INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

The O.C. Tanner Award for Lifetime Achievement in the HR Industry
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
Canadian HR Champion (CEO)
This award recognizes the CEO who has driven successful HR strategies from the top by putting people first and championing innovative HR values.
 
Criteria:
Evidence of your organizations growth and achievements, reflective of the nominated CEO’s effective leadership over the past 12 months.
Clear examples that best demonstrate the nominated CEO’s commitment to the organization’s HR function (e.g. budget applied to HR initiatives, time spent by executive team on HR issues, HR reporting structure, etc.).
Examples that best demonstrate the nominated CEO’s clear contribution to workplace culture, values, and employee engagement within your organization.
Canadian HR Leader of the Year
This award recognizes the HR professional at the executive level, who has demonstrated outstanding leadership during the last 12 months.
 
Criteria:
A brief history of the nominee’s career in HR, including career highlights, relevant accolades, continuing education, leadership in associations, speaker engagements and press features over the past 12 months.
Ways in which the nominee has improved the organization’s overall HR strategy over the past 12 months.
Outline at least two major HR initiatives/programs within the past 12 months that best demonstrate the nominee’s leadership excellence and spirit of innovation.
At least one major challenge/issue that the organization faced within the past 12 months and the nominee’s role in resolving this.
Canadian HR Rising Star of the Year
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:
A brief history of the nominee’s career in HR, demonstrating progression through different roles.
Describe at least one HR initiative or program implemented or improved within the past 12 months in which the nominee led or played an integral role and the nominee’s role in the success of the initiative.
Ways in which the nominee has further advanced their career as an HR professional over the past 12 months (e.g. awards and accolades, continuing education, involvement in associations, speaking engagements, other solid efforts to highlight the importance of HR).
Woman of Distinction
Award for women in any facet of the HR profession, whose astounding personal and professional achievements have earned them a place among the industry’s best.
 
Criteria:
A brief history of the nominee’s career in HR.
Examples or instances that best demonstrate how the nominee has championed HR best practices within their organization over the past 12 months.
Relevant accolades, achievements continuing education, leadership in associations, pro bono work, speaker engagements and press features over the past 3 years.

COMPANY AND TEAM AWARDS

The Payworks Award for Best Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy
This award recognizes the organization that has embedded corporate social responsibility into its culture, in particular through its people and entrants should demonstrate the role HR has played in the strategy and execution of CSR initiatives.
 
Criteria:
Describe at least 1 major CSR program/initiative, which was implemented or improved within the past 12 months.
Outline the ways in which your CSR strategy aligns with your organization’s broader HR goals/strategies and how they enhance your overall business.
Outline the ways in which your CSR program/initiative has made a meaningful impact on local, national or international causes or communities over the past 12 months.
Outline the ways that the HR function encourages your people to be a part of CSR programs/initiatives.
The Queen’s University IRC Award for Best Learning & Development Strategy
This award recognizes and celebrates the HR team that has delivered the most outstanding organizational benefits by directly linking the training needs of their people, at all levels, to the business needs of their organization.
 
Criteria:
Outline your organization’s overall approach to learning and development and how this aligns with broader business objectives including investment of finances/time/other resources in the development of employees.
Describe at least one major learning and development program/initiative that was implemented or improved over the past 12 months, highlighting how it is unique, innovative, and above the industry standard.
Outline the methods of delivery of the learning and development services (e.g. through virtual mentoring, e-learning, software, gamification, etc.) and the ways in which the programs are communicated internally.
The University of Waterloo Award for Next Generation Employment Innovation
This award recognizes the HR Team that has implemented an innovative initiative in the last 12 months that has provided employment opportunities for young people / graduates.

