Your end-of-year HR checklist for engaged and energised teams in 2026

As 2025 winds down, HR leaders across Australia are deep in planning, reporting, and reflecting mode. But amid the busyness of budgets, shutting down for the holidays, and compliance tasks, one thing shouldn’t fall through the cracks; your people.

This end-of-year HR checklist is designed to help you finish 2025 strong and enter 2026 with teams that are engaged, energised, and ready to perform.

Because when employees feel valued and connected as the year closes, they return in the new year motivated, engaged, and ready to thrive.

1. Recognise and celebrate the wins

Recognition is one of the most powerful tools to end the year on a high. Reward Gateway | Edenred research shows that recognition and rewards is the top driver of productivity with 43% stating that receiving recognition makes them feel more productive. 

The final weeks of the year are a golden opportunity to pause, reflect, and celebrate progress, both big and small.

End-of-year HR checklist actions:

• Spotlight achievements: Celebrate company milestones, project completions, and individual success stories across your recognition channels.

• Empower managers: Encourage leaders to send personal thank-you messages, custom manager rewards, or share recognition stories on your internal platforms.

• Make it visible: Use your digital recognition platform to showcase celebrations and peer-to-peer nominations.

• Plan for next year: Plan for early 2026 recognition campaigns (like “kick-off kudos”) to maintain momentum.

Pro tip: Recognition doesn’t need to be costly to be meaningful. Small, authentic gestures — combined with flexible rewards — make employees feel genuinely valued and energised.

2. Communicate with clarity and care

Clear, human communication is essential during the end-of-year rush. Employees are juggling deadlines, family commitments, and holidays and without clarity, important messages can get lost.

End-of-year HR checklist actions:

• Share your “year in review”: Publish a message from leadership highlighting successes, lessons, and gratitude.

• Set expectations early: Remind teams of shutdown dates, pay schedules, and wellbeing resources.

• Keep your tone warm: Choose empathy and authenticity over corporate formality.

• Use multiple channels: Reinforce messages through your internal platform, email, and manager mentions.

• Invite feedback: Encourage employees to reflect and share their ideas for 2026.

Pro tip: Use an all-in-one engagement platform, like SmartHub by Reward Gateway | Edenred, to centralise year-end updates, recognition, and wellbeing information — making it easy for employees to find what they need in one place.

3. Review your benefits and wellbeing programs

The end of the year is a valuable time to assess how well your benefits and wellbeing programs supported your people in 2025. A quick review can uncover opportunities to refresh, relaunch, or refine your offering ahead of 2026.

End-of-year HR checklist actions:

• Review usage data: Identify which benefits and discounts were most popular and which need better communication.

• Gather feedback: Run a short pulse survey to understand what employees value most.

• Refresh awareness: Relaunch underused benefits in January with targeted campaigns.

• Reinforce wellbeing support: Communicate access to EAPs, financial wellbeing tools, and mental health resources during the holiday period.

Pro tip: Highlight benefits that make life easier over the festive break, from retail discounts to wellbeing initiatives, to show genuine care for employees’ financial and emotional wellbeing.

4. Reflect on data and insights

Every HR leader knows that what gets measured gets managed. Use your end-of-year review to turn engagement data into insights that will inform your 2026 strategy.

End-of-year HR checklist actions:

• Analyse recognition participation, which teams are leading the way?

• Review communication analytics, which messages or channels performed best?

• Measure benefits engagement and correlate it with retention or wellbeing outcomes.

• Identify trends to inform your 2026 goals and business case.

Platforms like Reward Gateway | Edenred make it simple to visualise data in one place, helping you connect recognition, engagement, and performance metrics to business outcomes.

5. Plan your 2026 people priorities

Once you’ve reflected on the year’s insights, it’s time to look forward. A clear plan for 2026 will ensure your engagement strategy starts strong.

End-of-year HR checklist actions:

• Revisit your recognition strategy: Align it with company goals and manager enablement.

• Plan communication rhythms: Use your 2026 HR Calendar to map key campaigns and awareness days.

• Secure leadership alignment: Share engagement insights to gain executive buy-in.

• Set measurable KPIs: Define success for recognition, communication, and wellbeing initiatives.

Pro tip: January momentum starts in December. The actions you take now will shape how your culture feels when your people return after the holidays.

Finishing the year with connection and energy

Your end-of-year HR checklist isn’t just about closing the books, it’s about closing the connection loop between your people and your purpose.

By taking time to recognise achievements, communicate meaningfully, and plan with intent, you’ll start 2026 with a workforce that feels engaged, energised, and ready to thrive.

Because when employees feel recognised and connected, they don’t just end 2025 strong, they step into 2026 fully engaged and motivated.

Learn more about how Reward Gateway | Edenred can help you engage and motivate your people in 2026.