Innovation Conversations: AI Enhanced HR Insights Blog

What HR Managers Are Really Doing in December? 

Hint: It’s Much More than Planning the Holiday Party

As the rest of the world begins to wind down for the holidays, HR managers are doing the exact opposite. Early December is one of the busiest—and most strategic—times of the year for Human Resources. While employees are thinking about time off, festive gatherings, and wrapping up projects, HR is deep in the details of year-end operations, compliance deadlines, and planning for the new year.

Here’s a look inside what HR professionals are juggling during this pivotal month.

1. Wrapping Up Open Enrollment (and All the Data That Comes With It)

By early December, open enrollment has officially closed—but HR’s work is just beginning. Teams are verifying every change in health, dental, vision, and supplemental benefits to ensure accuracy before transmitting data to vendors. Any errors can impact coverage on January 1st, so this step is both high-pressure and time-sensitive.

2. Preparing Year-End Payroll & Tax Responsibilities

Year-end payroll is a massive undertaking, and HR works closely with finance to ensure everything is correct before W-2s go out. This includes:

• Updating 401(k) and pension contribution limits
• Reconciling bonuses, overtime, and taxable benefits
• Ensuring accuracy for tax filings
• Addressing the annual question: Should we pay employees early for the Christmas holiday?

That one decision—paying early—can impact government benefits such as Universal Credit, requiring HR to navigate the financial and legal implications carefully.

3. Managing the Holiday Leave Rush

If you’ve ever wondered who ensures an organization doesn’t completely shut down between Christmas and New Year’s—it’s HR. December brings a flood of PTO requests, and HR must:

• Balance fairness with business needs
• Navigate overlapping requests
• Ensure essential operations remain staffed

All while keeping morale high and maintaining equity across the team.

4. Promoting Inclusivity & Keeping Workplace Celebrations Respectful

Holiday gatherings are fun—until they’re not. HR managers take the lead in setting expectations for professional behavior at company events and ensuring celebrations remain inclusive for all cultures and beliefs.

This also includes recognition of important December observances, like the International Day for Persons with Disabilities (December 3), and promoting a respectful, accessible environment.

5. Strategic Planning for the New Year

While handling year-end logistics, HR is simultaneously looking forward. Early December is prime time for:

• Finalizing organizational goals for the upcoming year
• Updating employee handbooks and compliance policies
• Reviewing safety and security protocols
• Identifying training needs
• Planning Q1 initiatives

In other words, HR is building the roadmap that will guide the entire organization into the new year.

In Summary:

December is a month of dual responsibility for HR—celebrating the wins of the past year while laying down the structural and operational foundation for the next. HR managers are part analyst, part counselor, part strategist, and part event-planner—often all in the same week.

So, if you see your HR colleagues this month, take a moment to thank them. While everyone else is winding down, they are working hard behind the scenes to make sure January begins smoothly for all of us.

This article was developed with assistance from ChatGPT and Google AI (OpenAI). Content was reviewed and edited by Four Rivers SHRM for accuracy. OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (GPT-5.1) 

© Four Rivers Society of Human Resource Managers, 2025
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Four Rivers Society of Human Resource Managers or Four Rivers SHRM with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.