In this episode of Buzzing About HR, we step straight into the festive chaos that hits every small business in December. Hazel is asleep under a pile of Christmas lights, the inbox is bursting with last minute shifts and mystery calendar blocks, and everyone is only one rota change away from losing the plot.

If December normally feels like a burnout buffet mixed with fairy lights, this episode is your life raft. I take you through the real reasons things go wrong at this time of year and how to spot the pressure points before they explode. You will hear how tiny signs in your rota, your inbox and your team’s mood can tell you exactly where the trouble is hiding.

We look at the classic Christmas crunch moments every manager knows too well. The sudden leave requests. The people who are off but somehow still online. The one person with all the logins on a ski lift. Suppliers who quietly disappear. Payroll deadlines that creep into the night. And the silent build up of pressure that tips good people into snapping or shutting down.

More importantly, we focus on what you can do right now to make December calmer, kinder and more manageable. Think simple fixes that protect real time off, stop the constant firefighting and keep customers happy without burning out the same three people. This is practical, plain English support you can use today.

We also tackle the grey areas that always come up at this time of year, from fair leave rules to sickness on holiday, bank holidays, remote working calls and how to keep trust high when everyone is tired. You will leave with a short, clear list of what to put in place this week so your team, your customers and your sanity all make it into January in one piece.

If you want the tools I talk about in the episode, you can grab the Holiday Absence Toolkit. And if December is already wobbling, book a discovery call and we will map one win for the week so you are not doing this alone.

Hit play, pop the kettle on and let’s make this the calmest December you have had in years.

with the one-page template, cover drill worksheet, handover note, and ready-to-use scripts. If you’d like eyes on your plan, book a discovery call and we’ll map one win for this week. Subscribe, share with a manager who needs a calmer December, and tell us: which fix will you try first?

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Have questions or need HR advice? Reach out to Kate Underwood HR & Training at www.kateunderwoodhr.co.uk, email us on buzz@kateunderwoodhr.co.uk or follow us on social media for more tips, resources, and updates.

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