Best in Class: Employee Experience
This award honors a team that has transformed the employee experience across the full lifecycle – from onboarding and development to recognition and retention. Whether through improved communication, meaningful feedback loops, or holistic wellbeing programs, this team has created a culture where people thrive.
Tell us how your team is shaping a workplace where employees feel heard, valued, and inspired.
Best in Class: HR Technology
This award recognizes a team using technology in a game-changing way to elevate HR operations, employee experiences, or business outcomes. Whether through AI-driven insights, automation, or custom tools, this team is setting a new standard for digital HR excellence.
Tell us how your team is leveraging innovation to work smarter, faster, and more effectively – while keeping people at the center.
Note: This can be a standalone private labeled technology, customized for use within your company, or a new technology that you’ve developed for private use and/or taken to market for the entire industry.
Best in Class: Innovation (non-technical)
This award celebrates creative thinking and forward-looking problem solving that isn’t rooted in tech – but still drives big results. Whether rethinking a policy, launching a unique program, or designing a new way of working, this team shows that innovation lives in ideas, not just systems. For this category we want to hear about the innovative IDEAS implemented where technology was not the focus*.
Tell us how your team brought a bold idea to life and made a measurable difference for your people or business.
*If technology was involved or is a component of the innovation, that’s OK, we just don’t want technology to be the only component or leading function involved. If it is, you may want to refer to the award category, Excellence in HR Technology and submit a nomination form there.
Business Partnership Excellence
This award honors the success of a standout partnership, between a company and its provider, or across business units, built on trust, collaboration, and shared outcomes. This team approach resulted in enhanced performance, service delivery, or innovation that benefited both sides.
Tell us how the partnership evolved, what set it apart, and how it continues to deliver mutual value.
Note: Because this award recognizes a “partnership,” finalists in this category are expected to have representation from BOTH partners during the virtual awards program.
This award recognizes an HR team that leads with purpose and drives real business impact. Whether improving operations, culture, or workforce strategies, this team is the heart of organizational success – empowering people and performance every step of the way.
Tell us how your HR team brings your company’s mission to life and makes it a better place to work.
Workplace Culture & Inclusion Excellence
This award recognizes a team advancing meaningful Inclusion and Belonging efforts with intention, authenticity, and measurable impact. Through inclusive hiring, talent development, or cultural transformation, this team is building a workplace where everyone can belong and succeed.
Tell us how your team is embedding a forward-thinking culture of belonging into the fabric of your organization—and how you’re tracking the impact.
