New Year, New HR Focus for Your Team

When January rolls around, you can be sure of a few things within the EES team; the cricket is always on, someone is always complaining about being hot, and HR policies and procedures are the key focus.

We use the first couple of weeks after the Christmas break to be intentional about what we want out of the year ahead, and for us, that means coming back to the foundations of our business.

By touching base with all staff and revisiting the EES Vision, Mission and Code, we start the year fresh and are reminded of who we are as a company, our values, and why we do what we do.

We also revise our OH&S policies, fair work statement and Employee Value Proposition so that we can communicate any updates in these areas, and tie these in where relevant as staff set their strategic professional and personal goals for the year.

These discussions are also an opportunity to check in and remind staff about the importance of taking care of their mental health as much as physical health, highlighting our EAP and encouraging the team to book annual leave throughout the year to ensure they avoid burn out.

What better way to get excited about the year ahead, than to already be planning when you might take time off!

By intentionally starting the year with an HR focus, it also provides a strong framework for regular check-ins with staff throughout the year – which is another key priority of our management team.

It’s true that HR discussions might not be everyone’s favourite aspect of work, in fact, past experiences might lead some people to believe that HR is a scary thing, only discussed in hushed tones when someone is in trouble.

However, that’s not the attitude of the EES team as by having ongoing, collaborative HR discussions at the start of every year, backed up by regular check-ins, we’ve developed a culture where staff are familiar with HR policies, they support them, and they can see tangible benefits to their work and personal lives.

It’s also a benefit to the business more broadly as small issues that may arise aren’t left to fester and become all-encompassing problems. Instead, staff are familiar with their responsibilities as an employee, they’re aware of what support is available, and regular check-ins serve as a kind of ‘temperature check’ for all involved.

If your business has been a bit lax around HR, the New Year is the perfect time to start again and give it the focus it deserves. It doesn’t have to be a lengthy process or mean endless meetings in your calendar, but it does have to be a priority.

Some would argue that doing business in 2025 is more difficult than ever, with geopolitical uncertainty, rising costs, and concerns around labour. Focusing on HR won’t make any of those things disappear, but it will assist in creating a strong, positive culture so your business can tackle those challenges as a team.

Have you booked in your HR meeting yet?