Canadian HR Awards 2019

This award recognizes the organization that has embedded corporate social responsibility throughout the organisation, in particular through its people. Entrants should demonstrate the role HR has played in the strategy and execution of CSR initiatives. Judges will mark highly CSR initiatives/strategies that demonstrate a clear link between corporate strategy, community benefits and societal responsibility.

Judges will look for:

• A clear narrative that demonstrates why the strategy/initiative was implemented
• Evidence of success, including how it has benefited the community, please use metrics, anecdotes and case studies

This category is open to the individual lawyer who has demonstrated a sense of excellence in the provision of employment law services.

The award may relate to litigation or other relevant legal service(s) provided by the individual.

Judges will also consider examples of specific cases and the impact they have had in the practice of employment and labour law. Other personal and professional accomplishments will also be considered.

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:

• Overview of the Talent Management Strategy that was implemented or improved in the last 12 – 18 months, including but not limited to:
• Innovation in identification process of high potential employees
• Alignment of talent identification and development with current and future business objectives
• Alignment of an on­boarding or integration processes with the talent management strategy
• Use of training and development to align organisational needs with employee ambitions
• Performance management techniques and alignment of performance to compensation and benefits/rewards and recognition
• Effective career and succession planning and the management of these
• Describe the drivers behind the implementation of a new or improved talent management strategy
• Use of supporting tools (e.g. HR Technology)
• Success of the talent management strategy, including impact on employee engagement and retention

This award recognizes the most outstanding HR team of the year with fewer than 500 employees in Canada. 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:

• Evidence of a well­-rounded and integrated HR team effort, showing excellence in talent acquisition and management, leadership, learning and development, health and wellness, benefits and administration
• Team contribution and implementation of specific HR initiatives
• Team effectiveness in delivering cost effective HR services
• Team contribution to employee productivity and achievement of company goals

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.

Judges will focus on areas of strength including:

Managing change: The financial sector has seen huge change both in terms of digitalisation, customer expectations and compliance and organizations must work hard to change their operating practices in light of this.

The ability to attract and retain talent: The quality and availability of key talent is crucial to success in the extremely competitive financial services industry

Engagement: Change of focus to people management and leadership, above previous focus on processes and enabling a new generation of managers to embrace different cultural perspectives including flexible working.

Risk and compliance management: Financial services firms are facing constant regulatory changes and increased scrutiny on their business. This is why it’s so vital to have high-touch service and the ability to show stakeholders that your HR is professionally managed. In order to manage and mitigate many employer-related risks, firms must have employment practices liability insurance (EPLI), access to HR best practices advice in the areas of HR capital assessment, employee classification guidance and sexual harassment training.

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.

Judges will focus on areas of strength including the ways in which the HR team has addressed and overcome the following HR issues:

• Diversity
• Recruitment/Turnover
• Training
• Morale
• Shrinkage

This category is open to firms from across Canada which focuses primarily on the practice area of labour & employment law. Entries should cover work undertaken and progress made over the last 12 – 18 months.

The judges will be looking for

Evidence of:

• Strategic vision and strong leadership
• Strong financial management and growth
• Innovation in client service delivery 
• Innovation in pricing
• Excellent talent management and workplace development
• Significant client wins and feedback
• Depth and breadth of expertise

The size of your firm is not a consideration

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

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.

 Judges will assess the following:

• Particular technology solutions you have introduced in the last 12 – 18 months, demonstrating positive outcomes.
• A clear narrative demonstrating the needs identification process for implementation of the technology
• Alignment of the use of the technology with the organization’s broader goals
• Innovation in the types of technology used
• Efficiencies and cost-savings gained from use of technology
• Evidence of return on investment and impact on staff, including employee engagement.

This award recognizes the most outstanding HR team of the year, in an organization with 500 employees or more in Canada. 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:

• Evidence of a well­-rounded and integrated HR team effort, showing excellence in talent acquisition and management, leadership, learning and development, health and wellness, benefits and administration
• Team contribution and implementation of specific HR initiatives
• Team effectiveness in delivering cost effective HR services
• Team contribution to employee productivity and achievement of company goals

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:

• Must demonstrate career progression within the HR Function
• Shows dedication to the field, through continuing education, career progression, mentoring and coaching
• Is able to demonstrate experience in the execution of progressive HR initiatives during the last 12 – 18 months

This award recognizes the team that has delivered the most unique, compelling and relevant internal or external HR communication strategy.

 Criteria:

• Overview of the rationale behind implementing an internal or external communication strategy
• How was the strategy deployed and through what means? Examples could include email communications, company intranet, social media platforms, daily/weekly/monthly newsletter, company mobile app, etc.
• A clear narrative that demonstrates the strategy's scale and impact it is having
• Evidence of success: return on investment and how it has strengthened the organisation – please use metrics, anecdotes, customer feedback and case studies

This award acknowledges the contributions of a company with a proven track record of providing the HR Industry with the superior service and assistance needed to perform their duties.

