This award recognizes the most outstanding HR team of the year, in an organization with 500 employees or more in Canada. This team has excelled within the HR function and across their business as a whole, by partnering with different business functions. This award focuses on the team’s collaborative approach to the HR function as a whole.

Criteria:

• Evidence of a well­rounded and integrated HR team effort, showing excellence in talent acquisition and management, leadership, learning and development, health and wellness, benefits and administration
• Team contribution and implementation of specific HR initiatives
• Team effectiveness in delivering cost effective HR services
• Team contribution to employee productivity and achievement of company goals

This award recognizes the most outstanding HR team of the year with fewer than 500 employees or in Canada. This team has excelled within the HR function and across their business as a whole, by partnering with different business functions. This award focuses on the team’s collaborative approach to the HR function as a whole.

Criteria:

• Evidence of a well­rounded and integrated HR team effort, showing excellence in talent acquisition and management, leadership, learning and development, health and wellness, benefits and administration
• Team contribution and implementation of specific HR initiatives
• Team effectiveness in delivering cost effective HR services
• Team contribution to employee productivity and achievement of company goals

This award recognizes the character and personality of your organization. It's what makes your organization unique and is the sum of its values, traditions, beliefs, interactions, behaviors and attitudes.

Criteria:

• Outline of company’s values, beliefs and attitudes that are ingrained in your company’s DNA. What is the history and rationale behind your company’s culture?
• Evidence of how the above are being practiced by employees on all levels of the organization including senior management, mid management and entry-level/frontline employees
• Overview of company’s unique traditions and rituals, and how these are being carried out on a regular and long-term basis
• Summary of concrete stories, specific examples and any other relevant data that showcases how your company’s culture helps support both business and corporate strategies of the company
• Feel free to use any other creative ways of showcasing your company’s unique culture to our judges!

How prospective employees feel about your Employer Brand ultimately determines whether your company is a great place to work at or not. This award recognises the HR team that has developed, implemented or participated in the most compelling Employer Branding initiative or campaign.

Criteria:

• Concrete evidence showcasing how HR is being one of the key contributors in communicating a business’s brand identity
• Demonstrated excellence in delivering and communicating a unique and relevant employee value proposition. This could relate to social media communication strategy, hiring practices & interview process, positioning current employees as brand ambassadors, etc.
• Visible and consistent alignment between company and employer branding
• Evidence showcasing that employer branding best practices and initiatives delivered measurable benefits, including improvements in employee satisfaction/ retention/ recruitment

This award recognises excellence and innovation in recruiting and staffing initiatives. Entries could range from specific one-off projects in key areas through to the implementation of new policies covering all resourcing activities.

Criteria:

• Outline the recruitment strategy project that was implemented or improved in the last 12 – 18 months
• Anecdotal evidence of the drivers behind the recruitment strategy (was it for a specific project, or improving the ongoing recruitment process for example)
• Description of tools and platforms used to attract talent (including but not limited to social media, job fairs, etc.)
• Alignment of the recruitment strategy with current and future organizational needs
• Alignment of the recruitment strategy with the organisation's brand
• Demonstrate measurable success and ways in which the initiative benefited the business and met current business objectives

This award recognizes excellence in the area of human capital technology used by an in-house HR team to move the HR Function forward. Technology applications can include but are not limited to - HR software and analytics solutions, online recruitment or e-learning programs.

Criteria:

• Outline of the HR Technology implemented or improved in the last 12 – 18 months, including end users
• A clear narrative demonstrating the needs identification process for implementation of the technology
• Alignment of the use of the technology with the organization’s broader goals
• Innovation in the types of technology used
• Efficiencies and cost-savings gained from use of technology
• Evidence of return on investment

This award recognises and celebrates the HR team that has delivered the most outstanding organisational benefits by directly linking the training needs of their people, at all levels, to the business needs of their organisation.

Criteria:

• Outline the Learning & Development Strategy implemented or improved in the last 12 – 18 months, including investment (financially, or through time or resources) in the development of employees across an entire organisation, through training, coaching, mentoring or other learning & development initiatives
• Outline of the business case behind the L&D strategy, including ways in which programmes are tailored to suit the different needs of different functions and levels within the business
• How was the strategy rolled out /communicated to the workforce
• Innovation in the delivery of the Learning & Development service (for example through virtual mentoring, e-learning, software, gamification, etc.)
• Uniqueness of learning and development offerings and opportunities
• Evidence of program success and workforce benefit

This award recognizes excellence and innovation in employee reward and recognition programs and initiatives that are aligned with business objectives in order to incentivise and enhance productivity.

