Winners of the 2026 HR Awards revealed

Some of Australia’s biggest companies, brightest HR leaders and up and coming superstars packed out the black tie gala event at the Fullerton Hotel in Sydney on Friday, 4 September to celebrate the crowning achievements of the HR sector.

There were 20 categories that recognised team effort and individual contribution across a variety of industries.

This year's honours captured everything from leadership and graduate development to workplace flexibility and technology adoption, reflecting the breadth of the modern HR remit.

The winners of the 2026 Australian HR Awards are:

Individual awards recognise Australia's HR leaders

Australian HR Director of the Year Winner: Brad McLean, BlueScope

Excellence awardees: Dilek Senturk (Aspire Early Education & Kindergarten), Dora Peake (Versent Group), Gemma Martin (University of NSW), Kate Ludwig (Story House Early Learning), Rachael Britton (McCabes Lawyers), Sarah Novelli (BGIS), Sarah Peebles (ISS), Tanith Jones (Gallagher Bassett), Zemeel Saba (Oral Health Victoria)

Western Sydney University Australian HR Manager of the Year Winner: Michelle Poffandi, Versent Group

Excellence awardees: Claire Bateman (Uniting Church QLD Synod), Correne Vorster (FTI Consulting), Elizabeth Pasoski (Benedict Recycling), Emily Innes (Gallagher Bassett Services)

LHH Australian HR Rising Star of the Year Winner: Tia Utz, Icon Group

Excellence awardees: Andrea Dojcinovska (Vitex Pharmaceuticals), Bronte Cavallero (Publicis Groupe), Ele Gnauck (Adica Insurance/Aioi Nissay Dowa), James Schlunke (Capgemini), Joshua Abramson (ForHealth Group), Krishna Sen (Leora Healthcare), Rhea Roy John (Orora)

FutureYou Australian HR Champion of the Year (CEO) Winner: Roberto Scenna, Defence Bank

Excellence awardees: Drew Morland (IOR), Emily Scott (Waverley Council), Dr Geoff Allan (Austroads), Hope McGarry (Ingram Micro), Martin Merrick (Volvo Group Australia), Stephanie McGregor (Marinus Link), Susan Sadler (Red Wagon Workplace Solutions)

Company and team awards celebrate workplace culture

Australian HR Team of the Year (fewer than 1,000 employees) Winner: Oral Health Victoria

Excellence awardees: Cliftons Event Solutions, Delta Power & Energy, Edwards Lifesciences, FTI Consulting, hipages Group, Loan Market Group (LMG), Nexon Asia Pacific

Right Management Australian HR Team of the Year (more than 1,000 employees) Winner: Anglo American

Excellence awardees: BGIS, Capgemini, Department of Education QLD – Teacher Recruitment Team, Gallagher Bassett Services, HWLE Lawyers, ICON Group, MYOB – Talent Acquisition Team, Stryker, The Y NSW

Employer of Choice (1–99 employees) Winner: Brisbane Economic Development Agency

Excellence awardees: Australian Physiotherapy Association, Resolve, RDC.AI, SignManager, Telix Pharmaceuticals, Unified Lawyers

Timecloud Employer of Choice (100–999 employees) Winner: Eli Lilly Australia

Excellence awardees: Cancer Care Associates, Crawford & Company, Defence Bank, Edwards Lifesciences, Jumbo Interactive, Munich Re, NTI, Richard Crookes Constructions, Versent Group

SG Fleet Employer of Choice (more than 1,000 employees) Winner: NBN Co

Excellence awardees: Allianz Australia, Aussie Broadband, EML Group, Metso Australia, Newcastle Greater Mutual Group, Story House Early Learning, Westpac

Employer of Choice (Public Sector & NFP) Winner: NBN Co

Excellence awardees: Brisbane North Primary Health Network (BNPHN), Cancer Council NSW, City of Stirling, Our Watch, Stroke Foundation, Stuartholme School, The Disability Trust

Best Graduate Development Program Winner: Lendlease

Excellence awardees: Australian National University, Capgemini, Mineral Resources, MTR Australia, MUFG Bank, Oral Health Victoria

Best Health and Wellbeing Program Winner: Marinus Link

Excellence awardees: Commonwealth Bank, Downer Energy & Utilities, Edwards Lifesciences, Metso Australia, TAFE NSW, THE ICONIC, Ventura, Victoria University (thrive* team), Village Roadshow Theme Parks

BTS Best Leadership Development Program Winner: Cochlear

Excellence awardees: Coles, Flybuys, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service Staff, James Hardie, KPMG Australia, QBE Australia, Richard Crookes Constructions, TSA Riley, Westpac

Best Learning and Development Program Winner: Anglicare Sydney

Excellence awardees: Airbus Australia Pacific, Allianz Australia, Aurecon, Coleman Greig Lawyers, Hilton Hotels of Australia, James Hardie, Levande, UniSuper

Greenhouse Best Recruitment Campaign Winner: Deloitte Australia

Excellence awardees: Accor, Angle Finance, Inlogik, InstantScripts (Wesfarmers Health), Penrith City Council, TBH (Tracey Brunstrom & Hammond)

Vialto Best Remote Work Strategy Winner: Pupal

Excellence awardees: Metso Australia, NTI, Populous

Best Reward & Recognition Program Winner: Edwards Lifesciences

Excellence awardees: Adica Insurance (Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Company Australia), Australia New Zealand Recycling Platform, Brisbane Catholic Education, Eli Lilly ANZ, Insurance Australia Group (IAG) Retail Insurance division, Latitude Financial Services, Orica, The Lottery Corporation

Valsoft Best Use of Technology Winner: Commonwealth Bank

Excellence awardees: BOQ Group, Cancer Council NSW, EY Oceania, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Metso Australia, Nestlé Oceania, Nexon Asia Pacific

Best Workplace Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Program Winner: IKEA Australia

Excellence awardees: Accor, Amazon Operations Australia, ASIC, Deloitte Australia, Essential Energy, Munich Re, Our Watch, Publicis Groupe, Queensland Rail

Best Workplace Flexibility Program Winner: Defence Bank

Excellence awardees: Allianz Australia, Beaumont People, Our Watch, Scyne, Telix Pharmaceuticals

What the wins mean for HR teams

The spread of winners – from ASX-listed banks to regional not-for-profits – underlines that recognised HR excellence in 2026 is not confined to large, well-resourced teams.

Categories such as Employer of Choice and Best Workplace Flexibility Program continue to draw entries from organisations of every size, a trend consistent with the previous two years of the awards.