one-time activity.
• How to integrate assessment results into team workshops, leadership coaching, and performance development plans to drive measurable growth.

This episode provides a practical guide for businesses looking to leverage psychometric assessments as a structured, effective approach to employee development and leadership growth.

Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with new releases every Monday!

We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to amplifyhr.com.au or connect with Karen on LinkedIn! 

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Get our free eBook packed with practical strategies to attract, engage, and retain top talent. Perfect for business owners and leaders focused on building a thriving team. Download it at amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/find-grow-keep

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores practical ways to support employee development, ensuring that valued team members feel challenged and engaged in their roles—reducing the likelihood that they will seek opportunities elsewhere. She highlights how structured but simple development plans can be a game-changer for retention and productivity.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Why personal development is a top reason employees stay longer in their roles.
• How to incorporate development discussions into regular one-on-ones and performance reviews.
• The importance of frequent, achievable development goals, rather than overwhelming annual plans.
• Examples of small but effective development actions, such as mentoring, networking, public speaking, and business case preparation.
• Why on-the-job development (70%) and relationship-based learning (20%) are more impactful than formal training courses (10%).
• How to help employees define their development paths, even when they are unsure of their goals.

This episode provides a clear, actionable approach for businesses looking to foster continuous employee development, improve engagement, and increase retention without relying on expensive training programs.

Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with new releases every Monday!

We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to amplifyhr.com.au or connect with Karen on LinkedIn! 

Send us a text

Get our free eBook packed with practical strategies to attract, engage, and retain top talent. Perfect for business owners and leaders focused on building a thriving team. Download it at amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/find-grow-keep

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores how mentoring can be a powerful tool for employee development, engagement, and retention—especially for small businesses that may not have the resources for extensive training programs. She outlines practical ways to implement mentoring in an organization at little to no cost.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• The benefits of mentoring and why it plays a key role in employee engagement and professional growth.
• How to establish an internal mentoring program, even in small businesses, with clear roles, responsibilities, and agreements.
• The importance of matching mentees with the right mentors, ensuring structure, goal-setting, and accountability.
• How to utilize professional associations that offer mentoring programs, providing employees with external development opportunities.
• Strategies to help employees find their own mentors, including leveraging LinkedIn connections and industry contacts.
• How to evaluate the success of a mentoring program, ensuring employees reflect on their progress and continue their professional growth.

This episode provides a practical roadmap for businesses looking to implement cost-effective mentoring programs that enhance employee satisfaction and long-term retention. Have you arranged a mentorship for an employee? 

Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with new releases every Monday!

We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to amplifyhr.com.au or connect with Karen on LinkedIn! 

Send us a text

Get our free eBook packed with practical strategies to attract, engage, and retain top talent. Perfect for business owners and leaders focused on building a thriving team. Download it at amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/find-grow-keep

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores how goal setting is essential for ensuring employees understand expectations, stay motivated, and achieve strong performance—especially in evolving workplace models like remote and hybrid work. She highlights why clarity and structure in goal setting lead to better engagement and productivity.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• The five key principles of effective goal setting, based on research by Locke and Latham: commitment, clarity, challenge, complexity, and feedback.
• How to create motivating goals that empower employees to take ownership of their work.
• Why specific and measurable goals are more effective than vague expectations.
• The importance of balancing challenge and attainability to drive performance without overwhelming employees.
• How regular feedback and progress reviews help employees stay on track and remain engaged throughout the year.
• Why performance reviews should be ongoing rather than an annual process to ensure continuous improvement and motivation.

This episode provides a practical framework for business leaders looking to set clear, motivating goals that drive success for both employees and the organization.

Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with new releases every Monday!

We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to amplifyhr.com.au or connect with Karen on LinkedIn! 

Send us a text

Get our free eBook packed with practical strategies to attract, engage, and retain top talent. Perfect for business owners and leaders focused on building a thriving team. Download it at amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/find-grow-keep

In this episode, Karen Kirton tackles one of the biggest challenges facing businesses today—finding great employees in a tight labor market. She explores why many organizations struggle to attract talent and shares practical strategies to improve recruitment efforts, particularly as competition increases in industries like IT, construction, and financial services.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• How sign-on bonuses can incentivize candidates to choose your company over others and when they are most effective.
• The power of employee referrals, why they work, and how to structure a referral bonus program.
• Why reconnecting with former employees (boomerang employees) can be a great source of talent.
• The importance of leveraging social media and customer newsletters to expand the reach of job opportunities.
• How redesigning roles—such as hiring trainees, apprentices, or graduates—can help businesses struggling to find experienced talent.
• The opportunities and challenges of sponsoring overseas talent, especially with Australia’s evolving immigration policies.
• Why outsourcing certain functions (such as HR, marketing, or finance) can be a cost-effective alternative to hiring full-time employees.

