#5 - Building Thriving Workplaces: HR Insights with Danielle Howe

In this episode of Engaging Conversations, host Leon Goltsman sits down with HR expert Danielle Howe, who brings over 25 years of experience. Together, they unpack the secrets to building a workplace where people thrive.

From Danielle's journey in her family's electrical business to her leadership in HR, she shares powerful insights into how companies can strengthen autonomy, accountability, and a culture of trust.

Danielle explores the critical shift from micromanagement to employee empowerment, offering actionable advice on how businesses can navigate the post-COVID landscape. She also shares strategies for supporting employees' career aspirations, improving workplace communication, and leveraging community networks to find and retain talent.

Whether you're an employer looking to energise your team or an employee wanting to feel more engaged at work, this conversation is packed with valuable takeaways to help you and your workplace thrive. Don't miss it!

Tune in now and discover how to transform your workplace!

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To contact Danielle or learn more, follow the links below:

Website: knowhowehr.com.au
Email: hello@knowhowehr.com.au
LinkedIn: Danielle Howe

Chapters

• 0:00 Empowering Employees Through Flexible Work
• 11:44 Optimizing Workplace Success Through Engagement
• 24:05 Financial Literacy and Credit Success

Transcript

Leon Goltsman: 0:00

Good morning, good afternoon or good evening, wherever you are, and welcome back to Engaging Conversations, the podcast that brings you stories to inspire, challenge and uplift. I'm your host, eon Goltsman, co-founder of Ecolibrium Headquarters, and today's episode is proudly brought to you by Lake Mac Business Focus, because supporting those making a difference in our communities matters. And now I'm particularly excited about today's episode because I have the pleasure of introducing someone with over 25 years of expertise in HR recruitment and people management, Danielle Howe from KnowHow HR. Danielle isn't just an expert in her field. She brings a unique energy to everything that she does, even making the most daunting tasks, like managing people, seem approachable and fun. But we didn't just stick to the usual studio format for this interview. Danielle and I decided to take it outdoors for a more authentic and laid back conversation, and I've got to say it was exactly what I needed.

Leon Goltsman: 1:07

I was feeling a bit run down that week, but spending time with Danielle was personally uplifting and it reminded me of the power of surrounding yourself with the right people. Danielle's positive energy is infectious and I'm sure you'll feel it right away. Whether you're an employee, an employer or someone who's simply looking to improve how you connect with others. This episode will leave you inspired and ready to take on new challenges. So let's take a step outside, enjoy the fresh air and sunlight and dive into Danielle's incredible insights that could make a big difference in the way we work. So, without further ado, let's begin. So, danielle, look, it's great to see you. It's been a while since our last coffee and here we are sitting in. Where are we again?

Danielle Howe: 1:56

Hornsby at a park near a swimming pool.

Leon Goltsman: 1:59

Yeah, we are, and it's actually. It was noisy and there were fire engines and kids playing, but you know what? This is a good thing, because today is an opportunity to get out of the office and sometimes you need that because, let's face it, you know, when you've got weather like this, we all need vitamin D.

Danielle Howe: 2:16

Yeah, definitely. Who wants to be inside? I used to work outside all the time. I love a bit of sun.

Leon Goltsman: 2:21

We do. But today is a kind of little break and it's important to have breaks. This is our break, so we're taking a quick one hour break so we can do this podcast and I'm excited about that.

Danielle Howe: 2:32

Me too.

Leon Goltsman: 2:33

Okay. So, danielle, I think the best interviews are sometimes the ones that just come out naturally, so tell us a bit about yourself.

Danielle Howe: 2:41

Hi, I'm Danielle Howe. I am a HR director. I originally got into the industry because I loved helping people. I loved engaging with people. I like networking. I think one of my greatest strengths is that I'm able to connect people and build strong relationships, so that's why I got into hr. In the corporate world, I started in the hospitality industry, so I've got quite a strong sense of community, I guess you could say and yeah, I just love meeting different people and seeing how I can connect them to achieve the goals that they want to achieve in their lives.

Leon Goltsman: 3:14

And you do have a very wide, diverse background. Can you tell us a little bit about your journey to get you to where you are now?

