The day after Labor Day is always a rude awakening. The calendar may say three weeks 'til Fall. But the glum faces on everyone who's commute was extra miserable say summer's already over. Here's another rude awakening: there are only 55 business days until Thanksgiving...and 109 shopping days until Christmas (you're welcome). That's not a heck of a lot of time to achieve goals before the dead zone of the holidays sets in. So on this first day of the last big push of the whole year, what kind of fall HR advice should be on your radar?

Are you storm ready?

Hurricane season's been going for a few weeks, but did you know it could be snowing soon in parts of Alaska? (Again, you're welcome.) On a serious note, it's hard to miss the recent havoc wrought by Mother Nature. Get planning with our 5 Things to Know Before Winter Comes (all applicable for staying operational in any type of weather), and business continuity Lessons from last year's hurricane season.

How's your return-to-work program?

Here's a fun fact: September is the most popular month to have a baby. That means if your organization's on-ramping and return-to-work programs are out of kilter, your holiday present a couple of months from now could be a flood of new parents calling to say, "I quit." Avoid the mass exodus. Read our list of 10 Steps to Get New Parents to Return After Leave.

Ready for benefits sign-ups?

HR people seem perpetually locked in one of three open-enrollment phases: before, after, and during. And there are things you can be doing "before" and "after," that can make "during" a whole lot easier. The key is effective communication. Read How Benefits Leaders are Leveraging Social Media for ROI. And while you're at it, we've got 4 To-Dos for after open enrollment that you can think about right now.

Ready for Flu Season?

Ask any employee and they'll tell you the mixed message of the sick day is a) we don't want you to bring germs to work and b) we'll be unhappy if you stay home. See the snag? Read our four ways to cure your sick problem and the biggest lessons from last year's flu season. Remember, positive business cultures are all about sharing. But sharing germs? Not so much.

There you have it.

Vacation's over.

Fall's here. Only 290 days 'til next summer.

Welcome back, everybody!