Four tips to kick off the new year the right way

Create an immersive kick-off that people actually remember

Forget the conference room. The traditional meeting-room session, where someone drones through targets whilst people check their phones, has had its day. It requires a bit more effort to make it truly impactful. Instead, craft a kick-off that combines strategic vision with genuine experience.

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This might look like breakfast in an unexpected venue, an interactive workshop that gets people moving, or an activity that embodies your annual objectives.

Why does this work? The first weeks of January find people mentally receptive to change and willing to embrace fresh challenges. Companies with strong onboarding programs improve new hire engagement by 82%, and that same principle applies to “onboarding” your entire team into a new year. A well-planned experiential kick-off transforms abstract targets into concrete emotions, creating positive emotional anchors that persist.

Establish weekly recognition rituals from day one

Here’s what many leaders miss: recognition can’t be an afterthought added only when convenient. It requires systematic integration from January onwards. Institute a fixed weekly appointment (even just 10-15 minutes) dedicated to celebrating wins, initiatives, and achievements.

This could take various forms: a dedicated call, a segment during team meetings, or perhaps a shared channel where authentic, specific recognition flows freely. The keyword is “authentic”—generic praise lands flat. Specificity matters.

According to research by Gallup and Workhuman, employees who feel recognised are 45% less likely to leave the company within two years, while those encouraged and supported in developing new skills are 47% less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. Embedding this practice in January sets a positive momentum for the year ahead.

Map your entire year of events before February arrives

Dedicate December and early January to plotting every company event for the coming year: quarterly team-building sessions, dinners, milestone celebrations, training workshops, even small monthly initiatives. Communicate this calendar to your team by month’s end so everyone knows what’s ahead and can plan accordingly.

Knowing pleasant moments and regenerative pauses already exist in the calendar creates positive anticipation and gives people something to look forward to during challenging periods. Early planning secures better venues, advantageous pricing, and higher participation because people can block dates in advance.

Open individual listening channels immediately

Managers and leaders should schedule informal one-to-ones with each team member during January’s first 2-3 weeks. Not formal reviews—genuine conversations exploring expectations, concerns, and personal and professional aspirations for the new year.

When collaborators perceive their aspirations matter and space exists to align personal and organisational objectives, engagement soars. These conversations also provide leaders invaluable information for preventing dissatisfaction, identifying talent to develop, and building personalised growth plans.

70% of team engagement is attributable to the manager, which means investing time in listening during January represents the best insurance against turnover throughout the year. People don’t leave companies—they leave managers who don’t listen. An hour invested now in listening can save months of work replacing departed talent.

The compound effect of January actions

None of these strategies demands hefty budgets or complex infrastructures; what they require is intention, strategic clarity, and the understanding that how a year begins largely shapes how it will unfold.

The question is not whether an organisation can afford to invest in these approaches, but whether it can afford not to, given the high cost of disengagement. Avoiding the missteps of the previous year means making choices now that put people in the best position to excel: through recognition, opportunities for growth, and activities that enhance focus and purpose. The true competitive advantage lies not in holding onto talent at the last moment, but in never giving them a reason to leave in the first place.

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