Danielle Howe: 3:22

Yeah, sure, look, I grew up in a regional area. I grew up near Penrith in the Blue Mountains. My parents owned an electrical business electrical appliances business that was in the area, very prominent in the area, very well known with my maiden name. I saw their struggles owning a business, to be honest, and it did put me off for quite a while while I was working for other people a business, to be honest, and it did put me off for quite a while while I was working for other people. But essentially, yeah, I kind of finished uni, which was in hotel management, moved over to London, lived there for a couple of years, got into corporate and then decided when I came back that I wanted to get into HR and work my way up. Yeah, so I've been very lucky with the opportunities that I've been given.

Leon Goltsman: 4:03

So, Danielle, how long have you actually been in HR?

Danielle Howe: 4:06

I've been in HR for 25 years.

Leon Goltsman: 4:09

That's quite a bit of experience. I'm sure you've seen a lot of changes over the years.

Danielle Howe: 4:14

Yep, definitely seen a lot of changes. You know different things like technology advancements, different focuses on. You know what people are wanting from employment, what employers are wanting from employees. Very different landscape to what it was 25 years ago.

Leon Goltsman: 4:32

And so, Danielle, what are some of the challenges today that perhaps weren't around when you started?

Danielle Howe: 4:38

Look, I think all that time ago it was very much bricks and mortar, so people had shops that were in towns. You know, you were hired, you were meant to stay in a business for a number of years, quite a long time. People were loyal to their employers. They're expected to sort of show up and be grateful that they had roles and had their own jobs. And now it's very different. Now, you know, people move around a lot. People are expecting a lot more. It's not just about Now, you know people move around a lot. People are expecting a lot more. It's not just about having a job, turning up, doing your nine to five and going home. It's, you know. People are meant to be on a lot of the time. Everyone is contactable now 24-7. And it's about a lot more than money. Really, people are wanting a lot more from their careers.

Leon Goltsman: 5:25

And so it seems like the challenges are also there on the employees. How would you or what advice would you give to employees to navigate those hurdles and challenges?

Danielle Howe: 5:37

Look, I think it's very important to set boundaries, I think, with employees and employers. The most important thing is to keep that communication line open. So, being open, being transparent, making sure that there's two-way communication, that you're giving feedback both ways, and just understanding what the parameters are, what the expectations are and whether that works for both of you, how you're going to work together, the way forward I think that's the most important thing and often what is lacking. To be honest, that's one of the challenges.

Leon Goltsman: 6:09

And look over the past couple of years, we have seen a shift, as we've seen some of the challenges and there's more requirements for people to come back and start working from the office, opposed to home. For local job seekers, it can be a priority to stay close to their home. Can you just tell me how important it is for individuals to find work in their own local areas?

Danielle Howe: 6:31

Look, it really depends on what employees want and what kind of life stage that they're up to. I personally live in a regional area outside of Metro Sydney. I find that you know for me to get meaningful work at my level, I really need to commute into the city at least three times a week. And you know there is a shift now. Post COVID, when everyone was working from home, you know it was very much. You know we're going to be remote working all the time. Now there is a shift and it's trending back to going back into the office more often.

Danielle Howe: 6:59

I personally really like having a bit of the best of both worlds. I like that. I can go into the city, I can see my friends, I can go shopping at lunchtime if I need to, everything's around. But then I can also come home. There's space, it's good for my kids. You know it's much cheaper to live there and for housing etc. So I personally like that. But I know that a lot of people don't have that luxury right. A lot of people have caring responsibilities. They've got parents or kids that they need to care for. It's very prohibitive in some aspects. You know, if you're looking at commuting transport, the time it takes. So sometimes people really do want to work locally and they want to stay within their community and make their lives a little bit easier from a work-life balance perspective.

Leon Goltsman: 7:42

So what other things, what other challenges do you think some businesses face when they're dealing with employees who want a bit more flexibility?

Danielle Howe: 7:53

Look, I think you really have to be, as an employer, focused on what you're trying to achieve. So I've found that that is usually what's lacking. Employers think, oh, we need to fix the culture, so therefore we need to bring people in, you know, full time, and the problem with that is that it doesn't really. It's not a two-way street, so it doesn't really work for everyone. I think you will find that you get the most out of employees if they're engaged, and to engage them, you need to make their work flexible, provide work-life balance, provide, you know, mental health and well-being initiatives, and you need to make sure that it's working for all of you to get the most productivity and to make them feel valued, because they're your greatest asset. Without them, you don't have a business right? So you've got to really make sure that it's a two-way street and it's mutually beneficial for both of you. You can do all the marketing in the world, you can do campaigns, you can reach wider audiences, but, at the end of the day, without your staff, you won't be able to stay open and be successful.

