In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we step straight into the festive chaos that hits every small business in December. Hazel is under a pile of Christmas lights, the inbox is bursting with last-minute shift changes, and everyone is one rota wobble away from losing the plot.

If December usually feels like fairy lights wrapped around a burnout buffet, this episode is for you.

I talk through the real reasons things go wrong at this time of year and how to spot the pressure points before they blow up. The last-minute leave requests. The people who are technically off but still somehow replying to emails. The one person with all the logins who has vanished. Suppliers are quietly shutting early. Payroll deadlines are creeping later and later. And the slow build-up of pressure that makes good people snap or shut down.

More importantly, I walk you through what to do about it.

This is not about creating the perfect festive workplace. It is about putting a few sensible things in place now so your team can actually switch off, your customers are looked after, and the same three reliable people are not carrying the whole business on their backs.

We also cover the grey areas that always seem to pop up in December. Holiday clashes. Sickness during leave. Bank holiday rules. Remote working tensions. And how to keep trust steady when everyone is tired and running on mince pies and adrenaline.

You will come away with a short, practical list of what to fix this week so your team, your service, and your sanity all make it into January in one piece.

And if December is already wobbling, book a discovery call, and we will map one quick win for the week, so you are not trying to sort it all alone.

Subscribe, share it with a manager who needs a calmer December, and let me know which fix you are going to try first.

If you’re not 100% sure how your HR is really holding up, take our free HR Health Check. It’s short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what’s working — and what needs a bit of love.

And if you do it before 1st April 2026, you’ll get a bonus 7 Pillar Strategy-on-a-Page, tailored to help you manage HR brilliantly for the year ahead. That’s it for today, but if you fancy a bit of friendly HR advice in your inbox (with zero waffle), come and join our newsletter.

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If you're not sure how your HR is really holding up, take the free HR Health Check. It's short, jargon-free, and gives you a clear score on what's working and what could do with a bit of love.

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe so you never miss one, and leave a review if you've got thirty seconds. It honestly does help more small business owners find the show, and it's the cheapest good deed you'll do all week.

Got a question or need actual HR support? Find Kate at kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email [email protected], or follow along on social.

Until next time, keep buzzing, and take care of your people.