EXCELLENCE AWARDEE INFORMATION
Congratulations for being shortlisted as an excellence awardee in the 2026 Australian HR Awards!
The Australian HR Awards recognises and highlights the outstanding achievements of those at the forefront of industry best practice and leadership.
The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Friday 4 September 2026 at the Fullerton Hotel Sydney.
THE PROCESS SO FAR
We conducted a call for nominations from April 2026 to May 2026. This was followed by an intensive research period to verify the nominations and to ensure that those selected as excellence awardees were the most deserving.
As publisher of HRD Australia, we have an unparalleled presence in the industry, making the nomination and research process enormously comprehensive.
More information about the Australian HR Awards methodology is available here.
NEXT STEPS
As an excellence awardee in the 2026 Australian HR Awards, you will receive recognition at a national level both in the lead up to the event and in post-event coverage (if you attend the awards ceremony). Please note:
- You are welcome to share this achievement within your organisation immediately; however, all external announcements are embargoed until Monday, 29 June 2026, which is when we’ll announce the excellence awardees through the HRD Australia online channels and on the Australian HR Awards website.
- Your nomination will now be forwarded to an independent panel of judges comprising education industry leaders and senior representatives. The panel will assess the nominations and vote for the winners in each category according to the relevant criteria.
- To help us make the event more memorable, please provide 1 video following the instructions below, by Friday, 10 July.
- Book your table at the awards ceremony to ensure you are there to celebrate your success with your team. Bookings can be made online here.
VIDEO SPECIFICATIONS AND TIPS
The Australian HR Awards team will put together a compilation with all the excellence awardees videos to show on awards night. This is an opportunity for the excellence awardees to showcase their work, or to simply put a face to their name! If you wish to be part of this, please provide a short video following the instructions below by Friday, 10 July.
IMPORTANT SPECIFICATIONS AND TIPS
- Video Length: Max 5-10 seconds
- Orientation: 16:9 (horizontal/landscape) in high resolution
- Content Ideas: You can film yourself or your team in the office, waving in front of your company logo, doing something fun, or showcasing interesting activities
- Audio/Text: Please do not include any audio (such as speeches or music) or text. We will add background music and text to all videos
- File Naming: Save the video with the name of the nominee (Name, surname, organisation name for individual awards; Organisation name for company awards)
- Submission: Send your video to awards@keymedia.com.au via email, a shared folder or WeTransfer
- Tips: If possible, use a tripod, try to avoid light behind you, and make sure that there is sufficient light on each face
KEY DATES
Monday, 29 June 2026
Excellence Awardees announced
Official announcement on HRD Australia and on the awards website
Friday, 10 July, 2026
Excellence awardee video due
Send your video to awards@keymedia.com.au via email, a shared folder or WeTransfer: wetransfer.com
Friday, 7 August, 2026
Guest information due
If you purchased a seat/table, all guest details (including their dietary restrictions and email address) must be provided via the link in the registration confirmation email by this date.
Friday, 4 September, 2026
Australian HR Awards ceremony
ON THE NIGHT
| 7:00 PM | Networking drinks | |
| 7:30 PM | Awards program begins | |
| 11:00 PM | Program concludes | |
| 11:00pm – 12:00am | Drinks and dancing |
VENUE
DRESS CODE
Black tie
ENTERTAINMENT
Rolling Stone magazine listed Dave Hughes as one of top 50 living Australian and NZ entertainment Icons. Dave is a long-time star of radio and television, he has performed stand-up comedy all over the world and has 266k followers on Instagram.
Ed has written and produced two tele-features; Scumbus (Ten Network) and Border Protection Squad which he also directed.
Teegan Bishop is an exceptional vocalist and performer whose career has taken her to some of the world’s most iconic stages, including Los Angeles, Dubai, Orlando, the Lincoln Centre in New York, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the Caribbean, Australia and the Seven Seas. Her standout credits include Hong Kong Disneyland, Celebrity Cruises, and touring Australia and New Zealand with Fast Love: A Tribute to George Michael as a featured backing vocalist.
With decades of industry experience, Teegan has become renowned for her vibrant blend of Pop, RnB and Funk influences, delivered with a contemporary polish that elevates any event. Her ability to command a room, read the audience and shape the perfect atmosphere is second nature — ensuring a seamless journey from sophisticated ambience to high-energy celebration.
A consummate professional with world-class stage presence, Teegan brings a magnetic performance style that captivates audiences and transforms any event into unforgettable experiences.
ORDER OF AWARDS PRESENTED ON THE NIGHT
- Best Workplace Flexibility Program
- Best Health & Wellbeing Program
- Best Learning & Development Program
- Best Use of Technology
- Best Workplace Diversity & Inclusion Program
- Vialto Best Remote Work Strategy
- Best Graduate Development Program
- Greenhouse Best Recruitment Campaign
- Best Reward & Recognition Program
- Best Leadership Development Program
- Employer of Choice (Public Sector & NFP)
- Employer of Choice (1-99 Employees)
- Timecloud Employer of Choice (100-999 Employees)
- SG Fleet Employer of Choice (≥1000 Employees)
- Australian HR Team of the Year (≤1000 Employees)
- Australian HR Team of the Year (>1000 Employees)
- LHH Australian HR Rising Star of the Year
- Western Sydney University Australian HR Manager of the Year
- FutureYou Australian HR Champion (CEO) of the Year
- Australian HR Director of the Year
ABOUT THE AWARDS CEREMONY
Accepting the award
If your organisation wins, please discuss beforehand who will go up on stage to accept the award from the presenter. As the program is running to strict time, please refrain from making a speech. N.B. If you are an excellence awardee in two categories in a row, please make sure you have two different people present to collect the award in case you win. The first person who collects the award may still be outside having their photo taken while the winner of the next award is being announced.
Photographs and video
Immediately after accepting your award, a Key Media staff member will escort you off stage to the media station for an official photograph and brief interview.
The Australian HR Awards is a spectacular black-tie gala evening, where hundreds of hr professionals gather for a night of celebration, fine dining and exciting live entertainment. Every award winner present on the night will have their photo featured in the post-event coverage.
Book your table now and ensure you are there on the night to celebrate your success with your team.
Congratulations again and we look forward to seeing you at the event!
The Australian HR Awards team