As we head toward the end of the year, many businesses are juggling leave requests, public holidays, shutdown periods, and casual staffing changes, all while trying to wrap up projects and finish strong.

It’s one of the busiest times for HR administration, and small oversights can quickly turn into payroll errors, compliance issues, or staff frustration.

Here are a few key things every business should check before the Christmas and New Year period:

• Leave and shutdown planning: Confirm which dates your business will close (if any), who’s working, and how leave will be managed. Remember that “forced shutdowns” need correct notice and Award compliance.
• Public holiday pay: Double-check who’s rostered on and ensure public holiday rates are applied correctly — especially for casuals and part-timers.
• Rosters and hours: If you’re adjusting hours or using extra staff, make sure contracts, timesheets, and payroll systems reflect those changes to avoid underpayment risks.
• End-of-year performance or conduct issues: If there are lingering staff concerns, address them before the break so they don’t carry over into the new year.
• HR documentation refresh: Now’s the ideal time to tidy up your HR files — check that contracts, policies, and onboarding documents are current and ready for 2026.

At Performance Advantage, we help businesses get all of this right. From reviewing Award obligations and leave calculations to updating contracts, policies, and HR procedures before the new year rush.

Whether you need a quick compliance check or a full HR documentation review, we’ll help you start 2026 confident, compliant, and organised.

If you’d like to make sure your HR systems are ready for the holiday period, just hit reply and we’ll help you work out what you need.

Wishing you a smooth lead-up to Christmas and a great start to the new year! 

You can always contact us to ensure this happens for your business, call us on 0408 897 079 or email us at suzanne@performanceadvantage.com.au.