How can you help your employees start their New Year resolutions? đź’Ş
The start of a new year is like opening a brand-new notebook: full of blank pages, fresh ideas, and endless possibilities. Employees return with motivation and a list of resolutions, whether it’s adopting a healthier lifestyle, learning a new skill, or finding more balance. As an HR manager, you can harness this energy by equipping your team with the right tools to turn their goals into action. While some dive in with enthusiasm, others may feel unsure where to start—and that’s perfectly normal! Your role is to turn that initial spark into a confident first step. So, how can you support your employees in achieving their goals this year? Let’s explore a few simple yet impactful ways to get them started.
Time to read: 5 minutes
Set the tone with a resolution starter kit 🖊️
When employees return to work in January, they often bring ambitious New Year resolutions. They embrace the NewYear NewU mindset, dreaming of significant changes and the best version of themselves. But here’s the challenge: big resolutions can feel overwhelming, and when something feels too big, it’s hard to know where to start. One of the most effective ways to support your employees is to guide them in turning those big dreams into clear, manageable steps. Start by encouraging employees to write down their resolutions—research shows that written goals are far more likely to be achieved.
You can take this a step further by providing a simple tool, like a goal-setting template. This doesn’t need to be complicated—a one-page sheet with prompts to clarify their goals and break them into actionable steps works wonders. For example, an employee with the resolution “get healthier” might write down, “Take a 15-minute walk at lunch,” or “Replace afternoon coffee with herbal tea.” Suddenly, the goal feels achievable.
Make it official with a resolution kickoff day 🎯
A resolution kickoff day is an opportunity to set goals and motivate employees to take that critical first step. Now that you’ve provided a goal-setting template, you can guide employees in writing these smaller steps if they need extra support. Big resolutions can feel overwhelming, but breaking them down into micro-resolutions—small, actionable steps—makes them approachable and achievable.
For example, instead of “exercise every day,” an employee might start with “do five push-ups each morning” or “take the stairs twice a week.” To make this process more interactive, set up a goal-writing station during the kickoff day, where employees can drop by for guidance on crafting their resolutions. Use prompts like, “What’s one thing you can do today to get started?” or, “How can you simplify this goal into something achievable in five minutes?”
Once the resolutions are written, create a system to collect them anonymously—either digitally through a form or physically in a collection box. Display these micro-resolutions creatively to inspire others, such as on a “Resolution Wall” in the office or a shared digital board. This not only motivates individuals but also highlights shared goals within the team, fostering a sense of connection and encouragement.
Appoint ambassadors to lead the way 🏅
Every workplace has individuals who naturally motivate and energise others—those colleagues who bring positivity, enthusiasm, or a sense of purpose to the team. These are your potential ambassadors, and they can play a vital role in helping employees start their New Year resolutions. Ambassadors don’t need to be experts; they just need a willingness to support and inspire their peers. How do you identify these champions? Look for employees who stood out in the past year—those who actively participated in company initiatives, took their own resolutions seriously, or showed a knack for encouraging others.
After reviewing popular resolutions, you can select ambassadors for specific themes. For instance, if mindfulness is a recurring resolution, an ambassador could share breathing exercises or host a five-minute morning meditation session. To keep things light, you could introduce mini-challenges for ambassadors to host. One ambassador might organise a “desk yoga week,” while another could lead a “bring your favourite healthy snack” day.
Energise employees with quick challenges 🚶
Quick challenges are short, focused activities designed to kickstart healthy habits and build confidence through small, manageable goals. Generally lasting about a week or another short timeframe, these challenges are ideal for helping employees take their first steps toward their resolutions. Now that you’ve identified one or more ambassadors, it’s time to empower them to take the lead in creating and guiding these engaging challenges.
Why are mini challenges so effective? They offer instant gratification. A 7-day hydration challenge, for example, helps employees achieve visible progress in a short time. Picture an employee proudly sharing, “I hit my daily water goal!” or another feeling a sense of accomplishment after consistently walking 5,000 steps each day for a week.
Encourage ambassadors to make these challenges engaging and fun. For example, they could create a shared board where employees track their progress or post updates in a team chat to celebrate milestones. Employees might share photos of their water bottles for a hydration challenge or snapshots of their favourite walking spots during a step-count competition.
Starting something new is always easier with the right support, a touch of encouragement, and a clear first step. By creating an environment where resolutions feel exciting and achievable, you’re giving your employees the best gift to begin their journey—a sense of possibility and the confidence to start.