How do you build a workplace where people don't just stay, but grow, return, and recommend it to others?

In this episode of HR Unlocked, Lisa Oakley sits down with Khush Sethi, Head of Talent & Culture at ClearPoint, to explore leadership, organisational culture, talent management, and the future of People & Culture.

Drawing on more than 15 years of experience, Khush shares practical insights into creating exceptional employee experiences, developing leaders, fostering psychological safety, and balancing technology with genuine human connection.

From co-creating organisational values and embracing AI to building curiosity, resilience, and authentic leadership, this conversation offers practical lessons for leaders looking to create cultures where both people and businesses thrive.

What You'll Learn

• Why talent management is about the entire employee lifecycle

• How organisational values should guide everyday decisions

• The importance of curiosity, psychological safety, and continuous learning

• How AI can enhance, rather than replace, human connection

• Why leadership development is an ongoing journey

• How co-creating culture strengthens engagement and trust

• The difference between being kind and simply being nice as a leader

Key Takeaways

• Strong cultures are built through everyday behaviours, not words on a wall

• Great leaders lead with curiosity, empathy, and authenticity

• AI is most valuable when it supports, rather than replaces, human connection

• Leadership is about creating environments where people can learn, grow, and contribute

• Trust, communication, and shared ownership are the foundations of high-performing organisations

About Khush Sethi

Khush Sethi is Head of Talent & Culture at ClearPoint, leading People & Culture across Australasia and the United Kingdom. Passionate about creating meaningful employee experiences, she specialises in organisational culture, leadership development, talent strategy, and building workplaces where people feel connected, valued, and empowered to do their best work.

Why This Episode Matters

As organisations navigate AI, changing workforce expectations, and increasingly complex leadership challenges, creating cultures built on trust, learning, and authentic human connection has never been more important. This episode offers practical insights for leaders, HR professionals, and business owners looking to build resilient, high-performing organisations.

Resources

• Connect with Khush Sethi on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/khushsethi/

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New Zealand’s housing market remains stubbornly flat, our birth rate has fallen to historic lows, and Auckland is once again talking about another Harbour Crossing.

Liam Dann and Tamsyn Parker ask whether the great Kiwi property boom is truly over, what slower population growth means for the economy, and why New Zealand can spend decades talking about major infrastructure without actually building it.

The Economy of Everything is brought to you by CMC Markets.

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Labour leader Chris Hipkins says he will be saying 'no' to the various tax policies being proposed by his potential coalition partners.

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Fletcher Building, Spark and Sky City yet to come. Mark Lister Craigs investment Partners.

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Gorilla Technology CEO Paul Spain says an expected IPO by Claude maker Anthropic would mark a serious turning point for the technology industry.

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Jarden’s head of derivatives previews tonight’s GDT auction, expecting stronger dairy prices driven by higher powder values. He also discusses the impact of European production declines, New Zealand milk flows and global dairy market signals.

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We are apparently more worried here about paying our power bills than consumers overseas in comparable circumstances.' Garth Bray 2degrees wrap.

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Retailers are optimistic a bump in spending will stick around.  

Latest Stats NZ data on electronic card transactions shows July's core retail spending is up 3.5% compared to the same time last year.  

Retail NZ says it's an encouraging sign considering the winter months are typically slower for the sector.  

Communications Manager Denise Garland told Mike Hosking the FIFA World Cup was likely a big factor in the positive hospitality numbers.  

She says it’s been a rocky year for retail, but they’re seeing more people out and about and in cafes and restaurants, so there’s hope the bounce will continue. 

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Inflation is easing but further Official Cash Rate hikes are probably unavoidable. 

Latest Stats NZ data shows the prices of diesel and petrol have been steadily falling for three consecutive months. 

Diesel inflation's fallen to 34.8%, petrol inflation's fallen to 15.1%, electricity inflation's fallen to 9.5%, and food inflation is now just 1.9%. 

But Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchhod told Ryan Bridge overall inflation is still well above 3%. 

He says the Reserve Bank is probably going to have to raise the OCR a couple more times this year. 

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In the property market we often focus on who's winning between the buyer and the seller, but an economist from Simplicity has calculated that renters could be the top dogs at the moment. 

But, Ed McKnight from Opes Partners questions the reliability of this claim. 

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