Is your Business Holiday Ready? What Every NZ Business Should Prepare For
Posted on 14 Nov 2025
As the year winds down, most Kiwi businesses face a familiar challenge: balancing the final push to meet goals with preparing for a long break. While offices may shut their doors from late December through mid-January, essential financial processes still need attention. Payroll still runs, GST deadlines still fall due, and supplier payments don’t pause just because you do.
Without planning, the combination of reduced staff, public holidays, and approval bottlenecks can trigger unnecessary stress. Common issues include missed payroll cut-offs, delayed invoicing, overdue payments, and cashflow gaps once January rolls around.
What to organise before your holiday break
- Review cashflow for Dec–Jan:
Factor in payroll, regular expenses, annual renewals, and slower debtor payments. Ensure sufficient funds are available over the shutdown period. - Confirm payroll details:
Check pay dates, holiday pay calculations, and approval timings. Bank closures and stat holidays can compress processing windows. - Finalise invoicing:
Send outstanding invoices early and set up automated reminders or follow-ups. - Schedule supplier payments:
Line up payments due during the break to avoid penalties or strained relationships. - Confirm GST/tax commitments:
Look ahead at January–February due dates and plan filing and approval timelines. - Check system access:
Ensure the right people can log in to accounting, payroll, and banking systems, with backup approvers available if key staff are away.
Support when you need it
With the right preparation, your finances can run smoothly while you and your team switch off. If you’d like help reviewing your holiday processes or want support maintaining bookkeeping and payroll continuity, our advisory team is ready to assist—so you can enjoy the break with confidence.
Next Steps: Financial Literacy for Business Owners: Know Your Numbers Before 2025 Ends
With your bookkeeping and payroll in order for the holiday period, the next step is understanding the financial health of your business. In our follow-on blog, we’ll cover the five key numbers every business owner should know before the year ends — so you can start the new year confident and in control.
