Nominations that won in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Great Employers may be resubmitted for consideration in the 2026 awards. If they have been updated with recent achievements, they may be submitted to the same categories in which they won. If they have not been updated, they must be submitted to categories different from those in which they won.

Information to be submitted online for entries in these categories in the 2026 competition include

1. Written answers to the following questions, describing the nominated achievements since January 1 2024, OR a video of up to five (5) minutes in length that answers all of the same questions:
a. Briefly describe the nominated team: its history and past performance (up to 1,300 characters) Required
b. Outline the achievements since the beginning of 2024 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 1,600 characters) Required
c. Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible, compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the team's past performance (up to 1,600 characters). Required
d. Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 1,500 characters). Optional

2. Optional (but highly recommended), add to your entry up to 10 webpage links and/or document uploads to support your case to the judges.These might be press articles, press releases, videos, work samples, internal or external reviews, or employee feedback, for example.

E01. Benefits or Payroll Administration Team of the Year
Recognizing the achievements of benefits and/or payroll administration teams since the beginning of 2024.

E02. Compliance or Safety Team of the Year
Recognizing the achievements of compliance or safety teams since the beginning of 2024.

E03. Employee Relations Team of the Year
Recognizing the achievements of employee relations teams since the beginning of 2024.

E04. Engagement/Happiness Team of the Year
Recognizing the achievements of employee engagement/happiness teams since the beginning of 2024.

E05. HR IT Team of the Year
Recognizing the achievements of human resources IT teams since the beginning of 2024.

E06. HR Tech Innovation Team of the Year
Recognizing HR teams that have led the adoption of cutting-edge HR technology, automation, or AI-driven solutions since the beginning of 2024.

E07. Human Resources Team of the Year - Other
Recognizing the achievements of HR teams, since the beginning of 2024, that are not addressed by one of the other HR team categories.

E08. Internal Communications Team of the Year
Recognizing the achievements of internal communications teams since the beginning of 2024.

E09. Leadership Development Team of the Year (New Category for 2026)
Recognizing teams that design and execute leadership programs across senior, mid-level, or emerging leaders.

E10. Learning/Training Team of the Year
Recognizing the achievements of learning or training teams since the beginning of 2024.

E11. Onboarding Team of the Year
Recognizing the achievements of onboarding or orientation teams since the beginning of 2024.

E12. Recruiting or Talent Acquisition Team of the Year
Recognizing the achievements of recruiting or talent acquisition teams since the beginning of 2024.

E13. Workplace Health and Wellbeing Team of the Year (New Category for 2026)
Recognizing the achievements of teams that design and deliver workplace health, wellbeing, and mental health programs since the beginning of 2024. Nominations may include initiatives related to physical health, mental health, financial wellbeing, or integrated wellbeing strategies with measurable outcomes.