Danielle Howe: 8:53

You know word of mouth. If they're happy and it's a positive experience working for you, they'll be loyal. They'll be. You know word of mouth. If they're happy and it's a positive experience working for you, they'll be loyal. They'll be, you know, reaching out to customers. They will, you know, increase your audience. They'll be able to help you hire people. You can retain them, you can save money, you can save time. So there's so many benefits to doing so.

Leon Goltsman: 9:11

And we know that the staff are the face of the organisation, especially receptionists, salespeople, account managers, even having vehicles that have advertising on it, that's the ambassadors of the brand. What other retention activities have you seen in the past that really work?

Danielle Howe: 9:29

Look, I think it's really important to foster a sense of belonging. So, like I said, that will help build trust and loyalty both ways. You know some of the ways that you can do that is through social events and activities. You know welcoming new employees, doing team lunches and things like that Development opportunities. So if they feel like they're growing and learning and you know really upskilling, that'll definitely keep them engaged and keep them happy and they'll feel like they're getting something out of it and something that's going to help them in the long run. And it will also bring those skills back to you as a business owner. Right, they'll be using those skills, they can train the rest of your staff and it just really makes them feel valued. I think reward and recognition is a key piece as well. So you know just thanking them for doing a great job and you know positive reinforcement. So making sure that people feel like they're valued, they're seen, they're heard, that you're giving them feedback, you're giving them a safe space for them to provide ideas and you know think outside the square and really work for you and for them. Again, you know flexible work. I know that's something that's very important to me and it's also very important to a lot of the employees I talk about and talk to. It's something that you know. We've got such a busy lifestyle these days and it's very hard to because we're so approachable and we're on 24-7, it's very hard to separate that and I think if you want the most out of people, you really need to work around them and see if you can find a way that works for everyone, that can balance that out.

Danielle Howe: 11:00

Things like you know benefits, providing extra leave I mean I know at the A-Leagues when I worked there, that went down like a treat. People loved it. We would give them one day off for their birthday. That was free leave. They got paid for that and everyone thought that was the best thing since sliced bread not, and that hardly cost the business anything, right. So you know giving leave off we closed the office, so in between Christmas and New Year we gifted that leave. You know giving extra paid parental leave on top of the government minimum wage. That's paid. That's something that really helps young families at a really crucial time and allows them to spend more time with their family, and people are always so grateful for that right that they have time to switch off. So I think that's really important as well, yeah.

Leon Goltsman: 11:44

Well, I'm seeing a shift as well as and I know I'm about to reveal my age as well, but you notice, a lot of people were micromanaged and these days it seems like there's a lot more faith and trust in employees and it's about providing autonomy as well. How do you, what's your experience with that?

Danielle Howe: 12:05

Look, I think you need to. What my favorite saying is manage the minority, not the majority. So making sure that you know you are giving people the trust and the autonomy to do what they're hired to do. They're experts, they know what they're hired to do. They're experts, they know what they're doing. I mean, obviously you need to train them up sometimes, but essentially you've hired them to do a role. Let them do it. There's no need to micromanage. It's just inefficient and ineffective. Um, and I think you know, if you manage any problems after they've happened if they happen and just make sure that people are held accountable to what they need to do and when they need to do it, by then everyone will be happy and it just means that you've got a much more harmonious and balanced workplace.

Leon Goltsman: 12:47

And also I find from my own personal experience, people want to do the right thing and sometimes they need that guidance, perhaps even just if people had a bit of direction as well. So I think employers have a very big responsibility to not just hire people but actually help them reach their own goals as well and find direction in their own life. What do you think about that?

Danielle Howe: 13:11

Yeah, definitely Look, I think, again, two-way street, so you are there to fulfill your goals and achieve your goals and they are there to achieve theirs. So making sure that you are, you know, trying to help each other mutually. I think it's really important, like I said, giving feedback, receiving feedback, allowing them to let you know what their career aspirations are, what they're trying to achieve, what they want to focus on, and seeing if you can make that happen. Does it align with the business? Does it help your business achieve its goals? If so, then definitely go for it, right, I think supporting each other is the way forward.

Leon Goltsman: 13:46

And supporting each other, especially when there's economic crisis from time to time, has forced many businesses to adapt quickly. So the question is I mean, COVID-19 has certainly affected the landscape and contributed to the recent economic downturn, which has forced many businesses to adapt quickly. Now, danielle, what shifts have you seen in the recruitment landscape since these events and perhaps how should regional businesses prepare for the future?