Entries should cover initiatives including, but not limited to; graduate programmes, internships, apprenticeships, co-op work programs and/or work experience placements
 
Criteria:
Provide a brief overview of your organization’s overall approach to developing the next generation of talent and how this aligns with broader business objectives over the past 12 months.
Outline the major “next gen” recruitment campaign/initiative/program(s) implemented or improved over the past 12 months and to highlight how your methods are innovative and above the industry standard.
Best Workplace Culture
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!
Best Reward & Recognition Strategy
This award recognizes excellence and innovation in employee reward and recognition programs and initiatives that are aligned with business objectives in order to incentivize and enhance productivity.
 
Criteria:
Describe your organization’s overall approach to employee reward & recognition and how this aligns with broader business objectives over the past 12 months.
Outline any major reward & recognition program/initiative/campaign/s implemented and/or improved over the past 12 months and to highlight how these are innovative and above the industry standard.
Describe the success of your wellness program/initiative/tool(s) and its positive impact to your organization over the past 12 months.
Best Employer Branding
How prospective employees feel about your Employer Brand ultimately determines whether your company is a great place to work at or not. This award recognizes the organization that has developed, implemented or participated in the most compelling Employer Branding initiative or campaign.
 
Criteria:
Provide a brief overview of your organization’s employer brand and describe how this aligns with your employee value proposition and broader business objectives.
Outline any employer branding campaigns/efforts/initiatives that were implemented/improved over the past 12 months.
Describe the success of your employer brand and its positive impact to your recruitment strategy, employee engagement and employee retention over the past 12 months.
Best HR Communication Strategy
This award recognizes the team that has delivered the most unique, compelling and relevant internal or external HR communication strategy.
 
Criteria:
Describe your organization’s overall HR communication strategy over the past 12 months and how this aligns with broader business objectives.
Outline the various channels used for your strategy and related campaigns within the past 12 months (e.g. email communications, company intranet, internal social media platform, daily/weekly/monthly newsletter, company mobile app, etc.)
Best Labour & Employment Boutique Law Firm
This category is open to firms from across Canada where the focus is primarily on the practice area of Labour & Employment law.
 
Criteria:
Outline your business model, including the specialization/service/solution/s offered, your unique value proposition and major strengths in comparison with your competitors.
Highlight at least one deal/case/instance in the past 12 months that best demonstrates your firm’s success, expertise and commitment to HR professionals (details remain confidential).
Describe your firm’s commitment and efforts towards its own talent and workplace development, and how this aligns with your firm’s broader business objectives and vision.
Best Remote Work Strategy
This award recognizes excellence and innovation in excellence in virtual and remote work programs and practices.
 
When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered:
Describe your organization’s level of innovation, employee engagement, productivity and results over the past 12 months.
Level of innovation in the program
Success of the program and the effect on employee engagement, productivity and results over the past 12 months.
Best Service Provider of the Year
This award acknowledges the contributions of a company or individual with a proven track record of providing the HR industry and/or HR professionals with the superior service, solutions and support needed to perform their duties.
 
