Find Grow Keep

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores shadow values—the hidden cultural norms and behaviors that exist within an organization, whether positive or negative. While company values may be officially documented, shadow values are what truly shape workplace culture, and failing to recognize them can lead to misalignment, disengagement, and even unethical behavior.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• What shadow values are and how they exist beneath the surface of stated company values.
• Examples of negative shadow values, including corporate scandals like Sony Music and Volkswagen, where internal behaviors contradicted their publicly stated values.
• Why positive shadow values are a missed opportunity if they aren’t identified and leveraged in employer branding and company culture.
• How to uncover shadow values by engaging employees through: 
  • Focus groups that explore real workplace experiences.
  • Anonymous surveys that assess how well the company lives up to its values.
  • Discussions on psychological safety to encourage open and honest feedback.
• How to address negative shadow values, ensuring leadership sets the right example, takes action against toxic behaviors, and clearly communicates expectations.
• How to amplify positive shadow values, embedding them into company messaging, recruitment efforts, and internal communications to strengthen workplace culture.
• Why company values should be revisited regularly, especially after major organizational changes, to ensure they still reflect the lived experience of employees.

This episode provides practical steps for business leaders looking to uncover hidden cultural influences, align behaviors with stated values, and create a more authentic, engaged workplace.

Does your organisation have shadow values? 

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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Download our free guide, “Getting Stuff Done Through Your People,” giving you the tools to build a culture where people take ownership, goals get achieved, and results follow.

https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/getting-stuff-done-through-your-people/ 

In this episode, Karen Kirton challenges the traditional view of recruitment as an HR function and explains why effective hiring is more aligned with marketing strategies than administrative HR processes. She breaks down the recruitment process into key marketing steps, showing how attracting the right candidates requires strategic branding, messaging, and positioning—just like selling a product or service.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• The difference between recruitment and HR, and why hiring requires a marketing mindset rather than just an administrative process.
• Four key marketing stages in recruitment:
  1. Creating the offer – Clearly defining the role and crafting an attractive employee value proposition.
  2. Research and testing – Understanding the employer brand and what makes the company stand out to potential candidates.
  3. Advertising the role – Strategically choosing the right channels and crafting compelling job ads that engage top talent.
  4. Selling the opportunity – Conducting interviews as a two-way process where the company is also showcasing why it’s a great place to work.
• How to differentiate job postings in a competitive market, ensuring they don’t get lost among hundreds of similar ads.
• Why understanding a candidate’s motivations is essential for long-term retention and ensuring a good fit for both parties.
• How structured interviews and pre-hire testing can improve hiring outcomes while keeping the candidate experience engaging.
• The importance of a clear, market-based salary strategy that avoids perpetuating pay gaps and ensures fair compensation.

This episode provides practical insights for business owners and hiring managers looking to improve recruitment success by applying marketing strategies, ensuring they attract and retain the right talent in an increasingly competitive job market.

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

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Download our free guide, “Getting Stuff Done Through Your People,” giving you the tools to build a culture where people take ownership, goals get achieved, and results follow.

https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/getting-stuff-done-through-your-people/ 

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores why standardizing onboarding is critical for getting new hires up to speed efficiently and ensuring they feel engaged and confident in their roles from day one. She shares practical ways to create a structured, repeatable onboarding process that reduces inconsistency and saves time for managers.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• Why onboarding matters—with research showing that structured onboarding increases employee productivity by 70% and engagement by 54%.
• How to standardize onboarding using three key components: 
  1. Videos – Recording common training tasks, such as system navigation and company processes, to reduce time spent on repetitive explanations.
  2. How-to guides – Using transcription tools like Otter.ai to easily document step-by-step instructions for key tasks.
  3. Buddies – Assigning an experienced employee to support new hires, ensuring they have a positive first experience and a go-to person for questions.
• The importance of choosing the right buddy, ensuring they represent the company culture and provide helpful guidance.
• Why ongoing checklists and structured support make onboarding consistent and scalable, especially as businesses grow.

This episode provides a practical guide for business owners and managers looking to improve onboarding efficiency, reduce new hire uncertainty, and build a strong foundation for employee success.