Danielle Howe: 14:24

Look, I have seen a lot of increases in remote work, which has, in turn, led to the use of technology, and I think some of that is really good.

Danielle Howe: 14:27

I mean, it saves time, it saves energy, it's much more flexible for people. So, recruiting, you know, doing initial teams and video conferencing, meeting I think it's really important to have face-to-face introductions, but I think the initial stages are definitely helped by, like things like AI, things like VC, things like you know, job platforms and forms and cover letters and things that you fill out to make sure that you're shortlisting effectively and you're getting to the right people. That definitely helps. People, like I said, expect a lot more from their employers. At the moment, it's no longer just about money. Making sure that there's a focus and, you know, an employer brand value proposition which you know will entice people and attract people and retain them in your organisation and you know that gives a really good branding out in the market. That makes sure that you'll be able to pipeline that talent and develop people into future roles, which, in turn, saves you money and makes sure that you have the right people in the right roles and they're working for you as ambassadors.

Leon Goltsman: 15:42

Okay, so look, finding the right people obviously is very important, but so far we've been speaking about employees. What about employers? If someone's not used to using a recruitment agency or getting advice from a professional like yourself, what might be the the best place for them to start?

Danielle Howe: 16:02

look, I think a lot of what is done and the best way to get, um, you know, results in this space. I mean, I've seen my parents go through that. They're not the most technologically savvy people, um, they just use word of mouth. So, network, definitely use your community, your networks. You know set up meetups or meetings. Um, you can do workshops. You can go out to the community looking at, you know councils, chamber of commerce, you know rotary, those types of things.

Danielle Howe: 16:30

My father has definitely joined all of those and that really puts him in touch with most of the people in the community. Um, you know it widens your audience, your network and you know they have a lot of information. They have a lot of assistance that they support people in those roles. They have expertise. You know you can, you can. That's something that I think will really help those people and they'll be able to learn from that process as well. I know as well in Camden our local council is really good at putting out workshops on using technology and social media for small business and things like that. So you can look at those things and see if you can attend those for help as well.

Leon Goltsman: 17:07

Yeah, there's a lot of resources out there, but what I'm getting from this conversation is to be connected with the right people, having the right people in your corner that can represent you. Look the conversation I had last week with Emmanuel on our show for anyone who hasn't heard it episode four Emmanuel talks about some of the challenges navigating through difficult times and being the voice of the community, but someone like yourself is also the voice of businesses as well yeah, sure, look, I think you've got to really, um, just get the communication going and, and the best way to do that is to find out what challenges people have, what do people want, and that can go both ways.

Danielle Howe: 17:48

You know I need this. You know where could I go. What can I do? Have those conversations and the same with employees. You know I need to do this, or I want to achieve this. How might I go about it? Do that research, talk to people. Talking is something that you know doesn't happen as much as it should be, and you know, keeping people, I guess, open and transparent is something that I think is going to the wayside at the moment, and it's not necessarily a good thing.

Leon Goltsman: 18:21

Especially in challenging areas. Danielle, could you share a success story where a business or community turned around its recruitment and employee?

Danielle Howe: 18:24

engagement with your assistance. Yeah, sure, so I used to work for Business Events Sydney. They were a not-for-profit, they were funded by the government and they worked towards bringing international associations and their conferences to Sydney, so obviously increasing our economic spend and our networks and our research and our expertise. So I worked with them. We really wanted to focus with the leadership team and implementing a strategy, and that was to drive high performance culture in a professional services environment. So that's what they were looking for.

Danielle Howe: 18:58

Previously it was quite, you know, traditional and old school, a little bit stagnant, very, you know, siloed, I guess, and they wanted to make sure that they were being cohesive and taking a holistic approach is probably the best way to put it.

Danielle Howe: 19:13

And what we did as part of that initiative was implement time and project management tools for staff to use. We incorporated all of these touch points in recruitment performance management. You know we did learning and development programs. We looked at the remuneration and the benefits that we had and relaunched those and tweaked them a lot, looked at salary benchmarking, looked at ways that we could be more competitive in the market and the industry and looked at what the employee value proposition sorry, employer value proposition was. We also put in place a bonus program which I think helped as well. So definitely all the touch points, end to end. We looked at everything and the result of that was higher engagement. So our engagement scores went up by 20% in one year. We also had really high satisfaction levels from the annual staff conference, which was an offside and was quite development focused, and you know that went up by 24%. So success story.

