10 Ways Your Year-End Should Be Propelling Your New Year

New year, new you’ is the motto that seems to roll on repeat in our minds year over year. But what does this mean for our businesses? Are you strategizing how to take your business to the next level in the new year? It’s not too late to knock out the items on this list for a better, stronger, and happier new year introduction.

1. Conduct Year-End Performance Reviews

If you plan on retaining your employees, you should be evaluating them at least twice a year: once at the end of the year and once during the mid-year, regardless of your fiscal year schedule. Why? Because the psychology behind the transition of years marks a mental shedding of the old and welcoming of the new. Send your employees into the new year with a reflection of their wins, improvement areas, and ways you want to see them grow. When they return from the holiday, they will feel lighter and brighter, ready to tackle the new business cycle.

Use this time to inform promotions, role changes, or development plans, and help your team members feel recognized for their contributions within the year. Empowered employees are motivated employees.

2. Plan New Year Alignment Kickoffs

Schedule an all-team kickoff/workshop for the first week upon return from the holiday. The agenda? Discuss the vision for the next 12 months, the goals, and the strategies you plan to tackle. Communicate the "why" and "how" behind your vision. Think of this like the pep rally before the big game – you’re cultivating energy and excitement, and leading the charge to success.

Include collaborative goal-setting exercises and an open Q&A to foster engagement and ensure alignment across all teams. This creates shared ownership of success from day one.

3. Reassess Team Roles and Responsibilities

Your leadership team should meet before the holidays for a deep dive retrospective. Reflect on company health, performance review stats from department heads, and team survey results (see point 5). This analysis should inform conversations about team roles and responsibilities.

Evaluate:

• Do we have the right people in the right seats, reaching their highest potential?

• Can open hiring needs be met by realigning existing roles?

• Are leaders effectively guiding their teams?

• What makes our strongest team successful? How can we replicate their success across the organization?

• Where are our weakest areas? How can we strengthen them?

Come out of this meeting with clear actions. Share these refreshed roles and responsibilities during your New Year kickoff to inspire confidence and clarity.

4. Wrap Up and Prioritize Internal Projects

Carrying projects from one year to the next can break momentum and lead to resource strain. If possible, allocate time and resources to close out projects before the holiday break. This provides your team with a sense of accomplishment and mental relief, allowing them to start the new year with fresh energy.

For projects that need to carry over, prioritize them strategically, assign ownership, and set clear expectations for completion timelines in the new year.

5. Engage Leadership with a Year-End Survey

Your employees should provide anonymous feedback to support leadership development. Task your leadership team with sending out an end-of-year survey with challenging questions:

• Do you feel supported by your leadership team?

• Do you understand the vision of your leadership team?

• Do you feel aligned with the company vision?

• What is your feedback for improvement?

Use the survey insights in your end-of-year leadership meeting to discuss and refine leadership strategies, team dynamics, and growth areas for the new year.

6. Review Financial Performance and Plan Investments

This is straightforward but essential. Analyze:

• Where are we losing money?

• Where can we grow revenue?

• What resources do we need to allocate for growth?

Use these insights to shape your budget, guide resource allocation, and prioritize investments for the upcoming year. Consider leveraging financial planning tools or consulting with experts to ensure your decisions align with your long-term goals.

7. Set a Clear 2025 Roadmap

Build a clear roadmap that includes:

• Vision for 2025

• Goals, Strategies, Objectives, and Tactics (GSOT)

• Roles and responsibilities

• Quarterly target goals

• Reminders of existing processes, SOPs, and tools

Think of this roadmap as a playbook for your team. Present it during the kickoff meeting, emphasizing its importance in aligning everyone’s efforts for the year ahead.

8. Strengthen Team Morale and Culture

Reflect on employee turnover and exit interview data. Identify the “bleeding” areas and fix them fast. Consider whether your policies truly support your organization’s core values and align with 2024 standards of support, such as:

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.

• Mental Health Support: Therapy, counseling, and employee assistance programs.

• Retirement Plans: Employer-matched 401(k) or IRA plans.

• Paid Time Off (PTO): Flexible and inclusive policies.

• Workplace Flexibility: Remote work options, compressed workweeks, or unlimited PTO.

• Parental Leave: Generous maternity, paternity, and adoption leave policies.

• Professional Development: Learning stipends, mentorship programs, and leadership training.

Investing in team culture directly impacts retention, satisfaction, and overall company performance.

9. Evaluate Technology and Systems

Your tech stack should be an enabler, not a barrier. Conduct an audit to ensure your tools align with current business needs and growth goals. Questions to consider:

• Are there redundancies or inefficiencies?

• Do we need to upgrade or adopt new tools?

• Is the team adequately trained to use the technology effectively?

Plan to implement changes early in the year to minimize disruption.

10. Create a Communication Plan for Stakeholders

Stakeholder communication is key to business success. Ensure your team knows how to effectively communicate with clients, partners, and investors.

Develop a comprehensive plan that includes:

• Client outreach strategies for the new year.

• Regular updates to stakeholders on company performance and vision.

• Training for employees on communication best practices and messaging consistency.

Clear and consistent communication builds trust and strengthens relationships.

By tackling these 10 areas before the end of the year, you’ll set your business up for a strong start in the new year. Use this checklist to inspire action, align your team, and create the momentum needed for a successful 2025!