As we move into the final stretch of 2022, it’s time to start thinking about your end-of-year HR checklist.

This is an especially important time for HR professionals, as it’s a chance to reflect on the past year and prepare for the next one. In reality, we recognise some of these may be undertaken at the end of the financial year, rather than end of the calendar year, but we’ve included them all here for ease of reference!

Here Are Some Factors That Need To Be On Your Checklist:

Review Your Company’s Policies And Procedures

It’s important to review your company’s policies and procedures to make sure they are still up-to-date and relevant. This is especially important if there have been any recent changes in legislation or case law.

To make sure you cover all the bases:

First, take a look at your company’s practices across the whole employee lifecycle from recruitment, onboarding, attendance, pay and reward, performance, training and development and exit. Are you following all the applicable laws and regulations? Do your procedures and processes need to be updated to reflect any changes in your business or industry?

Next, review your employee handbook. Does it need to be updated or refreshed?

Finally, take a look at your reward and benefits package. Do you need to make any changes or adjustments?

By taking the time to review your company’s policies and procedures on a regular basis, you can help ensure that they are always up to date, relevant to your business and compliant with the latest laws and regulations.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

As any business owner knows, regular two-way communication is a vital aspect of running a successful business and keeping your team highly motivated and engaged.

The end of a year is an ideal time to review what’s happened and look ahead to the next year. Why not think about communicating the following:

• Reflection on 2022 –  the good, the bad and the ugly. What’s worthy of celebrating and what have you learnt? Think about important news that’s worth highlighting.

• What do staff think of 2022 and what would they like more of in 2023? Could you ask them to complete a short survey and publish the results?

• What is the Company Vision for 2023? – What are your goals and aspirations and what do you need from the staff to make these come to life? How can they be part of the company’s success in the year ahead? What plans are in development and what’s already in motion? Focus on things to be excited about that will generate a buzz!  Create and share a vision for the year ahead.

Bear in mind, you’ll need to be ready to answer any questions that might arise from sharing the vision…

What does it mean for me? Will we be recruiting more staff? Will we need extra training? Are just some of the questions that might be asked.

Assess Employee Training And Development Needs

Employee training and development is essential for any organisation that wants to stay competitive and grow.

By assessing employee training and development needs on a regular basis, organisations can ensure that their employees have the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the demands of the job, not only for today but also for tomorrow.

Also, research shows that employees are more likely to stay with an organisation that invests in their development and where they have room for growth, both personally and professionally – so it’s good for employee retention too.

Review Reward and Benefits Packages

In order to attract and retain top talent, it is essential for businesses to review their reward and benefits packages on a regular basis.

Whether it’s the annual pay review, bonus payments or the content of your benefits package, employee expectations change. If you don’t stay ahead of the game, you risk losing ground to your competitors.

Think about Wellbeing

Employee wellbeing should be a key consideration for all companies, as having a workforce with good wellbeing (mentally, physically and financially) helps to remove barriers to poor attendance and performance, which has to be good news for the business. 

The beginning of the year is a challenging time for many people (post Christmas and New Year blues) so, think about what you can do to make the return to work a positive event they should look forward to, rather than something to dread! Is there something you can arrange for their first morning back (a surprise breakfast, or healthy treat) for example?

Also think about what staff will value over the year ahead. Involving them in this will make it much more impactful than deciding what you think they will want!

Other effective ways to promote employee wellbeing include offering competitive salaries, providing access to quality health care, and offering realistic annual leave/family leave policies.

By taking steps to support employee wellbeing, businesses can create a positive work environment that will help them attract and retain the best talent.

As we move into the final weeks of 2022, it’s time to start thinking about your company’s needs for 2023.

Use this HR checklist guide to review your policies and procedures, assess staffing and training needs, update employee information, and plan company events.

If you’re looking for a new direction with your HR strategy, make sure to find out more about how we can help your business into 2023 and beyond.