Closing Out 2022: 13 To-Do Items These HR Leaders Are Focused On

From establishing the Process and Procedure Documentation Process to prioritizing your EOY opportunities, here are the 13 answers to the question, "As we get ready to close out 2022, what is one thing on your HR to-do list that you want to complete before the year ends and why?"

• Establish the Process and Procedure Documentation Process

• Share With Our Team the Value of Their Contributions

• Spend Time in Reflection

• Retrain Hiring Teams on Winning the War for Talent

• Address Concerns from: “the Great Burnout Post Pandemic”

• Keep DEIB as a Top Priority

• Conduct a Year End Company Review

• Review Yearly Employee Performance

• Gather Engagement Data and Prepare to Take Action

• Focus On the How of HR

• Prioritize Development 

• Roll Out Your Performance Management

• Categorize Your End-of-Year Opportunities

 

Establish the Process and Procedure Documentation Process

As HR Professionals, we have traditional and standard year-end responsibilities, i.e. Open Enrollment (for many) and payroll year-end as well (for those of us that have payroll in our job descriptions.)

At HR Resolutions, my commitment to my staff and our clients is to establish what our Process and Procedure Documentation process is going to look like. I've put this off enough years now that it's time. It will only benefit us through faster new hire onboarding and training, improved new client acclimations, and faster off-boarding of clients who "graduate" from our support. We will not be recreating any process wheels in 2023!

Karen Young, President, Founder, & Author, HR Resolutions

Share With Our Team the Value of Their Contributions

So many times we focus on product and process for year-end, but it is critical that your teams are aware of the significance of their contributions and what exciting goals they have for the beginning of the new year. 

With instability in the economy and changes in the workplace, it is vital that each team member knows how their efforts made a difference and how we count on them for the future of the organization.

Karla Knowlton, Global HR Leader, Vadatech

 

Spend Time in Reflection

I believe the most underutilized leadership tool is self-reflection, so spending some quiet time thinking through and journaling my thoughts is always a high priority for me as I close out the year. 

What went well? Where did I run into challenges and what lessons did I learn? Where did I show up bravely in my life? Where am I spending my time and is it creating meaning for me? What do I want to change in the future? What am I most grateful for?

Cultivating insight into our thoughts and experiences is the key to ensuring we are effective leaders throughout the year in both our personal and professional lives.

Paula Grace, Sr. Manager, Global Leadership, and Professional Development Projects, Maximus

 

Retrain the Hiring Teams on Winning the War for Talent

Hiring has changed so much in the last 5 years. I think HR people did a great job in the past at training hiring teams on how to hire... but now, everything has changed.  

We have to focus on a new way of attracting and keeping talent, and that means doing things differently.  

It's important to move fast, constantly engage, and have the best options for your candidates to become team members and to change your mindset. The largest hiring hurdle isn't usually marketing or quality candidates—it's your old-school hiring process and a closed mind when evaluating potential team members.

Wendy Alexander, Talent Scout, Certified DISC & Enneagram Trainer/Coach, POET

 

Address Concerns from “the Great Burnout Post-Pandemic”

The Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 presented multiple challenges for the world at large, both personally & professionally. We all had to pivot and shift our lifestyles, priorities, and workplaces tremendously.

Leadership is constantly faced with challenges; however, here we are nearing the end of 2022 and the aftermath of pandemic dynamics has created significant unforeseen circumstances which have caused a domino effect in performance, productivity, and work/life balance.

Optimally creating innovative, useful & productive tools & training to minimize burnout, offering flexibility in workplaces, and engaging the workforce on best practices will strengthen organizations exponentially, reducing the impact of costly turnover.

Lisa Bishop, Leadership Development Consultant & Executive Coach, The Bishop Concept

 

Keep DEIB as a Top Priority

It is so easy to pivot our priorities once the news cycle changes and shifts focus. However, the one thing on my HR "To-Do" list is to help my clients understand and embrace the ongoing importance of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). 

This is truly a marathon—not a sprint, and remaining focused, diligent, and determined to create workplaces where all employees can succeed is the least of what is expected from the next workforce generation.