With the employment market expected to heat up in early 2022, this episode provides actionable insights for businesses looking to stay competitive and attract top talent. Listen for our top 8 tips for recruiting great people in a tough market

Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with new releases every Monday!

We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to amplifyhr.com.au or connect with Karen on LinkedIn! 

Send us a text

Get our free eBook packed with practical strategies to attract, engage, and retain top talent. Perfect for business owners and leaders focused on building a thriving team. Download it at amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/find-grow-keep

In this episode, Karen Kirton discusses why recruitment is more of a marketing activity than a human resources function and how businesses can effectively position themselves as attractive employers. She explains how developing a strong employer brand and clearly communicating your employee value proposition (EVP) can significantly improve recruitment outcomes and reduce turnover.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• The importance of employer branding and how to define your workplace culture to attract the right candidates.
• How to use employee engagement data to shape your recruitment messaging and authentically represent your workplace.
• Why a strong employee value proposition (EVP) is essential, including the benefits and perks that candidates prioritize, such as flexible work arrangements and career development.
• How job ads should focus on selling the company to candidates, rather than just listing responsibilities and requirements.
• Why candidates research potential employers and how updating your LinkedIn and online presence can improve your appeal.
• The role of recruitment agencies and how to ensure you are partnering with the right one for your industry.

This episode provides actionable steps for businesses looking to market themselves effectively and attract top talent in a competitive hiring environment.

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Make sure to subscribe to our podcast to get more insights like these and check out Amplify HR for more resources.

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Get our free eBook packed with practical strategies to attract, engage, and retain top talent. Perfect for business owners and leaders focused on building a thriving team. Download it at amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/find-grow-keep

 In this episode, Karen Kirton explores how clear position descriptions help employees understand their roles, align expectations, and improve performance. She discusses why many businesses overlook position descriptions and how outdated or unclear job roles can lead to confusion, misalignment, and decreased productivity.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Why role clarity is essential for setting expectations and improving performance.
• The four key principles of effective position descriptions: clarity, simplicity, bias review, and regular updates.
• How to write clear and concise position descriptions, focusing on key accountabilities rather than an exhaustive list of tasks.
• The importance of avoiding bias in job descriptions, including gendered language and unnecessary experience requirements.
• How to ensure position descriptions remain relevant, with simple processes for regular updates, such as reviewing them during recruitment and salary review cycles.

This episode provides practical guidance for business owners and managers looking to create and maintain effective position descriptions that support employee success and workplace productivity.

Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with new releases every Monday!

 Visit Amplify HR for more insights and resources. 

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Hire right: Making your business a people magnet - Amplify HR

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Get our free eBook packed with practical strategies to attract, engage, and retain top talent. Perfect for business owners and leaders focused on building a thriving team. Download it at amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/find-grow-keep

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores how pre-employment assessments—often referred to as psychometric assessments—can significantly improve hiring decisions and reduce bias in the recruitment process. With research showing that traditional interviews alone are poor predictors of job performance, she explains why incorporating assessments can increase hiring accuracy by two to three times.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Why interviews are unreliable predictors of job performance due to bias and impression management.
• The role of psychometric testing in improving hiring outcomes by assessing cognitive ability, integrity, and behavioral fit.
• How research shows that structured, behavior-based interviews combined with assessments provide much better hiring outcomes than interviews alone.
• The types of assessments that are most effective, including cognitive ability and integrity tests, while also discussing the limitations of personality testing.
• How small businesses can access assessments without large-scale subscriptions and why they should view these tools as a cost-effective investment in long-term hiring success.
• The importance of balancing assessment results with structured interviews and practical work tests to get a complete picture of a candidate’s ability.

This episode offers practical guidance for business leaders looking to make smarter hiring decisions, reduce turnover, and build strong workplace cultures through better recruitment strategies.

Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with new releases every Monday!

 Visit Amplify HR for more insights and resources. 

 Free download:

Hire right: Making your business a people magnet - Amplify HR

Send us a text

Get our free eBook packed with practical strategies to attract, engage, and retain top talent. Perfect for business owners and leaders focused on building a thriving team. Download it at amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/find-grow-keep