Leon Goltsman: 20:14

And when you get stats like that, what does it mean to the bottom line?

Danielle Howe: 20:18

Oh, definitely means that you're getting the best out of the employees and usually an increase in sales and an increase in. You know what you're trying to achieve, so you're achieving your goals, whether that's monetary or not, and you know you're keeping people happy. It means that you get lower turnover, you get higher retention rates, you get staff satisfaction and engagement, you get more connections, you get more business. It just you know there's so many benefits to that.

Leon Goltsman: 20:45

So, danielle, you seem to know more about this than I do, and I'm sure a lot of people would like to pick your brains. For those that want to contact you, what's the best way for them to get in touch?

Danielle Howe: 20:55

uh, yeah, sure, I've got an email address set up for my business, which is hello at knowhowhrcomau. Or feel free to message me through linkedin on danielle howe.

Leon Goltsman: 21:07

hopefully you'll be able to see me there and you've got quite a lot of followers, so obviously you have built up a great reputation for yourself oh, thank you very much.

Danielle Howe: 21:16

Look, I think it's inevitable. When you're a talker like me, you like meeting new people and networking and you know I have amassed. I've had some great experience, I've had great opportunities and I've been able to learn a lot over my time with the support of some great people. So, yeah, I think that happens right If you try and help people and they help you.

Leon Goltsman: 21:37

It's also about professional development.

Danielle Howe: 21:39

Yeah, look, I think it's definitely a selling point. It's an easy way, I think, to drive success with your business and also achieve the goals of the individuals who are working for you making sure that they're engaged, that the challenge, that they're keeping abreast of new technologies and new ways of working and they're bringing that back into your business right, so they're helping you, they're being more productive and more efficient and finding new and innovative ways to help you succeed in your business, and that's also ticking a box for them.

Leon Goltsman: 22:12

So, Danielle, if there's one thing you'd like people to take away from this podcast, what would it be?

Danielle Howe: 22:18

Look, if there's one key takeaway I think that's really important is mutually beneficial growth. So collaborating, making sure that there's a commitment it's really going to help the job market thrive, it's going to help regional businesses and it's going to help the communities that they're in right. It's going to cultivate an innovative mindset and only allow everyone to grow.

Leon Goltsman: 22:40

Daniel, look, thank you very much for coming on this show. I'm sure that if anyone has any questions, they can drop you an email. And what's your website address?

Danielle Howe: 22:49

Sure, my website is knowhowhrcomau. You can contact me through the website. The email address is hello at knowhowhrcomau. You can contact me through the website. The email address is hello at knowhowhrcomau. You can also find me on LinkedIn. I'm always happy to have new networks and people added to my network, so feel free to drop me a line and we can have a chat and hopefully we can help each other.

Leon Goltsman: 23:08

Excellent. Thank you so much for your time once again and look forward to speaking to you soon.

Danielle Howe: 23:13

Thank you, leon, it was great to be here.

Leon Goltsman: 23:16

Now pardon the pun, but how awesome was that. Danielle's energy and insights are truly inspiring. One thing that really stuck with me from our conversation is the reminder of how powerful a good conversation with the right person can be. It can completely turn your day around. But a key takeaway from Danielle is that when it comes to getting the best out of people, it's essential to make them feel valued, especially when they're your staff. After all, they're your greatest assets, and nurturing a mutually beneficial relationship is key to maximizing productivity, loyalty and respect. Without your employees, you don't have a business. So if you want to get in touch with Danielle, please feel free to send her an email, connect with her on LinkedIn or visit our show notes for more info.

Leon Goltsman: 24:05

Also, next week, I'm excited to introduce a remarkable guest, Erica Voal, a well-known and respected financial strategist within the Newcastle, Lake, Macquarie and Hunter region. Erica's extensive expertise in finance is very impressive, and she'll be breaking down how credit scores really work and what parents can do to set their children up for credit success. This isn't just a conversation for parents, though. Understanding financial literacy is essential for all of us, especially if we want to build a resilient, united community. Trust me, this is an episode you won't want to miss. If you haven't done so already, though, please take a moment to subscribe. Share this podcast with your friends and give it a five-star review. It helps us reach more people and continue bringing you these important conversations. Review. It helps us reach more people and continue bringing you these important conversations. I'm Leon Goltsman, and I look forward to catching up with you next week. Until then, stay engaged, stay connected and let's keep making a difference together.