With Christmas celebrations over you can guarantee the holiday adverts are everywhere and the traditional new year resolutions are being made. 

A new year brings new opportunities and to make the most of those there are things we can all do in preparation.

What went before the new year gives you the information and knowledge to set your new goals. These are often both business and personal goals, in order to achieve positive change and development. Workplaces change rapidly and they adapt so it’s essential for HR to help focus on strategies to keep individuals, teams, and the business productive, engaged, and resilient for 2026.

We all know that resolutions often fail due to setting unachievable goals and this includes those we set for business and personal growth. Having strategies to make new habits stick should include preparing for potential setbacks and scheduling time daily to prioritise these. Some people set resolutions to enhance professional development. Things like financial goals around pay rises or hitting targets to achieve a bonus or commission. Having a plan in place helps to ensure these resolutions last longer than a week.

Setting HR related New Year’s resolutions can significantly improve employee engagement, making the workplace more positive and productive. By focusing on talent management you can help attract, retain, and develop your team, ensuring that your business remains competitive. 

Resolutions regarding compliance help you stay ahead of regulations and laws, mitigating risks, creating a positive culture, and increasing efficiency. 

Here are a few HR related resolution ideas that may be something for your business to consider: –

Processes: How do you process tasks such as absence management, holiday, performance tracking, company policies, procedures, and onboarding checklists. Now think about how you can reduce the time spent on these to free up valuable time for your employees so they can prioritise other tasks.

Wellbeing and Mental Health: Offer resources for mental health and wellbeing for your employees (E.g. Mental Health First Aiders, EAP etc), flexible working arrangements, monitor who is in/out of the office and allow employees to request to work from home. Ensure people managers have regular 1-1 meetings with their direct reports to identify areas where they may need support.

Employee Engagement: It isn’t only about making employees happy it’s also about creating your business culture where they can thrive. Talk to your employees, act on the feedback and encourage recognition to highlight employees’ achievements Make sure you have open communication for all employees.

Learning & Development: A business needs to grow and to do that your employees need to grow. Start by identifying skill gaps and create personal development plans for your employees. Give them access to online training programs and encourage development. 

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI): Do you have a recognisable DEI strategy? It will enhance your innovation and teamwork. Check your policies and procedures are clear and are easily accessible for all employees. Check how your hiring process works. It should be promoting diversity.

Onboarding and Retention: Do you have a structured onboarding process for new starters that includes them in your culture from day one. Onboarding checklists ensure they have everything they need from their first day onwards. Do you have a seamless record-keeping process to ensure your compliance? Have a probation meeting at least once a month to check in with new hires to address any concerns they/you may have to build connection and support long term retention.