Overall Excellence in HR

The flagship "Award for Excellence" recognises exceptional achievement in HR. The award is presented to the team or organisation that has undertaken the most successful project or initiative. You cannot formally enter this category. The recipient of this award will be selected from the winners of the other categories

HR Leader 2018

This award recognises the senior individual working in HR who has best demonstrated the use of HR as a strategic management tool, capable of delivering measurable contributions to overall business performance.

You cannot formally enter this category. The recipient of this award will be decided after due consideration.

HR Team of the Year

This award recognises an outstanding HR team for their work within the function and their business partnering with other functions.

HR Manager of the Year

This award recognise the HR Manager who has made a substantial contribution to the success of their team and the organisation as whole over the past 12 months.

HR Rising Star of the Year

This award is open to HR professionals with less than five years' experience in the profession. The judges will look for evidence of outstanding achievement in handling ordinary as well as extraordinary HR issues, showing creativity, relevance to brief and results.

HR Supplier of the Year

This category recognises the organisation that has delivered an outstanding service or solution to the area of human resources within any Irish business over the past 12 months.

Best Public Sector HR Initiative

This award recognises an outstanding initiative executed by a HR Team within a Public Sector organisation which has contributed to improved operational and/or financial performance.

Best SME HR Initiative

This award recognises an outstanding initiative executed by a HR Team working in a Small-to-Medium Enterprise which has contributed to improved operational and/or financial performance over the past year.

Best Recruitment Agency & HR Team Partnership

This award recognises the collaborative efforts of a HR team and a recruitment partner that have led to a best in class solution, operation or process.

Best Learning & Development Strategy

In this category, judges will be looking for those that invest effectively in the development of their people across an entire organisation, in particular via coaching and mentoring.

Best Talent Management Strategy

Entrants should give details of how their organisation defines and spots talent, where responsibility for managing talent sits, how they deliver appropriate development opportunities and how they monitor and measure the success of implementation and outcomes.

Best Change Management Programme

This category covers organisations that have completed a successful people-focused change programme.

Best Health & Wellbeing Strategy

This award will go to the organisation that provides the most compelling evidence that their strategy for health and wellbeing in the workplace not only works but that has also created a clear and measurable return on investments made in this area.

Best Use of CSR in HR

Judges will be looking for an organisation that has embedded corporate social responsibility throughout the organisation, in particular through its people.

Best Workplace Diversity Strategy

Judges will be looking for clear evidence of a diversity strategy or initiative that has made a significant difference to an organisation's performance, for example in the delivery of customer service, employee engagement, retention, innovation or impact on leadership. It could be a workplace flexibility strategy, eldercare scheme or other initiative to encourage gender, race, age, sexual and disability equality.

Most Innovative Use of Technology

Judges are looking for an organisation that has used technology to move HR forward. It could be via the application of HR software and analytic systems, online recruitment or an e-learning programme.

Most Effective Use of Internal Communications

The communications strategy can be part of an ongoing process or related to a once-off event or development in the organisation. Judges will award high marks only for entries with measurable (rather than purely anecdotal) evidence that the communication process has proved effective. 

Most Effective Employee Engagement Strategy

Judges will be looking for a well-thought out strategy linking employee engagement to the heart of the business. This can include motivation programmes that have made a significant difference to an organisation's performance.

Most Effective Benefits Strategy

Entrants should provide evidence of a leading-edge benefits strategy that clearly aligns with business needs.

Most Effective Recruitment & Retention Strategy

Judges will be looking for evidence of innovation and bottom line contribution through enhanced recruitment and improved retention. Entries could range from once-off projects in key areas through to the implementation of new policies covering all resourcing activities.

Excellence in Education & Training

This award recognises the Irish-based third level institution, technical training college or organisation that can best demonstrate excellence in the delivery and development of knowledge or skills in the Human Resources sector.