Criteria:

• Implementation of or improvements made to an innovative strategy that addresses employee reward & recognition in the last 12 – 18 months
• Demonstrate the drivers for implementing the reward and recognition strategy
• Alignment of the initiatives with other corporate objectives, including how effective is the rewards program at meeting the needs of varying employee demographics and seniority levels
• Innovation in the types of recognition programmes offered, alignment to performance (personal and organizational), recognition strategies (public and private)
• How was the strategy rolled out or communicated?
• Demonstrate how the reward & recognition initiatives have improved engagement, retention, productivity and other relevant measures including ROI

This award highlights the HR Team that has implemented an employee engagement strategy that has achieved the most impact to employee morale and performance across an organization.

Criteria:

• Types & variety of programmes and activities used for employee engagement, particularly focussed on those developed, implemented or improved within the last 12­18 months
• What were the drivers behind the implementation of the engagement strategy?
• Demonstrate the ways in which the strategy is aligned with wider business strategies, including alignment with career development strategies
• How was the strategy rolled out and / or communicated?
• Impact of employee engagement on staff performance and retention rates
• Return on investment – showing evidence of the impact that high levels of employee engagement has had on the organizations performance.

This award celebrates excellence and innovation in ways of identifying and managing internal talent, as well as the ways in which development opportunities are delivered.

Criteria:

• Overview of the Talent Management Strategy that was implemented or improved in the last 12 – 18 months, including but not limited to:
  • Innovation in identification process of high potential employees
  • Alignment of talent identification and development with current and future business objectives
  • Alignment of an on­boarding or integration processes with the talent management strategy
  • Use of training and development to align organisational needs with employee ambitions
  • Performance management techniques and alignment of performance to compensation and benefits/rewards and recognition
  • Effective career and succession planning and the management of these
• Describe the drivers behind the implementation of a new or improved talent management strategy
• Use of supporting tools (for example HR Technology)
• Success of the talent management strategy, including impact on employee engagement and retention

This award recognizes the team that has delivered the most unique, compelling and relevant internal or external HR communication strategy.

Criteria:

• Overview of the rationale behind implementing an internal or external communication strategy
• How was the strategy deployed and through what means? Examples could include email communications, company intranet, social media platforms, daily/weekly/monthly newsletter, company mobile app, etc.
• A clear narrative that demonstrates the strategy's scale and impact it is having
• Evidence of success: return on investment and how it has strengthened the organisation – please use metrics, anecdotes, customer feedback and case studies

This award recognizes the HR Team that has implemented an innovative initiative in the last 12 months that increases employment opportunities for young people / graduates.

Entries should cover initiatives including, but not limited to; graduate programmes, internships, apprenticeships, co­op work programs and/or work experience placements

Criteria:

• Provide an overview of the initiative, including:
  • The business objectives of the scheme (e.g. recruiting and developing talent, community support, employer branding);
  • AThe target market for the roles (graduates, school leavers, etc)
• Describe the methods and tools used to attract talent to these roles and the ways in which the attraction methods are unique and / or innovative
• Overview of internal resources used and support offered (for example training offered to existing line managers involved in the initiative, ongoing career support offered to the candidates etc)
• Impact and results of the initiative on organizational success, as related to the business objectives (for example retention rates at the end of the programme, improved employer branding, etc)

This award recognizes those organizations that excel in the provision of overall employee well-being which includes the financial, physical and mental wellness of its employees, whilst showing clear evidence of a positive impact on workforce, including reductions in absence levels, and / or improvements in staff engagement and performance.

Finalists will be asked to demonstrate the following:

• Evidence of an innovative internal strategy or value proposition that addresses employee wellbeing which has been implemented or improved in the last 12 – 18 months
• Evidence that the organization provides for the support of the “triple threat” (physical, financial & mental well­being) to their employees, through total rewards, benefits and compensation, a broad offering of wellness initiatives and in “going the extra mile” to ensure their employees are cared for, financially, physically, financially and mentally.
• Evidence of an effective internal communication strategy that drives awareness (and participation...) of policies and programs for the wellness proposition.
• Evidence of the effectiveness of the programmes, including impact on employee productivity & retention / staff turnover rate and return on investment.. reduced benefits costs, reduced stress related costs, reduced absenteeism, etc, measurement of benefits (i.e. savings) by company and employees.....improved financial, physical and mental wellness...

