New Year, New Message: How to Nail Your Start-of-Year Comms

Ah, January.
That magical time of year when diets are broken, office plants are revived from the dead, and leaders everywhere decide it’s time to “set the tone” for the year ahead.

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And here’s the truth: Your start-of-year messaging matters. Probably more than you think.

Done well, it builds momentum, hope, clarity and alignment.
Done badly, it becomes white noise. Or worse, a corporate sleep aid. Or worse still, an exercise in demotivation to rival a mandatory organised fun workshop at 8.30 on a Monday morning.

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So, let’s make sure your 2025 kick-off messaging doesn’t land like that 35^th consecutive email that opens with “per my last message”.

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Why Start-of-Year Messaging Is So Important

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1. People want direction.

January is the emotional equivalent of opening a brand-new notebook: full of possibilities, but absolutely no idea what to write first.
Your employees want to know:

• “What are we doing this year?”
• “Where are we going?”
• “How do I fit into this story?”

They’re craving clarity… not clichés.

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2. It sets the tone (and trust) for the year ahead.

If your first comms of the year is robotic, vague or stuffed with buzzwords, guess what? People assume the same about the rest of the year.

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3. It’s your chance to reset - in the GOOD way.

New priorities. New projects. New ways of working.
It’s the perfect time to admit what didn’t work last year and to set realistic expectations for what’s next.

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4. It’s a culture moment.

Not a box-ticking exercise.
This is where you remind people why they work here rather than somewhere that gives out free gym memberships and anxiety in equal measure.

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What GREAT Start-of-Year Messaging Includes

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Let’s get into the ingredients, the stuff that actually makes your message land.

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1. A Human Opening

Skip the robotic “As we commence FY25, we must strategically leverage…”

Try: “We made it. New year, fresh coffee, fresh goals. But yes, still the same dodgy printer.”

Human. Warm. Approachable. You’re talking to people, not corporate entities.

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2. Reflection. But Keep It Snappy

Yes, it’s good to acknowledge last year’s wins and challenges.
But keep the tone forward-looking, not Post-Mortem 2025. Your employees already lived through last year; they don’t need a recap of every twist and turn.

Try:

• Quick highlights
• Acknowledge the tough bits
• Thank people (genuinely, not generically)

Avoid rewriting the entire history of your organisation for the 47th time.

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3. Clear Priorities for the Year Ahead

This is the moment people look for action and direction.

Keep it to 3 to 5 priorities MAX.
Any more than that and you’re not communicating, you’re dumping.

Make sure each priority answers: “What does this mean for our teams? What will actually be different?”

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4. The WIIFM (What’s In It For Me?)

A message without relevance is just noise. Spell out how these goals, changes, or focus areas will help employees:

• save time
• work smarter
• have better tools
• see clearer expectations
• reduce frustration
• grow in their role

Big Mario energy, please.

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5. Tone That Reflects Your Actual Culture

If you’re fun, be fun.
If you’re straight-talking, be that.
If you’re warm and people-first, lean into it.

But whatever you do: Don’t switch tone in January. Nothing screams “This is not authentic” like a suddenly cheerful CEO message written by someone who definitely uses AI like a blender.

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6. A Call to Action, But a Friendly One

Not: “Please read the attached 19-slide deck.”

Try: “Here’s what we’d love you to focus on this month.”
Or: “Managers: here’s your team conversation starter.”

Give people something useful, not homework.

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What NOT to Do in Start-of-Year Messaging

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1. Don’t pretend everything is perfect

People can smell inauthenticity faster than leftover Christmas cheese.

If things were tough, say so.
If things are changing, explain why.
If you don’t have all the answers yet, say that too.

Honesty builds trust.
Spin builds Slack DMs, suspicion, bitching.

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2. Don’t overpromise

No one believes: “This is going to be our best year ever!”

Try: “We’ve got ambitious goals and we’re going to support you to reach them.”

Grounded optimism trumps delusion every time.

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3. Don’t drown people in detail

January brains are fragile. (I’m speaking from experience here, but I’d bet my last Christmas Selection Box that I’m not alone.) Don’t hit them with 17 initiatives, 4 frameworks and an org chart shaped like a fractal.

Stick to themes, direction, clarity. Depth can come later.

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4. Don’t make it all about the business

Employees want to know how the year ahead affects:

• their workload
• their wellbeing
• their opportunities
• their day-to-day reality

If your message is 100% shareholder energy, you’ve missed the mark.

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5. Don’t send one message and call it done

A start-of-year message is the opening chapter, not the whole book.

Follow-ups matter.
Reinforcement matters.
Manager cascades matter.
Two-way dialogue -you guessed it- matters. Really matters, in fact.

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Bonus: A Few Practical Tips to Make It Shine

• Use video if you can. Seeing leaders speak hits differently.
• Include captions because accessibility and sanity.
• Use visuals - fewer words means happier brains.
• Give managers talking points - they’re your culture amplifiers.
• Segment & personalise where possible - one size fits no one. Especially after Christmas!
• Invite collaboration - Nothing says "new beginnings" like opening the floor for fresh ideas. Encourage employees to share their thoughts, whether it’s feedback on last year’s initiatives or suggestions for new ones.
• Promote or tease planned events - This would be a great time to announce (or at least tease) any company events, conferences or similar that are planned for the months ahead. Even if the finer details haven’t been confirmed, if you’re sure it’s going to happen, a little early promo can build a buzz and get people intrigued and excited for what’s to come.

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Final Word: Make January Feel Like a Beginning, Not a Warning

Start-of-year messaging should make people feel:

• informed
• valued
• excited
• supported
• part of something

Not:

• confused
• overwhelmed
• terrified
• “Where’s the jobs page again?”

Think human.
Think clear.
Think energising.
Think: If this message were a movie trailer, would anyone watch the film?

If you nail that, you’ll set the tone for a year people actually want to be part of.

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That’s it. Another year just about done.

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As this is our final blog of the year, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has used our services, reached out, or read our ramblings in 2025. We hope the year was kind to you, personally and professionally. Whatever you celebrate, have a wonderful festive break and here’s to a healthy, happy and prosperous new year for us all. See you in ’26!

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