HR’s Last-Minute Christmas Survival Guide (No, You’re Not Too Late)

Didn’t plan your shutdown? No leave tracker? Party booked but no policy? It’s not too late. Here’s your HR-approved survival guide to Christmas 2025. Chaos optional.

Welcome to Christmas: HR’s Favourite Nightmare

If you’re reading this mid-December with a half-eaten candy cane and a rising sense of panic…breathe. You’re not the only one.

The tree’s up, the team’s mentally checked out, and payroll just muttered something about penalty rates and walked into traffic (metaphorically, we hope).

Whether you forgot to plan a shutdown, didn’t finalise leave approvals, or accidentally green-lit an open bar at the office party this guide is for you.

Let’s clean up the mess before it turns into an HR horror story on A Current Affair.

No Shutdown? No Worries. Just Communicate

If it’s too late to force a shutdown (Award rules and notice periods, we see you), your best bet now is voluntary leave encouragement.

Do this instead:

✅ Offer a gentle nudge to take annual leave over the quiet period.

✅ Get operational cover sorted ASAP (don’t assume Susan “will just log in if it gets busy”).

✅ Be transparent: If you’re open, tell the team what’s expected. If you’re closed, confirm they’ll be paid (or not, depending on contracts).

Leave Chaos? Prioritise and Document

You’ve got:

• Five people requesting the exact same week off
• Someone who thought their leave was approved but it never was
• And at least one person threatening to quit if they don’t get NYE off

Here’s how to keep your cool:

• Prioritise based on business need, not who asked first
• Say no (nicely) if you can’t accommodate everyone
• Document everything, even verbal approvals. In the future you will be grateful when Karen comes back in January with “But you said…”

The Christmas Party You Forgot to Risk Assess

Booked the venue, ordered the drinks, forgot the HR policy? Classic.

Here’s how to keep it festive and legally safe.

Before the party:

• Remind staff the code of conduct still applies
• Confirm start and end times
• Set expectations about behaviour (read: no naked photocopying)
• Designate a sober-ish manager to quietly intervene if things go sideways

After the party:

• Don’t discipline anyone while hungover (wait until the facts are in)
• If there is an incident, investigate like any other workplace issue, even if it happened after karaoke

Public Holiday Pay: Don’t Wing It

Public holidays are a legal landmine. You don’t want to be calculating Christmas Day pay on Christmas Eve (trust us).

Basics (but check your Award!):

• If the team normally works on that day, and it’s a public holiday = they get paid
• If they work on the public holiday = penalty rates apply
• Casuals? Depends on roster, Award, and whether the shift was pre-scheduled

Still confused? You’re not alone. This is where a quick HR call can save you thousands.

Annual Leave Balances Out of Control?

Shocking fact: excessive leave accrual is still a thing, even post-COVID. If some of your staff have enough leave to backpack around Europe twice, start 2026 strong with a leave reset strategy.

For now, just flag it, it’s a January job. Add it to the list.

HR Stuff You Still Have Time to Do Before the Break

Even if you’re crawling to the finish line in glitter and regret, you can still knock out some meaningful HR wins before COB:

✅ Send out the public holiday dates + office open/close info

✅ Confirm emergency contacts (for both people and systems)

✅ Remind payroll of adjusted processing dates

✅ Update the out-of-office template for the shared inbox (no, “good luck, we’re closed” doesn’t cut it)

✅ Do a quick staff check-in to make sure everyone’s OK  burnout is real

FAQs

1. Can I still approve leave over Christmas even if the request came late?
Yes if it works for the business. Just confirm it in writing.

2. Do I need to pay staff for a public holiday if we’re closed?
If they’d normally work that day, yes. Even if the business is closed.

3. Someone’s calling in “sick” the day after the party. Coincidence?
Probably not. But tread carefully. Require a medical certificate if you suspect foul play — and follow your usual absence policy.

4. Can I offer unpaid leave if they’ve run out of annual leave?
Yes, but they must agree to it, you can’t force it.

5. What’s the fastest way to check if penalty rates apply?
Jump onto Fair Work’s Pay Calculator

Or, you know, call your HR lifeline (hi 👋).

Can I just “deal with it in January”?
For some things, yes. For pay, compliance, and leave disputes maybe don’t. No one wants an unfair dismissal claim over NYE.

Even if you’re late to the Christmas HR party, there’s still time to get your house in order.

The key? Clarity, communication, and quick wins. Do what you can now, and kick the rest to January (with a plan, not just a prayer).

And if you want someone to hold your (egg)nog while you untangle this HR mess we’re right here, sleigh bells and all.