This award acknowledges the contributions of a company or individual with a proven track record of providing HR Professionals with the superior service and assistance needed to perform their duties. This award will be determined through nominations as well as an HRM Online poll of the most popular service providers of the year, servicing those working in Human Resources.

Criteria:

• Open to any company or individual that provides a service to HR Professionals (including but not limited too: Coaching, Training & Development providers, Recruitment and Hiring Services, HRIS Providers, Legal Services, Health & Wellness services, Benefits & Payroll services and providers, HR Consultants, Rewards & Recognition programs)
• Finalists will be invited to submit supporting documentation and testimonials will also be considered.
• Judges criteria includes; an explanation of the service their business provides to HR Professionals, how their business adds value to their client, demonstration of a sustained effort and commitment to the HR Industry, repeat and referral business strategy and success.

This award recognises an organisation that has diversity and inclusion at the heart of its business, and that provides programs for employees from five groups including women, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples and LGBTI community.

Criteria:

• Each applicant must have an interesting initiative for at least one of the five above diversity groups implemented within their organization
• A clear narrative that demonstrates why the D&I strategy was implemented and how it is linked to broader business strategy
• Evidence of the organisation's diversity, inclusion statistics and how these are calculated
• Feel free to use any other creative ways of showcasing your company’s diversity and inclusion initiatives including anecdotes, employee/customer feedback and case studies

Recognizing that external / outsourced consultancies play a big role in supporting HR functions within large and small organizations, this award will be given to the external HR Advisor/ Consulting Firm that demonstrates excellence in partnering with and adding value to the client.

For the purpose of this award, “External HR Advisor/Consultancy” is defined as a business or as an individual that has a business model that is based on providing expertise around HR and/or business issues as they relate to people management.

Criteria:

• Outline how the advisor/firm has brought significant expertise, creative or innovative thinking to solving a difficult problem or delivering an outstanding project over the last 12-18 months
• Demonstration of strong understanding of their client’s business, culture and needs, through the solutions offered to them
• Evidence of focus on their client’s long term, strategic objectives
• Demonstrated return on investment / quantifiable business benefits for their client
• Feel free to use any other creative ways of demonstrating why you should be win this award, including client testimonials!

This award recognizes the HR professional at the executive level, who has demonstrated outstanding leadership during the last 12 months.

Criteria:

• Demonstrate the championing of a transformative initiative in his/her current organization in the last 12 months
• Implementation of a new, or improvement to existing organizational people strategy that directly contributes to the organizational goals
• Exhibited exceptional HR team leadership through staff training and development

This award recognizes the HR leaders of the future, with at least 5 years of human resources experience but no more than 10 and a demonstrated commitment to the function.

Criteria:

• Must demonstrate career progression within the HR Function
• Shows dedication to the field, through continuing education, career progression, mentoring and coaching
• Is able to demonstrate experience in the execution of progressive HR initiatives during the last 12 – 18 months

This award recognizes the CEO who has driven successful HR strategies from the top by putting people first and championing innovative HR values. We invite businesses to nominate their CEO for this Award.

Our judges will be looking for:

• Evidence of the CEO’s leadership skills which inspire and engage the workplace
• CEO demonstrates commitment to the HR Function as a strategic business objective at the executive management level
• CEO actively drives HR initiatives (alongside their HR leader/ team) through open and continuous communication and support
• CEO inspires, excites, create strong values and engages with their workforce

This is the highest honor and most coveted award at the Canadian HR Awards. This award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the industry as a whole through visionary people management strategies and leadership.

We accept nominations in this category, however these are not reviewed by the judging panel, we will conduct extensive face to face and telephone research within the industry to determine the most deserving recipient of this award.

Criteria:

• An established history of distinguished service (15 years of more) to the HR profession
• Must have made a lasting contribution to organizations over the years
• Exhibited leadership and provided inspiration to others in the sector