Reflecting on the Year: Why the End of the Year Is the Perfect Time to Think About Your People

As the year draws to a close, many business owners naturally slip into reflection mode. The pace of work often slows, inboxes quieten, and there’s finally a little breathing space to look back on the year as a whole rather than reacting to the next urgent task.

Looking back on the year beyond the numbers

While figures tell part of the story, they very rarely capture the full picture. How work felt 'day to day' often says far more about whether a business is operating sustainably.

Periods of constant pressure, blurred boundaries, or a sense that everything depended on one person holding it together are common experiences for growing businesses. Reflecting honestly on those moments can highlight where better support, clearer structure, or a different approach to people might be needed moving forward.

Why the end of the year brings clarity

The time between Christmas and New Year often brings a rare pause. With fewer meetings and less noise, many business owners find they can think more clearly than they have all year.

It can be during this space that realisations tend to surface — whether that’s recognising the need for help, questioning whether the current way of working is sustainable, or wanting the next year to feel calmer and more balanced.

This clarity is valuable, and it’s often the starting point for positive change.

Growth in 2026 starts with people

If 2026 is shaping up to be a year of growth, now is the time to start thinking about what that growth will require from a people perspective. Growth almost always brings change — in responsibility, expectations, and leadership.

Whether you’re considering your first hire or planning to expand an existing team, taking time now to understand what support you truly need can prevent rushed decisions later.

Businesses that grow without a clear people strategy often experience unnecessary stress, disengagement, or burnout that could have been avoided with early planning.

Looking ahead to what’s next

If you didn’t catch all our blogs this year, we explored several modern challenges that are already beginning to shape the workplace – from preparing for welcoming Gen Alpha into the workplace – to AI and it's role in the workplace.

These are all things that will change the way we are used to working and operating – make sure you read our blogs as well as educating yourself further on how this will affect your business.

Culture begins long before you build a team

Again, this is something we considered in our last blog post – maybe 2026 is the year you make your first hire? If so, make sure you read this first!

In a nutshell - Culture isn’t something that suddenly appears once employees are in place. It’s already forming through everyday behaviours — how communication happens, how pressure is managed, and how decisions are made.

The end of the year is a powerful moment to reflect on whether the culture you’re creating aligns with the kind of business you want to build. Small changes in leadership approach or boundaries now can make a significant difference as your business continues to grow.

Coaching as part of your Growth Strategy

When planning for growth and development in 2026, partnering with a coach can be a powerful way to build confidence and capability across your business.

Leadership coaching doesn’t just benefit individuals — it has a wider impact on teams and culture as a whole. Supporting leaders to develop skills such as organisation, communication, compassion, and conflict resolution often creates a ripple effect, influencing how teams work together and how challenges are handled day to day.

For growing businesses, coaching can help leaders step out of firefighting mode and into more intentional leadership, supporting both performance and wellbeing as the business evolves.

At Holla HR, leadership coaching is one of the ways we support businesses to develop confident leaders and build strong, people-first workplaces — get in touch to find out how coaching could support your business in 2026.

A final thought as the year ends

As the year ends, it’s worth remembering that sustainable business growth relies on people — including the person running the business.

At Holla HR, we help businesses reflect, plan, and grow in a way that puts people first, supporting leaders as they prepare for the year ahead. If 2026 is set to be a year of change or growth, now is the ideal time to start thinking about your people strategy.

We can’t wait to continue to support our amazing clients and help them make even more growth movements in 2026!