HR Planning After the Holidays: What to Stop, Start, and Simplify

Small HR process changes made early can remove friction for the rest of the year.

January creates room for honest review

After the holidays, work resumes at a steadier pace. Deadlines are lighter. Teams are reorganizing priorities. For HR, this window is rare and valuable.

It is the right time to step back and assess which processes helped and which quietly slowed things down. Waiting until workloads increase again often means tolerating inefficiencies for another year.

Reflection now prevents frustration later.

What HR teams should consider stopping

Some tasks continue simply because they always have. Over time, they consume hours without delivering value.

HR teams often benefit from stopping:
• Manual tracking of benefits through spreadsheets
• Repeated explanations of the same coverage details
• One off fixes that create more follow ups later

These habits feel manageable day to day, but they add up across the year.

What HR teams should start doing differently

Stopping alone is not enough. Replacing effort with structure creates lasting improvement.

January is a good time to start:
• Centralizing benefit information in one place
• Using data to guide decisions instead of assumptions
• Setting clear timelines for updates and enrollment

These changes reduce reliance on memory and manual coordination.

What can realistically be simplified

Not everything needs a system overhaul. Many improvements come from simplifying existing steps.

HR teams can often simplify by:
• Clarifying where employees go first for health concerns
• Reducing approval steps where possible
• Aligning coverage communication with actual usage

Small simplifications reduce confusion and repeated questions.

Why January works better than later months

As the year progresses, issues become harder to untangle. Requests pile up. Changes feel disruptive. January offers space to make adjustments without pressure.

Employees are also more receptive to updates early in the year. They are resetting routines and expectations, which makes communication easier.

Using this window saves time later.

How Purple Cow supports HR simplification

Purple Cow supports HR teams through end to end solutions that reduce manual work. This includes clearer coverage structures, digital access, and guidance aligned with SME realities.

When systems support HR, fewer tasks rely on individual follow ups. Time shifts from administration to planning.

Simpler processes support better outcomes

When HR processes are clear, employees feel it. Questions decrease. Trust improves. HR teams gain capacity to focus on people, not paperwork.

January is not about doing more. It is about doing fewer things better.

Talk to Purple Cow

Simplify your HR processes with support designed for SMEs. You can get a quote and explore end to end solutions through Purple Cow here: https://hmoplans.ph/get-a-quote.