Award categories
Australian HR Award categories 2013
Individuals and organisations that have made significant contributions as leaders in their field will be showcased at the Australian HR Awards night and throughout the year in a variety of Key Media platforms including Human Capital, HC Online and the HR Summit.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Lifetime Achievement in the HR Industry
This is the highest honour and most coveted award at the Australian HR Awards. This award recognises an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the industry as a whole through visionary people management strategies and leadership.
2DISCOVER Australian HR Director of the Year
The Australian HR Director of the Year award recognises the individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership at the executive level.
When judging this category, key achievements will be considered, including:
• successful implementation of a people strategy that directly contributes to the achievement of organisational objectives
• creation of a vibrant, strong culture throughout the organisation
• clear and successful articulation of a compelling, unique and relevant employee value proposition (EVP)
• effective implementation of bold, visionary, innovative people strategies
• creation of an executive culture in which people issues are at the heart of every important business decision
HR3 Australian HR Manager of the Year
The Australian HR Manager of the Year recognises the individual who has displayed excellence at the management level.
When judging this category, key accomplishments will be considered, including:
• successful formulation and implementation an HR strategy that has contributed to the achievement of organisational objectives
• competent management of internal and external stakeholders to ensure smooth implementation of HR programs
• creation of a motivated, effective, driven HR team to implement people strategies
Australian HR Rising Star of the Year
The HR Rising Star of the Year recognises the practitioner who has achieved impressive results with less than five years of experience.
When judging this category, key accomplishments will be considered, including:
• delivery of effective, pragmatic HR solutions in line with corporate objectives
• successful leadership of people to achieve organisational goals
• mature treatment of complex psychological and human motivational issues
• formulation and implementation of innovative, pioneering ideas
HR PARTNERS Australian HR Champion (CEO)
This award recognises the CEO who has driven successful HR strategies from the top by putting people first and championing innovative HR values.
When judging this category, key accomplishments will be considered, including:
• personal leadership to ensure that people issues are at the top of the corporate agenda
• successful implementation of innovative HR initiatives
• involvement of the HR director in the most important organisational decisions
• leading from the front in terms of integrity and the championing of diversity and flexibility
• visionary approach to addressing the challenges of the future
COMPANY AWARDS
ACCUMULATE Employer of Choice (>1000)
This award recognises the best large organisation to work for in Australia.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• pre-eminent reputation throughout the business and wider community
• pioneering performance-linked reward and recognition programs
• innovative personal and professional career development opportunities
• flexible work practices and demonstrable work–life balance
• synergy between personal missions and work challenges, and organisational achievement
• the extent to which employees see and understand the overall purpose and individual behaviours expected in the workplace
• the quality of the working relationships throughout the organisation, particularly with respect to trust, respect, self-worth and recognition
• employee participation in decisions
FRONTIER SOFTWARE Employer of Choice (<1000)
This award recognises the best small to mid-sized organisation to work for in Australia.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• pre-eminent reputation throughout the business and wider community
• pioneering performance-linked reward and recognition programs
• successful and innovative personal and professional career development opportunities
• flexible work practices and demonstrable work–life balance
Employer of Choice (public sector and NFP)
This award recognises the best public sector employer to work for in Australia.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• positive service-oriented culture reflective of public sector goals
• pre-eminent reputation throughout the public sector and wider community
• pioneering performance-linked reward and recognition programs
• successful and innovative personal and professional career development opportunities
• inventive approach to flexible work practices and demonstrable work–life balance
Best HR Strategic Plan
This award recognises the HR team that has driven and implemented the most innovative and successful strategic plan.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• innovation and uniqueness of approach to addressing a key business issue
• difficulty and complexity of strategic issue and obstacles to implementation
• demonstrated buy-in from key internal stakeholders
• quantifiable contribution to commercial or organisational achievements
POWER2MOTIVATE Best Employee Value Proposition
This award recognises the HR team that has delivered the most unique, compelling and relevant employee value proposition.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• innovative and successful internal communication campaign related to the EVP
• creative use of the EVP in recruitment advertising
