Halloween may have come and gone, but spooky season isn’t quite over for some. As we approach the end of 2023, the end-of-year jump scares can creep up on HR professionals. Now that we are well into the last quarter of the year, it’s time for some important year-end activities and preparations.
After a long and busy year, it’s understandable that you may just want to wind down in December. But the end of the year is an important time for HR professionals, with critical deadlines and other jump scares to prepare for.
What end-of-year scares should you look out for?
There are some general year-end activities that you may already be expecting, such as reviewing health and safety measures and making annual appreciation gestures to employees. But there could be other situations you’re less prepared for, including workforce shortages, absenteeism, and seasonal affective disorder.
With vacation leave peaking during the holiday season, a shortage of workers may mean increased workloads for those who remain and more instances of employees working alone. For some, the winter months also bring seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression which can affect employees and cause absenteeism and other problems at work.
On top of managing and preparing for these issues, you’ll want to start getting ready for 2023. To set your organization up for success as soon as the new year arrives, there are some important planning items to take care of, such as:
- Supporting employees with annual goals; and
- Making organizational improvements based on employee feedback.
5 year-end tips for HR professionals
With some thoughtful planning, you can get ahead of any frightening situations so that you can enjoy your holiday season. Here are 5 year-end tips for HR professionals:
- Review end-of-year checklists and must-dos.
- Support employee mental health.
- Help employees achieve annual performance goals.
- Prepare for workforce shortages.
- Conduct employee feedback surveys.
To help you get started, we put together a FREE Guide to Preventing End-of-Year Jump Scares! Download our guide for expert tips and advice.