As 2024 comes to a close, HR managers face familiar challenges, but the stakes are higher than ever. From addressing staffing shortages to navigating regulatory changes and leveraging new technology, the decisions you make now will determine how well your team, and organization, is positioned for success in 2025.
Here’s your comprehensive year-end checklist to ensure your operations are optimized for the new year and beyond.
Evaluate Workforce Planning and Staffing Needs
If your team is feeling stretched thin now, waiting to address staffing gaps in 2025 will only make matters worse. The demand for top talent continues to rise, and unfilled roles today will lead to inefficiency, burnout, and missed opportunities in the year ahead. To ensure you have the right talent in place, conduct a thorough workforce audit. Are there critical roles that need to be filled now to avoid burnout or disruptions in 2025? Have you identified future talent needs based on projected growth? Don’t let staffing shortages derail your team’s performance next year—start planning now.
Review Employee Engagement and Retention Strategies
Keeping your best employees is just as important as recruiting new talent, but waiting until disengagement becomes visible can lead to costly turnover in 2025.
Are your development opportunities competitive? Do your employees feel valued and connected to the company’s mission? To ensure your current engagement strategies are enough to retain top talent and prevent burnout, survey your employees now to assess satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. If the end of year is too busy of a time to conduct a full engagement survey, consider a short pulse survey comprised of a few questions that would take less than 5 minutes to complete. It’s important to have some sense of engagement levels before entering the new year to create an effective retention strategy.
Prepare for Upcoming Regulatory Changes
From new wage laws to changes in compliance reporting, HR teams need to be fully prepared for regulatory changes. Waiting until 2025 to adapt could lead to serious compliance issues, hefty penalties, and disruption to operations.
Research what labor laws and industry-specific regulations will take effect in 2025 and schedule training sessions for your team, audit your current practices, and update policies to ensure compliance.
Leverage Technology for HR Efficiency
Are you fully leveraging HR automation, onboarding systems, and data analytics to streamline processes and improve employee satisfaction? If not, 2025 will bring more administrative burdens, not less.
Assess your current HR technology. Are there tools or features you’re not using to their full potential? Consider upgrades or additional training to maximize efficiency and free up your team’s time for strategic work. Don’t let outdated or underused tools slow you down. The right technology can transform your HR operations, but if your tech stack is underutilized, you’re leaving efficiency gains on the table.
Set Goals for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Is your DEI strategy making real progress, or is it just a checkbox? Superficial DEI efforts won’t build the inclusive, equitable workplace your team deserves. Review your DEI initiatives and assess their effectiveness. Have you embedded DEI into your company culture, or is it siloed from other business initiatives? As companies across industries place more emphasis on diversity and inclusion, HR leaders must ensure their DEI goals are data-driven and impactful. If your organization doesn’t have a DEI leader, leaning on staffing and recruiting expertise can help in identifying diverse candidates who align with your DEI goals.
Strategize for 2025: Align HR Goals with Business Objectives
HR is a critical driver of organizational success, and your goals should directly support the company’s broader objectives for 2025. Whether it’s improving employee performance, enhancing recruitment efforts, or driving company culture, your HR strategy needs to align with the company’s growth plans. Meet with senior leadership to align your HR initiatives with the company’s broader strategy. Set clear, measurable goals for areas like talent acquisition, employee development, and performance management that will contribute to your company’s growth in 2025 and beyond.
From workforce planning and employee retention to regulatory compliance and DEI initiatives, the steps you take today will shape the future of your organization. At LaSalle Network, we’ve partnered with HR leaders to build resilient teams, streamline operations, and drive cultural transformation. Whether you need help navigating hiring trends or finding the right staffing and recruiting solutions, connect with our team to ensure your organization is ready to thrive in 2025.