Have you implemented a standardised onboarding process? 

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 Fan Mail

Download our free guide, “Getting Stuff Done Through Your People,” giving you the tools to build a culture where people take ownership, goals get achieved, and results follow.

https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/getting-stuff-done-through-your-people/ 

In this episode, Karen Kirton discusses how employee benefits play a crucial role in retaining top talent and making businesses more attractive to potential hires. While many organizations assume that benefits require large budgets, Karen highlights how small, cost-effective perks can make a big impact on employee satisfaction and loyalty.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• What employee benefits really mean—beyond stock options and gym memberships, focusing on non-monetary rewards that differentiate your business.
• 12 commonly valued benefits that are highly appreciated by employees, including: 
  1. Flexible working arrangements
  2. Volunteer days
  3. Additional employer-paid superannuation
  4. Purchased leave programs
  5. Tenure-based bonus leave
  6. Employee assistance programs (EAPs)
  7. Education assistance for degrees or diplomas
  8. Social committees and scheduled team-building events
  9. Service awards recognizing employee milestones
  10. Recognition programs with structured rewards
  11. Pet-friendly policies for office environments
  12. Referral reward programs for hiring
• How to implement a benefits program by starting with easy, cost-effective options and gradually expanding offerings over time.
• Why marketing your benefits is critical—ensuring employees recognize and value what’s available to them.
• The importance of reviewing benefits regularly to ensure they remain relevant, valuable, and aligned with employee needs.

This episode provides practical insights for business leaders looking to strengthen employee retention, boost engagement, and position their company as an employer of choice through a well-structured benefits program.

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 Fan Mail

Download our free guide, “Getting Stuff Done Through Your People,” giving you the tools to build a culture where people take ownership, goals get achieved, and results follow.

https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/getting-stuff-done-through-your-people/ 

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores the balance between being an empathetic leader and maintaining professional boundaries. While empathy is a key component of emotional intelligence and effective leadership, many business owners worry about where to draw the line so they don’t take on the role of a counselor or become emotionally drained.

In today’s episode, you will learn about:

• The definition of empathy in leadership and how it differs from sympathy.
• Why empathy helps build stronger relationships, resolve workplace issues, and improve collaboration.
• How empathetic conversations—such as simply asking “Is everything okay?”—can lead to better outcomes when addressing employee concerns.
• The importance of balancing empathy with clear expectations, ensuring accountability while also supporting employees.
• Where to draw the line—how to recognize when empathy is becoming overwhelming and when to redirect employees to external support.
• Practical phrases to use when conversations become too emotionally burdensome, helping leaders maintain boundaries while still showing concern.

This episode provides a practical framework for leaders looking to cultivate empathy in the workplace without feeling emotionally exhausted or losing sight of business needs.

Have you struggled with the line between empathy and sympathy? 

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 Fan Mail

Download our free guide, “Getting Stuff Done Through Your People,” giving you the tools to build a culture where people take ownership, goals get achieved, and results follow.

https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/getting-stuff-done-through-your-people/ 

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? 

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 Fan Mail

Download our free guide, “Getting Stuff Done Through Your People,” giving you the tools to build a culture where people take ownership, goals get achieved, and results follow.

https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/getting-stuff-done-through-your-people/ 

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? 

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 Fan Mail

Download our free guide, “Getting Stuff Done Through Your People,” giving you the tools to build a culture where people take ownership, goals get achieved, and results follow.

https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/getting-stuff-done-through-your-people/ 

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! 

Send us Fan Mail

Download our free guide, “Getting Stuff Done Through Your People,” giving you the tools to build a culture where people take ownership, goals get achieved, and results follow.

https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/getting-stuff-done-through-your-people/ 

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 Fan Mail

Download our free guide, “Getting Stuff Done Through Your People,” giving you the tools to build a culture where people take ownership, goals get achieved, and results follow.

https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/getting-stuff-done-through-your-people/ 

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 Fan Mail

Download our free guide, “Getting Stuff Done Through Your People,” giving you the tools to build a culture where people take ownership, goals get achieved, and results follow.

https://www.amplifyhr.com.au/downloadable/getting-stuff-done-through-your-people/