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...

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...

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...

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 b...

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 definit...

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 i...

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...

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...

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 persona...

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 play...

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...

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 lea...

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 episo...

 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...

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...

In this episode, Karen Kirton examines whether offering higher salaries to retain employees who have received external job offers is an effective strategy. With the current employment market making it easier for recruiters to entice talent with significant salary increases, businesses need to consider whether counteroffers truly work in the long term. In today’s episode, you will learn about: Why...

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores the growing conversation around pay transparency and fair remuneration practices, sparked by recent media coverage of Apple employees sharing salary details. She examines the complexities of salary transparency, the challenges organizations face in maintaining pay equity, and the importance of structured remuneration policies. In today’s episode, you will lea...

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores the concept of the Great Resignation , a term used to describe the significant increase in workforce turnover seen in many countries, including Australia. She discusses why employees are leaving, the key drivers behind this trend, and what businesses can do to strengthen retention and workplace culture. In today’s episode, you will learn about: The main reaso...

In this episode, Karen Kirton discusses the importance of employee recognition and how to make it meaningful, rather than just a routine process. She explains why recognition should be specific, timely, personal, and tied to a larger purpose to truly impact employee engagement and motivation. In today’s episode, you will learn about: Why personalized recognition is more effective than generic rewa...

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores the key moments when businesses should reassess their team structure. While many companies only consider restructuring when faced with immediate challenges—such as workload overflow, employee departures, or staff complaints—Karen highlights a more proactive approach to ensure businesses remain efficient and scalable. In today’s episode, you will learn about:...

In this episode, Karen Kirton addresses how to make team meetings more effective and engaging, ensuring they serve a real purpose rather than becoming a routine obligation. She outlines a framework for structuring meetings that add value, encourage collaboration, and drive meaningful discussions. In today’s episode, you will learn about: The importance of defining a clear purpose for meetings to e...

In this episode, Karen Kirton explores the growing trend of boomerang employees —those who leave an organization and later return. She examines whether rehiring former employees is a strategic advantage or a potential mistake and shares insights from HR research and personal experience in corporate roles. In today’s episode, you will learn about: How attitudes toward rehiring former employees have...

In this episode, Karen tackles a critical aspect of business strategy—developing leaders from within, especially in small businesses. If you believe that career development is reserved for large corporations, this episode is here to change your perspective and illustrate how nurturing talent internally can significantly propel your business's growth. In this episode, you'll gain insights...

In this episode,  Karen   explores the idea that we can enable faster and better decision making through being clear on our business purpose and values.  We dive deep into how clear business purpose and values are not just words on a wall but critical drivers for smarter, faster decision-making.  You will discover: -> The transformative impact of understanding and refreshing your business'...

In this episode, we provide alternatives to a high performance culture and how being innovative, customer-centric or purpose driven may instead be what inspires high performance in your organisation.  Thanks to Warren Carney for agreeing to have his business case studied in this episode!  We’d love your feedback on this series, just head on over to amplifyhr.com.au or connect with Karen on LinkedI...