Tana M. Session, CEO & Founder, TanaMSession.com

 

Conduct a Year End Company Review

I think it is imperative to do a "Year End Review" that will help identify areas of success, challenge, and need. Be able to identify the lessons learned from the year which will help you determine what should remain part of the department/processes, what should be removed, and what should be added. I also like to establish/reestablish some housekeeping rules within the team based upon what transpired over the year.

Heather A.C. Patterson, Sr. Director of Human Resources, Brain Pop

Review Yearly Employee Performance

At the end of each year, I always talk with each employee individually and see how we're doing. I treat it as an annual review where the company gets an evaluation. It's a great chance to get direct feedback on how well our processes are working and how the company culture is changing. 

This helps us know if we need to add, remove, or change existing programs and procedures across a department or the entire company to improve engagement and efficiency. 

Having employees act as supervisors reviewing the company's performance over the last year has been incredibly impactful in a few ways.

First, it gives employees a chance to be heard by a decision-maker. Second, we get a good idea of the culture in each department. Finally, it gets employees comfortable coming to HR throughout the year with ideas, not just problems.

Kay Haider, HR Consultant, CarbonCo Services, LLC

 

Gather Engagement Data and Prepare to Take Action

HR leaders have a multitude of ways to gather employee feedback—engagement surveys, leadership "skip levels," manager one-on-ones, performance evaluations, HR roundtables, etc.  

Not one, but all of these are necessary to truly understand employee needs and desires to build an environment that engages the right talent and provides the space for them to perform at their best.  

It is not enough to just gather this data, however. There must be a plan for action. There is no better time than the end of the year to evaluate that data and start documenting trends and blind spots.  

This will set you up for success in 2023 as you create strategies to understand more about that data (if needed), get a solid change management plan in place, and start taking action. Show employees that this information doesn't fall on deaf ears. 

Tip: Business leaders should have ownership of these initiatives, with support from HR, not the other way around.

Tori Rochlen, HR Consultant & Talent Development Coach, Independent Consultant

 

Focus on the How of HR

As we wrap up 2022, it is essential to reflect on what worked and what didn’t to create a vision for the future. How did we get to where we are now and where are we going?

Over the last year, we have seen the continued rise of digital transformation on the workplace horizon. Efficiency, innovation, and our client experience drive our approach. As a result, the collection and interpretation of data should be the foundation of any strategy for future planning. 

Thoughtful, deliberate data collection and interpretation not only drives decision-making and direction but also integrates the people into the business strategy. Defining and communicating the “How” of HR will not only keep our seats at the table but enable our voices to be heard and understood.

Darby Starnes, Co-Founder & Chief Diversity Officer, Change Rhythm

 

Prioritize Development 

Betting on yourself is the most important thing that you will ever do. Every moment, every minute, every interaction, a granted stretch assignment and exposure will be for your good. Why do you want to be good when you can desire to be great?

Early in my Human Resources career, I never understood that development is intentional, and it is not just for the managers to implement but for the person whose destiny would be impacted. 

If you desire to have a job this message is not for you. If you have a passion to have a career that affects others, then you have to pioneer the way. Scary huh? 

Your gifts and unique talents will make room for you in every space or place you go. There are outcomes that development does for you when you make time for it. Make the time. I promise you it will not be time wasted. Good luck.

Tanya Turner, HR Director, SALTO Systems, Inc

 

Roll Out Your Performance Management

The Year End Process is always filled with busyness for any HR Professional. HR needs to manage not only the day-to-day business in addition to open enrollment for the new year's benefits, compensation review, succession planning, but the list goes on. 

I am most excited about the rollout of your performance management process. We will be finishing our hourly progression policy as well as conducting our first salaried performance review. Effective performance management is critical for our business. It helps align employees, resources, and systems to meet business objectives. Additionally our employees are craving feedback from their supervisors.

Teryn Faiman, Human Resources, First Majestic

 

Categorize Your End-of-Year Opportunities

Prioritize your opportunities that you can accomplish to close out the year. See what you have on your list for the team or yourself that is realistic to accomplish. This will help you have a realistic "to-do" list to kick off 2023. Don't bite off more than is realistic to complete and measurable.

Charles Mangino, Head of People, Culture, & DEI, Decusoft.com