• consultation to formulate the EVP
• extent to which employees recognise and ‘live’ the EVP
SOLTERBECK Best Reward & Recognition Strategy
This award recognises excellence and innovation in employee reward and recognition programs and initiatives.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• pioneering performance-linked reward and recognition programs across areas such as salary, benefits and reward schemes
• evidence the reward and recognition strategy aligns with business objectives
• delivery of internal communications relating to reward and recognition initiatives
• evidence the reward and recognition strategy is cost effective and competitive
• demonstrable outcomes for the business and employees, such as employee take-up of reward schemes and impact on productivity, engagement and retention
Best Recruitment Strategy
This award recognises excellence and innovation in recruiting and staffing initatives.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• innovation and effectiveness in recruiting staff to meet business needs either focusing on a particular campaign or overall resourcing strategy
• creativity and effectiveness in the use of multimedia content and new media platforms in recruitment advertising and initatives
• evidence the recruitment strategy has improved retention and had a positive impact on the bottom line
Best Employer Branding
This award recognises excellence in the delivery of employer branding campaigns.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• success in shaping and influencing corporate values and culture
• distinctiveness of message and positioning
• engagement with key stakeholders in the external market (active and passive candidates, clients and customers)
• difficulty and complexity of employer branding issue
• outcomes of internal communication campaign
Best Change Management Strategy
Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, once said: “Once a culture is formed it takes nuclear weaponry to change it”. This award recognises excellence in the area of shaping, managing and influencing organisational change, including mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, strategic and cultural change.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• creativity and success of internal communications strategies
• extent to which people issues were at the heart of decision making relating to the change
• magnitude of change and strategic obstacles to be overcome
• role of the HR team in driving change initiatives
• success of the HR strategies and campaigns in achieving corporate goals behind the change initiative
Best Workplace Diversity Strategy
This award recognises excellence in the area of best diversity and inclusion initiatives.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• recruitment campaigns that engage diverse and under-represented groups
• internal communications and education campaigns that promote diversity in the workplace
• policies supporting equal opportunities and how they are employed
• equality of opportunity for all Australians regardless of sex, Indigenous status, disability, sexuality, age and race or ethnicity.
EMPLOYEECONNECT Best Use of Technology
This award recognises excellence in the area of human capital technology use by an in-house HR team.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• complexity and size of the project, information, campaign or business issue
• results and achievement of strategic objectives
• degree to which employees use and interact with the technology
LEARNING SEAT Best Learning and Development Strategy
This award recognises and celebrates the HR team that has delivered the most outstanding organisational benefits by directly linking the training needs of their people to the business needs of their organisation.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• innovation of program design, including blended learning opportunities
• cost-effectiveness of the program
• innovation in e-learning delivery
• clarity and measurability of organisation, teams and individual needs, as well as L&D objectives
• evidence that L&D has had a significant impact on the bottom line
• the maintenance of improved individual and team performance
Best Health and Wellbeing Strategy
This award recognises excellence in the area of corporate health and wellbeing.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• tailored flexible working arrangements in the context of balancing business needs with employee needs
• demonstrable outcomes for the business and employees, such as impact upon absenteeism, productivity and engagement
• delivery of internal communication strategies relating to corporate health and wellbeing
• evidence that initiatives are aligned to the needs and expectations of employees
THE HUMAN GROUP Best CSR Strategy
This award celebrates Australia’s most outstanding corporate social responsibility program, from a people-perspective.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• clear and measurable CSR objectives and demonstrable alignment with business strategy
• innovative and effective program design, incorporating a variety of CSR initiatives and cost-effective use of resources
• quantifiable impact upon the business and external environment
Australian HR Team of the Year
This award celebrates the most outstanding HR team in Australia.
When judging this category, key criteria will be evaluated, including:
• role of the HR team in contributing to business decisions
• complexity and difficulty of strategies, obstacles and business issues in the internal and external environment
• delivery of consistently excellent advice, service and information
• success of recruitment, employee engagement, learning and development and change management strategies