The year is winding down, the last remnants of the summer are fading fast, and annual review season is right around the corner. But as the holiday season gears up and employee distractions begin to multiply, it’s time for managers to become more focused than ever. What steps can you take to rally your teams for the final stretch and bring 2014 to a strong close? Keep these considerations in mind.

1. Reward, praise, and thank.

For employees, reaping rewards and praise usually comes easy. This is the pleasant aftermath of a job well done, and at this moment, all an employee needs to do is accept the honor gracefully and share credit as appropriate. But for managers, delivering praise effectively can be intense, challenging, and critical to group success. Think before you give the wring person credit for a team victory. Stay generous with both words and money. And pay attention; don’t let a valuable contribution go unnoticed.

2. Start thinking several moves ahead.

After your review cycle, you’ll need to start thinking in terms of strategic promotions and long term staffing decisions. Who will be retiring this year? Who will replace these people? Who will be groomed for which forms of lateral or vertical advancement? And how can you build and maintain a pipeline that leads all the way from senior management to the entry level?

3. Are you ready for the challenges of 2015?

Do you have a clear sense of what those challenges will be? If not, now is the time to start plotting and planning. And as you do so, bring your teams into the loop and make sure they’re ready to engage. Align the client needs and regulatory issues you’ll be facing with your employee training programs. And align these training programs with the details of their performance reviews.

4. Keep engagement levels high.

This is the season when a little extra effort on the part of management can pay off tenfold. Encourage your employees to invest in the company by investing in them first. Plan social events, sponsor non-work-related gatherings, and feed them lunch at least once a week. As always, keep track of the employees who stay late or otherwise go the extra mile, and make sure these employees are acknowledged and compensated.

For more end-of-year management tips and guidelines, reach out to the financial staffing experts at Cordia.