In this episode, Karen Kirton discusses the key HR, people, and culture considerations for businesses moving into a new year. With significant changes in workplace legislation, evolving workforce expectations, and the need to stay proactive, she outlines critical areas to focus on to ensure compliance, engagement, and business success.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Budgeting for HR and workforce planning
  • January is a peak time for resignations, so it’s important to plan for recruitment costs, agency fees, and time commitments needed for hiring.
  • Reviewing bonus structures and recognition programs to ensure they remain engaging and effective for employees.
• Employee engagement, training, and team development
  • Increased focus on team days and training as hybrid work continues, requiring structured planning and budgeting.
  • Scheduling development activities in advance to ensure participation and effectiveness.
  • Reviewing and upgrading work tools, technology, and home office setups to ensure employees have the right equipment to perform their roles effectively.
• Workplace health and safety (WHS) and employee well-being
  • Ensuring work-from-home setups remain compliant and don’t pose risks to employee health.
  • Reviewing Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and their usage to ensure they provide proactive support.
• Compliance and major employment law changes
  • Recent updates to workplace legislation, including: 
    • Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill – affecting contract terms, salary structures, and employment agreements.
    • Respect@Work amendments – introducing positive duties on businesses to proactively prevent sexual harassment.
    • New regulations on flexible work, fixed-term contracts, unpaid parental leave, and anti-discrimination protections.
  • Upcoming webinar with Matthew Robinson, Partner at FCB Workplace Law, to provide practical guidance on these legislative changes and how businesses should prepare.
• Proactive risk management and assessments
  • The importance of conducting risk assessments for workplace health, compliance, and psychosocial risks.
  • Understanding enterprise bargaining changes, which may push more businesses toward negotiating agreements, even with competitors.

With these considerations, Karen provides a roadmap for businesses to start the year on the right foot, ensuring HR processes are aligned with legal requirements, employee expectations, and business objectives.

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

We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to Amplify HR 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 the concept of open hiring, where the first person to apply for a job gets the position. This hiring method is designed to remove bias and provide opportunities for individuals who typically face employment barriers, such as those with disabilities, criminal records, or gaps in work history.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• The benefits of open hiring, including faster recruitment, increased diversity and inclusion, and the ability to give more people a chance at employment.
• How open hiring aligns with business values, helping companies demonstrate a commitment to social impact and fairness while enhancing their employer brand.
• Key considerations before implementing open hiring, including: 
  • Application process fairness – How to ensure accessibility for all candidates, whether through online applications, in-person sign-ups, or alternative methods.
  • Role suitability and volume – Why open hiring works best for entry-level roles with high volume needs, such as retail, warehousing, and hospitality.
  • Manager training – Ensuring hiring managers don’t revert to traditional interview processes, maintaining the integrity of the open hiring approach.
  • Work health and safety (WHS) concerns – The importance of assessing whether candidates can safely perform the role, including potential pre-employment medical checks.
  • Measuring success – Tracking employee retention, engagement, and job performance to determine whether open hiring is effective in the long term.

Karen shares examples of companies using open hiring, including Greyston Bakery in the U.S., which reduced employee turnover by 60%, and The Body Shop, which successfully implemented the model across its retail and distribution roles.

By exploring these benefits and challenges, businesses can determine whether open hiring fits their workforce needs and how to successfully integrate it into their recruitment strategy.

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

We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to Amplify HR 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 to handle employee requests to work remotely from different locations—whether interstate, in a different city, or even overseas. As remote work becomes more common, businesses must balance flexibility with operational needs, compliance, and fairness.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Equity concerns – How to ensure fairness when some employees must work in-office while others can work remotely, and how cost-of-living differences impact salaries.
• Hours of work and time zones – How to determine whether employees should work in the company’s primary time zone or adjust to their local hours, especially with significant time differences.
• Workplace health and safety (WHS) responsibilities – Why employers are legally responsible for ensuring remote employees have a safe working environment, even if working from home.
• Face-to-face time expectations – How often should remote employees return for team meetings or training, and who pays for travel?
• Promotion and career growth considerations – Why fully remote employees may be less visible for promotions and how to proactively manage career progression.
• Legal and tax implications – Why businesses must assess international tax, employment laws, and compliance risks before approving an employee’s request to work overseas.
• Using an Employer of Record (EOR) – How third-party agencies can manage international employment and compliance for employees working in other countries.
• Documenting agreements – Why every remote work arrangement should be clearly documented, including expectations for work hours, performance, and return visits.
• Trial periods and success measures – How to test remote work arrangements with clear success metrics to ensure business needs continue to be met.