Criteria:
Provide a brief overview of your service/solution/tool, your unique value proposition and how this aligns with the current needs of HR professionals.
Describe your overall approach to service, support and client relationship management.
Provide evidence of success in providing value to HR professionals. This may include positive impact on employee engagement, improved efficiencies, positive financial outcomes, ratings or review scores on online review platforms, accolades, press features, etc
Best Talent Management Strategy
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:
Describe your organization’s overall approach to talent identification and development over the past 12 months, and how this aligns with broader business objectives and your organization’s onboarding or integration processes.
Outline the ways in which your organization uses succession planning, training and development and performance management to align organizational needs with employee ambitions.
Outline the success of your talent management strategy in your target areas and the impact it has made to your overall organization over the past 12 months.
Canadian HR Team of the Year (500 Employees or More)
This award recognizes the most outstanding HR team of the year, in an organization with more than 500 employees in Canada, where the 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:
Describe your HR teams overall HR strategy and objectives over the past 12 months, and how these align with the organization’s broader business objectives and challenges, explaining how each area/component of your HR team contributed to your strategy.
Outline at least two major HR initiatives or programs implemented and/or improved within the past 12 months that best demonstrate your team’s efficiency and spirit of innovation.
Provide at least two examples that best demonstrate your team’s impact on other functions within your organization over the past 12 months.
Canadian HR Team of the Year (Fewer Than 500 Employees)
This award recognizes the most outstanding HR team of the year, in an organization with fewer than 500 employees in Canada, where the 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:
Describe your HR teams overall HR strategy and objectives over the past 12 months, and how these align with the organization’s broader business objectives and challenges, explaining how each area/component of your HR team contributed to your strategy.
Outline at least two major HR initiatives or programs implemented and/or improved within the past 12 months that best demonstrate your team’s efficiency and spirit of innovation.
Provide at least two examples that best demonstrate your team’s impact on other functions within your organization over the past 12 months.
Canadian HR Team of the Year (Finance/Insurance)
The financial services industry has unique needs when it comes to HR services. This award recognizes the most outstanding HR team of the year within financial services that has excelled within combatting these unique challenges, using innovative means. 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:
Describe your HR teams overall HR strategy and objectives over the past 12 months, and how these align with the organization’s broader business objectives and challenges, explaining how each area/component of your HR team contributed to your strategy.
Outline at least two major HR initiatives or programs implemented and/or improved within the past 12 months that best demonstrate your team’s efficiency and spirit of innovation.
Provide at least two examples that best demonstrate your team’s impact on other functions within your organization over the past 12 months.
Canadian HR Team of the Year (Retail/Hospitality)

The retail and hospitality industries have unique needs when it comes to HR services. This award recognizes the most outstanding HR team of the year within retail or hospitality that has excelled within combatting these unique challenges, using innovative means. 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:
Describe your HR teams overall HR strategy and objectives over the past 12 months, and how these align with the organization’s broader business objectives and challenges, explaining how each area/component of your HR team contributed to your strategy.
Outline at least two major HR initiatives or programs implemented and/or improved within the past 12 months that best demonstrate your team’s efficiency and spirit of innovation.
Provide at least two examples that best demonstrate your team’s impact on other functions within your organization over the past 12 months.
Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion
This award recognizes an organization that has diversity and inclusion at the heart of its business, providing programs for employees from five groups including women, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous people, and 2SLGBTQI+ community.
 
Criteria:
Outline your organization’s overall approach to workplace diversity and inclusion and how this aligns with broader business objectives and values.
Outline at least one major initiative for diversity groups (women, minorities, PWD, Indigenous people, 2SLGBTQI+ community, etc.) implemented within the past 12 months and to highlight how the initiative is innovative, successful, and above standard practice.
Excellence in Financial, Physical & Mental Wellness
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.
 
Criteria:
Provide a brief overview of your organization’s overall approach to employee financial, physical and mental wellness.
Outline the major financial, physical and mental wellness program/initiative/tool(s) implemented or improved over the past 12 months, including any risk assessments undertaken prior to the implementation.
Describethe ways in which attention to employee financial, physical and mental wellness is integrated into your company’s structure (e.g. benefits, policies, physical amenities, internal communications, etc.).
Most Effective Recruitment Strategy
This award recognizes 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 your overall approach to recruitment over the past 12 – 18 months, as well as the business challenges it addresses (e.g. aging workforce, special projects, skills attraction, graduate recruitment, etc.).
Outline one relevant recruitment program/initiative/campaign/s implemented and/or improved over the past 12 months, including the resources and tools used.
Describe how you have integrated your employer brand and workplace culture into your recruitment process and to describe the typical candidate experience.
Most Innovative Use Of HR Technology
This award recognizes the HR team that is using the latest HR-specific technology to greatest effect, making it a responsive and effective HR department.
 
Criteria:
Describe the relevant HR technology or solution implemented and/or enhanced within your organization over the past 12 months, and how the technology or solution supports your overall HR strategy.
Outline the needs identification process for the implementation of the technology and the describe the ROI and positive outcomes gained from the use of the HR technology (e.g. improved efficiencies, impact on staff engagement, increase in performance). Provide success metrics where possible.