The best way to set yourself up for success is to look ahead into the future and plan, plan, plan. This is especially true for HR. 2024 will bring its own set of challenges, trends, and employees, so ensuring that 2023 is wrapped up neatly with a bow will put you in the best possible position for next year. Let’s delve into things to get finished up for HR for the end of the year, and how you can prepare for 2024.
Finishing up for 2023
Reaching the end of the year for HR, there are things that you will want to make sure you have completed. Finishing your tasks for the year means that you can head into 2024 without any worry, and fully enjoy the holiday season.
Have you got a checklist for the year, and if so have you ticked everything off of it? From mandatory training to ensuring that contracts, employee handbooks and performance reviews are all up to date, there are certain things that you may not want to follow you into the new year. Double checking may unearth something that slipped through the cracks, so it’s worth taking the time to go through!
This one is important – are there any new laws or regulations coming into effect in 2024 and if so, is your business compliant? While some may not apply until mid-year, being aware and taking the necessary steps will save you a lot of hassle in the future. Starting the new year with fines or legal troubles is better avoided!
Have all end of year deadlines been met, or are they on track to be? If not, it may be time to prioritise and put in that final push so that you can go into the new year fresh and ready to plan ahead.
Lastly, is your workspace tidy? This may sound less important but there’s nothing worse than coming back to a rotten banana in your drawer and miscellaneous paperwork strewn across the desk. A clean space and a new notepad for 2024 will be a fresh start to coming back to work after a break.
Looking forward towards HR 2024
Holidays. We all love them, but for HR it means admin and being organised. If you have any holiday requests for the new year, or need employees to submit theirs ASAP, you can get ahead by checking requests and asking staff to book off any days they know they want as holiday. Bank holidays over the last few years have differed slightly from the usual, so being aware now for 2024 UK public holidays will give you a clearer picture of the year to come.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies require a close eye, and ensuring that they are up to date and your work environment is suitable is essential. Making sure all of your employees, and well as future employees, are included and feel comfortable within the company culture is integral. It is always good to take a step back and look at the businesses values and culture, and whether they reflect appropriate and forward-thinking DEI policies.
Minimum wage is changing in the UK in 2024, so be prepared ahead of its implementation in April. While this is great news for staff, for businesses it may require a budget adjustment, as well as making sure that payroll is correct. April 2024, put it in your diaries, folks! On the topic, financial wellbeing for employees amongst inflation and a cost of living crisis is always something to be aware of. While salary increases won’t always be possible, offering up money management assistance and everyday discounts is a fantastic alternative.
Checking in with your employee satisfaction levels is a key way to improve staff retention, so working models, workplace culture, and benefits may need revising. If your current employee benefits programme leaves something to be desired, it is worth reviewing and even doing staff surveys to see if they want more from their employers, be it more learning opportunities or mental health support resources.
Keeping up to date and looking forward is a must in HR. From being sure that your working model is a fit for your company (should you be introducing hybrid working?), to assessing potential impacts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) both in the workplace and within HR, reviewing relevant information and keeping updated with HR news will keep you ahead.
Finally, do you know your targets for next year? Setting yourself measurable targets will give you a clear goal to work towards for the year. Perhaps taking an employee satisfaction survey at the beginning and end of the year, and working towards an improved result could be one. Or, aiming to have employees complete certain training or development courses may be on the cards. Having a clear set of targets and a clear way of measuring how far they have been achieved will have you ticking off checkboxes next year and accomplishing any 2024 HR resolutions.
Thinking about giving your employee benefits a refresh? Speak to a friendly advisor and get a free demo.