By considering these factors, businesses can make informed decisions about remote work requests, ensuring fairness, compliance, and productivity while offering employees greater flexibility.

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

Do you have employees working from anywhere? We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to Amplify HR 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 affordable ways to upskill employees and address skill shortages in small businesses. With many companies struggling to find skilled workers, investing in learning and development can be a game-changer for employee retention, engagement, and business growth.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• The business case for upskilling – How employees who feel their skills are valued are far more likely to stay, and how learning investment leads to higher revenue.
• Why upskilling is a competitive necessity – Research from the World Economic Forum suggests that 40% of workers will need reskilling within six months, with critical thinking, problem-solving, and technology skills in high demand.
• Employee-led upskilling – How simple development plans (focusing on one key learning activity per month or quarter) keep employees engaged without overwhelming them.
• Business-led upskilling – How companies can map future skill needs, create structured training programs, and embed a culture of continuous learning through on-the-job experiences, mentoring, and microlearning.
• How to structure a learning program – Steps to identify training needs, set participation expectations, and track engagement to ensure effectiveness.

By implementing both employee-led and business-led upskilling strategies, small businesses can build workforce capability, boost retention, and stay competitive—all without expensive training programs.

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

We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to Amplify HR 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 the key factors to consider before hiring your first HR professional. Many business owners wonder if company size, industry, or workforce complexity determines when to bring in HR support, but the decision is more nuanced.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• The evolution of HR in businesses – How HR functions typically start with admin tasks assigned to finance or office managers before evolving into a dedicated HR role.
• The different types of HR roles – The transition from HR Administrator to HR Manager to HR Business Partner, and how each role supports a company’s strategy differently.
• Common pitfalls when hiring HR staff – The risks of expecting one person to manage HR, payroll, and WHS, or expecting HR to handle performance management instead of leaders.
• The balance between administration and strategy – Why small businesses must determine if they need an HR admin to manage processes or a strategic HR professional to drive business outcomes.
• Preventing burnout in standalone HR roles – The emotional and workload challenges of a single HR person, and how to ensure they have the right support and technology to be effective.

If your business has between 50 and 100 employees, now might be the right time to bring in dedicated HR expertise. However, defining the role clearly—whether administrative or strategic—is critical to maximizing its impact while avoiding common hiring mistakes.

Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with new releases every second 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 the four-day work week, an increasingly popular workplace model where employees work fewer hours but retain their full salary. As businesses worldwide experiment with this approach, Karen breaks down the potential benefits, risks, and steps to successfully implement it.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Why businesses are trialing the four-day work week – How this model enhances productivity, employee well-being, and work-life balance.
• The key benefits – Increased engagement, retention, and attraction of talent, as well as greater inclusion and gender equality by making work more flexible for caregivers.
• Potential risks and challenges – The mindset shift required to focus on outcomes rather than hours, concerns about customer expectations, and ensuring employees don’t experience burnout by cramming five days of work into four.
• The role of structured planning – The importance of defining roles based on measurable outcomes, aligning with legal and industrial relations requirements, and ensuring equity for existing part-time employees.
• How to implement a four-day work week – Steps for consulting employees, trialing the model, setting clear success metrics, and communicating the benefits internally and externally.

While the four-day work week isn’t suitable for every business, it can provide a major competitive advantage by improving productivity, employee satisfaction, and employer branding. If implemented well, it can help businesses stand out in a competitive labor market while maintaining efficiency and profitability.

Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with new releases every second 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 strengths-based leadership and why developing strengths leads to greater success and well-being than focusing on weaknesses. Traditional workplace development has emphasized fixing weaknesses, but research suggests that leveraging strengths is far more effective for motivation, engagement, and performance.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• What strengths-based leadership is – The foundation of positive psychology, which focuses on developing what we naturally do well rather than fixing weaknesses.
• Why traditional development approaches fail – Forcing people to improve on things they dislike leads to frustration, procrastination, and disengagement.
• How to identify your strengths – Free and paid assessments, including VIA Character Strengths, CliftonStrengths, and Strengths Profile, help uncover what energizes and motivates you.
• The science behind strengths development – Studies show that using strengths in a new way increases happiness and reduces stress for up to six months.
• Why strengths awareness leads to better leadership – Employees who use their strengths daily report higher job satisfaction and are more likely to stay in their roles.
• How to apply strengths in leadership – Understanding both your own strengths and those of your team members allows for better delegation, motivation, and productivity.
• Practical ways to develop strengths – Strategies to enhance strengths like curiosity, resilience, and leadership legacy through daily exercises and role adjustments.

