HR teams are likely to be extremely busy this month, as January is the time of year where employees are most likely to be hunting for a new job.

That’s the opinion of recruitment expert Phil Sheridan, who has claimed that resolutions and recent annual bonuses are two of the reasons for this fact.

Mr Sheridan, who is the managing director of recruitment company Robert Half, has encouraged business owners to put extra effort into employee engagement in order to stop their best talent from considering a job change.

He said: “It’s not always possible to retain your best and brightest. However, by making sure employees are happy through regular communication, company updates and encouragement, you can ensure that your company isn’t hit with that mass exodus.”

New Year is traditionally a time for dramatic change. Some employees might be looking into starting their own businesses or investing in some of the exciting franchise opportunities for sale. Those who already own a franchise could consider making a resolution involving greater communication with their staff.

According to freshbusinessthinking.com, the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CPID) is amongst the bodies to have discussed the importance of employee engagement in the New Year.