Hr Year End Checklist 10 Critical Areas To Assess

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 3, 2025, 11:28 PM

hr year end checklist 10 critical areas to assess

Quick look: As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time for HR professionals to review, reflect, and fine-tune their processes to ensure compliance, enhance employee satisfaction, and streamline operations. Explore key year-end tasks to finish the year on a high note and set a strong foundation for 2025, or download the full, printable checklist for easy planning! The end of the year is a busy time for business leaders, professionally and personally. There are holiday celebrations to prepare for and attend, looming work deadlines, and your staff’s time off to track and plan around. Additionally, human resources (HR) teams must tackle a variety of tasks to maintain compliance and streamline operations for the year ahead. To support them, we’ve developed a comprehensive HR end-of-year checklist outlining critical to-dos in the following 10 categories:

Below, explore two major HR activities from each category, or download the free, complete, printable checklist including all tasks: The fourth quarter is a crucial time for HR departments. From compliance checks to updating payroll to managing benefits and open enrollment, the end of the year is the Superbowl for HR workers. In this HR compliance checklist, you’ll find key dates and deadlines, things to remember like holiday policies and employee benefits packages, and other critical tasks to close out the calendar year. Each section of the HR year end checklist provides clear tasks to streamline your year-end activities and set the stage for success in the new year. You can download a simplified checklist at the bottom of this post!

This HR year end checklist is broken down into the following sections: Human resources professionals must stay on top of key dates and deadlines to avoid penalties and HR compliance issues. Marking your calendar with important dates helps prevent oversight: As the year wraps up, businesses must tackle essential HR tasks to stay compliant and set a strong foundation for the upcoming year. Here’s a comprehensive checklist with helpful tips and employer-specific guidance: Review Payroll Records:Double-check year-to-date earnings, payroll summaries, and fringe benefits (e.g., personal use of company vehicles or relocation expenses).

This is especially important for employers with 50+ employees subject to detailed payroll reporting. Active Tax Accounts:Ensure your payroll system includes all active state and federal tax accounts to prevent missed tax filings. This is crucial for businesses operating in multiple states. Review W-2s & 1099s:Verify employee Social Security numbers, addresses, and earnings before submitting these forms. Employers with independent contractors must issue Form 1099-NEC by January 31. Audit Benefit Deductions:Ensure benefit deductions match employee elections and that any adjustments from the year are correctly reflected.

This helps avoid costly corrections later. HR Year-End Checklist: 10 Critical Areas to Assess #humanresources #yearendchecklist #business 554 W Main Street Suite 400 Buford, GA 30518 .css-1hnz6hu{position:static;}.css-1hnz6hu::before{content:'';cursor:inherit;display:block;position:absolute;top:0px;left:0px;z-index:0;width:100%;height:100%;}Payroll Consolidation Preparing for employment law changes, finalizing next year’s hiring and recruiting strategy, restructuring employee benefits packages… The .css-1rm19k8{font-size:16px;line-height:160%;font-weight:var(--chakra-fontWeights-bold);}end of the year is a busy period for the HR department. With so many items on their to-do list, it’s easy for HR professionals to miss something important from the many tasks they have to complete by December 31st.

We have compiled a detailed HR year-end checklist to make sure you’re all set up for the new year. As the year comes to a close, it’s not just the members of the HR team who have things to do, but also the employees. To make sure employees don’t forget about their year-end tasks, HR needs to send out several reminders. This includes reminding employees to: Take their unused vacation days if the .css-v85y2a{transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-fast);transition-timing-function:var(--chakra-transition-easing-ease-out);cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;color:var(--chakra-colors-persianBlue-600);font-weight:600;}.css-v85y2a:hover,.css-v85y2a[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-v85y2a:focus,.css-v85y2a[data-focus]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}.css-v85y2a:focus{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-none);}.css-v85y2a:active,.css-v85y2a[data-active]{color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-700);}PTO policy doesn’t provide for PTO roll-over, As we head into the final stretch of 2023, there are a number of important tasks related to payroll, benefits, compliance, and general HR to take care of by the end of the year.

Here’s your HR checklist for Q4. hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(1769288, '4180c734-4d5a-440f-97a2-4aedf1d2cb3b', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"}); File Form 941. File IRS Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, if you paid wages subject to employment taxes. If you deposited all taxes due on time, you have ten additional calendar days to file. IRS Form 941 is due Oct.

31, 2023, for Q3 2023, and Jan. 31, 2024, for Q4. Schedule Special Bonus Payrolls. Schedule special bonus payrolls and verify that taxable fringe benefits were withheld from paychecks during the year. Monitor Proposed Minimum Wage Increase. Watch for updates on the proposed exempt minimum wage increase and submit public comments through the federal register by Nov.

7, 2023. Whether you’re a seasoned HR pro or are implementing a new year-end assessment process at your organization for the very first time, there are several things you can and should do to make annual... Follow this step-by-step guide to deliver annual reviews with real impact. This part is super easy. Just identify when you need everyone in your organization to complete their performance reviews—and then back out a timeline to ensure you’ve given them ample time to get through all the necessary steps (see... You can’t expect anyone to take any action on the year-end assessment process if they don’t know the rules of engagement.

So, be sure to communicate—to both employees and managers—exactly what’s expected of them throughout this process along with key milestones and useful instructions to help them get the ball rolling. This should include providing any necessary login details for accessing your organization’s . Despite all your efforts to be as buttoned-up as possible from the get-go, employees will inevitably have a lot of questions. And when they have questions, they’ll likely go to their managers first to get answers. Don’t let year-end stress overwhelm you. Our comprehensive 2024 Year-End Checklist is designed to guide you through the essential tasks and deadlines, ensuring a seamless closeout.

Ready to take control of your year-end? Download our free 2024 Year-End Checklist today and experience a stress-free closeout. Make sure to subscribe to MP’s blog and stay on top of the most up-to-date news and trends in the business realm. Filed Under: Payroll, Compliance Tagged With: HR Services

Hr Year End Checklist 10 Critical Areas To Assess

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