REPUBLISHED 153 HR: From Hire to Fire — Natasha Hawker

Natasha Hawker is co-founder of Employee Matters, your in-house HR and recruitment experts coming in and out of your business as and when you need them. A finalist in the Australian 2023 Telstra Best of Business Awards, Natasha Hawker is author of From Hire to Fire, Managing the Employee Life Cycle, Higher, Manage, Wellbeing and Exit. Soundbites [2:50] Difficult conversations in management and key questions managers should ask themselves. [3:10] Importance of normalizing feedback in everyday business to prevent difficult conversations from escalating. [3:43] The importance of having regular one-on-ones with employees to facilitate open communication. [3:57] Approach to daily huddles and how they improve accountability, communication, and listening skills, especially in remote teams. [5:55] Why managers avoid difficult conversations, highlighting the lack of formal training for managers on handling performance discussions. [6:12] Three key areas managers need to improve: hiring better, managing better, and exiting better. Structured feedback can prevent performance issues from escalating. [7:19] Personal experiences of avoiding feedback, explaining how unaddressed small issues can snowball over time. [8:08] Shift in business. Introducing private one-on-ones to create a space for open conversations before issues arise. [8:40] Vulnerability in leadership, encouraging managers to seek feedback from their teams. [9:50] Challenge of employees reacting emotionally to feedback, with de-escalation techniques from Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss. [11:29] Advice on acknowledging emotions during difficult conversations and using pauses to allow employees to express their feelings. [12:19] Role of social sensitivity in effective teams. Reading nonverbal cues and responding appropriately. [12:46] Recommendation to prepare employees for tough feedback conversations by framing them as growth opportunities. [13:48] Suggestion for a direct approach to sharing feedback, allowing employees to correct assumptions and engage in open dialogue. [14:10] Introduction to the topic of exit interviews, explaining their value in identifying trends, retention risks, and leadership challenges. [15:09] Concept of stay interviews—proactively engaging employees to understand what would keep them in the company. [16:17] Exploration of the benefits of an alumni program and how staying connected with former employees can lead to new business opportunities. [17:09] Shift in discussion to onboarding, explaining how poor onboarding increases turnover, emphasizing the need for structured induction programs. [20:38] Identification of a critical gap—many businesses underutilize their management teams, missing opportunities to increase productivity and profitability. [21:30] Information on how Employee Matters helps small to medium businesses with HR and recruitment, emphasizing that strong HR practices provide a competitive advantage. CONTACT NATASHA HAWKER Contact Employee Matters at employeematters.com.au to learn more about their HR and recruitment services. https://www.natashahawker.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natashahawker/ ABOUT PODCAST HOST, NINA SUNDAY CSP "Download from Nina Sunday's book a free chapter titled, Lead From The Front, an insightful deep dive into effective leadership. 1. Why “People Don't Quit Companies; They Quit Managers.” 2. The 8 Good Behaviors of a Manager. 3. Lead From the Front to Motivate Your Team. Grab your free PDF here https://www.ninasunday.com/workplace-wisdom-lead-from-the-front === Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices