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If your team is driving real change ... it’s time to share that story.
Why Enter
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Honor your team’s impact on your organization
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Showcase your success in front of the HR community at HR Tech 2026
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Build your employer brand and amplify your organization’s story
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Celebrate the people who make HR better every day
Who Can Nominate
Companies with 500 or more employees are invited to nominate outstanding HR teams, programs, or initiatives across any of the seven award categories.
Key Details
Deadline to Nominate is June 5, 2026.
Finalists will be notified by July 14, 2026, and invited to the HR Icons Awards Evening on October 19 at HR Tech in Las Vegas.
Submission fee: $75 per entry (non-refundable)
Which of the 7 Categories Tells Your Story?
Best Workplace Culture
Recognizes employers that have cultivated an exceptional workplace environment, where employees feel authentically valued, empowered and inspired to thrive.
Winning submissions will showcase how organizations weave purpose and belonging into everyday work life and reveal clear evidence of meaningful impact on people and performance.
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Employers with standout workplace cultures rooted in values, inclusion and employee experience.
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Must provide testimonials, survey data or external recognition supporting cultural impact.
Excellence in Change Management
Honors HR teams that have successfully led their organizations through significant change while keeping employees informed, supported and engaged throughout the process.
Winning submissions will demonstrate thoughtful planning, clear communication strategies and measurable outcomes that show how effective change management drove both business results and employee confidences.
- HR teams that have led or supported a major organizational change initiative within the past 24 months.
- Must include evidence of employee communication strategies, adoption outcomes and business impact.
Excellence in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Recognizes HR teams that have identified specific gaps in representation, equity or inclusion and taken deliberate, measurable action to close them.
Winning submissions will demonstrate a clear-eyed assessment of where the organization needed to improve, the programs and accountability structures put in place to drive change and the data that shows it worked.
- HR teams with DEI programs or initiatives that have been active within the past 24 months.
- Must include qualitative and/or quantitative data showing improvement or meaningful innovation in DEI.
Excellence in Employee Engagement
Celebrates HR teams that have developed and implemented targeted programs to measurably improve how employees connect with their work, their teams and their organization.
Winning submissions will demonstrate innovative thinking, strong use of data and clear and quantifiable results that show engagement efforts moved the needle.
- HR teams with active engagement programs or initiatives launched or significantly evolved within the past 12 months.
- Must include pre- and post-program data or other feedback metrics showing measurable improvement.
Excellence in HR Tech Innovation and AI
Recognizes HR teams that are pioneering the use of cutting-edge technologies or AI-powered solutions to transform their operations.
Winning submissions will showcase the team’s success in implementing innovative technology that aligns with HR goals, solves problems, promotes user adoption and achieves measurable business goals.
- HR teams that have implemented new technologies or AI-powered solutions in HR using solutions built in-house or in partnership with vendors.
- Must show the impact on HR operations, employee experience or business outcomes.
Excellence in Talent Strategy and Development
Celebrates HR teams that have taken a holistic approach to building a future-ready workforce, from strategic talent planning and employer branding to employee development and upskilling.
Winning submissions will demonstrate how innovative, data-driven talent strategies have strengthened organizational agility, deepened the leadership pipeline and positioned their companies for long-term success.
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HR teams with outstanding talent strategies spanning workforce planning, employer branding, attraction, retention or employee development.
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Must show strategic alignment with business goals and measurable outcomes on the workforce and performance.
Team of the Year:
Excellence in HR Transformation
Recognizes HR teams that have identified and rebuilt a fundamental gap in how HR was structured, delivered or positioned.
Winning submissions will demonstrate the boldness of the team's vision, the rigor of their execution and the measurable impact their transformation had on the business and its people.
- HR teams that have led significant transformation in structure, strategy or service delivery in the past 12–24 months.
- Must demonstrate measurable business or workforce outcome.
Winning an HR Icons Award goes beyond recognition — it’s about visibility, pride, and momentum.