By focusing on strengths, leaders create happier, more engaged teams, leading to higher retention and workplace satisfaction.

Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with new releases every second 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 to shift company culture beyond just telling managers to "fix" their teams. Culture is shaped by the entire organization, not just one person, and shifting it requires a structured and strategic approach rather than isolated efforts.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Why assigning culture change to a single manager is ineffective – A case study illustrating how top-down culture change without support can lead to employee resistance and even legal consequences.
• The importance of looking at culture holistically – Why hiring new people alone won’t shift culture unless an organization is clear on its purpose, values, and behaviors.
• How to define and align company values – Establishing core values that reflect how the company operates and using goal setting and KPIs to reinforce them.
• Building a structured framework for cultural change – Creating a systematic approach that includes recruitment, onboarding, performance reviews, and recognition programs to support the desired culture.
• The role of leadership in shaping culture – How consistent leadership behaviors and clear expectations help employees understand what is acceptable and what is not.
• Making culture tangible – Why organizations need measurable processes to ensure cultural initiatives aren’t just words but actual workplace practices.

Shifting culture isn’t an overnight process, but structured people and culture systems make it possible to create a workplace where employees feel engaged, aligned, and motivated.

Have you tried to change your workplace culture? 

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

 Visit Amplify HR for more insights and resources.

Free Download to Improve Your Workplace Culture:  Unlock Business Growth Through Your People

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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 tackles the critical issue of employee retention, providing actionable advice and insights on how businesses can retain their best talent in a competitive job market. The discussion is grounded in the latest research and practical strategies that you can implement immediately.

In this episode, you will learn about:

• Personalized Engagement: Discover the power of 'Asking the Person' (ATP) to uncover true employee motivations and needs. This strategy emphasizes the importance of individual conversations to understand why employees stay and what might cause them to leave.
• Financial Incentives: An exploration of current trends indicating that competitive salaries and benefits are increasingly influential in employee retention. We discuss how to assess and adjust remuneration strategies to align with market standards and employee expectations.
• Cultural Alignment: Insights into assessing and cultivating a workplace culture that aligns with both organizational goals and employee values. This segment covers practical steps for measuring and enhancing the work environment to support retention.
• Proactive Planning: Guidance on how to use strategic planning to preemptively address potential retention issues before they escalate. This includes how to adapt roles and responsibilities within the company as it grows and changes.

Each of these focal points is designed to help you better understand and implement retention strategies that are effective in today's dynamic work environment. By the end of this episode, you'll have a clearer understanding of why employees leave and what you can do to encourage them to stay.

Make sure to subscribe to stay updated with new releases every second Monday!
 
Visit Amplify HR for more insights and resources. 

Free Download: Secrets to Keeping Your A Players - 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 small businesses can create career paths for employees, even with limited roles or organizational structure. With today’s competitive job market, providing career growth opportunities is a key factor in attracting and retaining top talent.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Why career paths matter – Research shows that candidates prioritize training and development when considering new roles, making career planning a valuable retention strategy.
• How to structure career paths in different business types – Whether you have many similar roles (e.g., accounting firms) or highly specialized roles (e.g., media agencies), Karen shares tailored approaches to career mapping.
• Competency-based career progression – How to define role competencies and set clear steps for employees to advance within their positions.
• Identifying high-potential employees – How to pinpoint employees who would benefit from a career path and work with them to develop a long-term career plan.
• The business owner’s role – Practical ways to support career development, such as offering job rotations, secondments, stretch projects, and external learning opportunities.
• The importance of position descriptions – How using clear job descriptions can guide employees toward the skills and experience needed for promotion.
• Promotions and role redesign – Why businesses should consider promoting from within, even if an employee isn’t 100% ready, to prevent talent loss.

Karen provides actionable steps for small business owners to build career pathways, ensuring employees feel valued, motivated, and engaged in their professional growth.

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

 Visit Amplify HR for more insights and resources. 

Free download:

An abridged version of the Amazon best-selling book “Great People, Great Business”

Also Mentioned in This Episode:
Retain Your Best Employees with Personal Development Plans
Episode 23

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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