 Criteria:

• Open to any company that provides a service to the HR industry and professionals (for example but not limited to: coaching, training & development, recruitment and hiring, health and wellness, consultation, technology, rewards)
• Unique value proposition and major strengths in comparison with direct competitors
• Delivery and client service strategy
• Any major improvements/upgrades to the service provided in the last 12-18 months
• Client recruitment and retention strategy
• Demonstration of a sustained effort and commitment to the HR Industry

This award recognizes the CEO who has driven successful HR strategies from the top by putting people first and championing innovative HR values. We invite businesses to nominate their CEO for this Award.

 Our judges will be looking for:

• Evidence of the CEO’s leadership skills which inspire and engage the workplace
• CEO demonstrates commitment to the HR Function as a strategic business objective at the executive management level
• CEO actively drives HR initiatives (alongside their HR leader/ team) through open and continuous communication and support
• CEO inspires, excites, create strong values and engages with their workforce

This award recognizes the HR professional at the executive level, who has demonstrated outstanding leadership during the last 12 months.

 Criteria:

• Demonstrate the championing of a transformative initiative in his/her current organization in the last 12 months
• Implementation of a new, or improvement to existing organizational people strategy that directly contributes to the organizational goals
• Exhibited exceptional HR team leadership through staff training and development

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 the recruitment strategy project that was implemented or improved in the last 12 – 18 months
• Anecdotal evidence of the drivers behind the recruitment strategy (was it for a specific project, or improving the ongoing recruitment process for example)
• Description of tools and platforms used to attract talent (including but not limited to social media, job fairs, etc.)
• Alignment of the recruitment strategy with current and future organizational needs
• Alignment of the recruitment strategy with the organisation's brand
• Demonstrate measurable success and ways in which the initiative benefited the business and met current business objectives

This award recognises an organisation that has diversity and inclusion at the heart of its business, and that provides programs for employees from five groups including women, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples and LGBTI community.

 Criteria:

• Each applicant must have an interesting initiative for at least one of the five above diversity groups implemented within their organization
• A clear narrative that demonstrates why the D&I strategy was implemented and how it is linked to broader business strategy
• Evidence of the organisation's diversity, inclusion statistics and how these are calculated

Feel free to use any other creative ways of showcasing your company’s diversity and inclusion initiatives including anecdotes, employee/customer feedback and case studies

This award recognizes and celebrates the HR team that has delivered the most outstanding organisational benefits by directly linking the training needs of their people, at all levels, to the business needs of their organisation.

 Criteria:

• Outline the Learning & Development Strategy implemented or improved in the last 12 – 18 months, including investment (financially, or through time or resources) in the development of employees across an entire organisation, through training, coaching, mentoring or other learning & development initiatives
• Outline of the business case behind the L&D strategy, including ways in which programmes are tailored to suit the different needs of different functions and levels within the business
• How was the strategy rolled out /communicated to the workforce
• Innovation in the delivery of the Learning & Development service (for example through virtual mentoring, e-learning, software, gamification, etc.)
• Uniqueness of learning and development offerings and opportunities
• Evidence of program success and workforce benefit

How prospective employees feel about your Employer Brand ultimately determines whether your company is a great place to work at or not. This award recognises the HR team that has developed, implemented or participated in the most compelling Employer Branding initiative or campaign.

 Criteria:

• Concrete evidence showcasing how HR is being one of the key contributors in communicating a business’s brand identity
• Demonstrated excellence in delivering and communicating a unique and relevant employee value proposition. This could relate to social media communication strategy, hiring practices & interview process, positioning current employees as brand ambassadors, etc.
• Visible and consistent alignment between company and employer branding
• Evidence showcasing that employer branding best practices and initiatives delivered measurable benefits, including improvements in employee satisfaction/ retention/ recruitment

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!

This award recognizes the HR Team that has implemented an innovative initiative in the last 12 months that increases employment opportunities for young people / graduates.

 Entries should cover initiatives including, but not limited to; graduate programmes, internships, apprenticeships, co­op work programs and/or work experience placements

 Criteria:

• Provide an overview of the initiative, including:
• The business objectives of the scheme (e.g. recruiting and developing talent, community support, employer branding);
• The target market for the roles (graduates, school leavers, etc.)
• Describe the methods and tools used to attract talent to these roles and the ways in which the attraction methods are unique and / or innovative
• Overview of internal resources used and support offered (for example training offered to existing line managers involved in the initiative, ongoing career support offered to the candidates, etc.)
• Impact and results of the initiative on organizational success, as related to the business objectives (for example retention rates at the end of the programme, improved employer branding, etc.)

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.

 Finalists will be asked to demonstrate the following:

• Evidence of an innovative internal strategy or value proposition that addresses employee wellbeing which has been implemented or improved in the last 12 – 18 months
• Evidence that the organization provides for the support of the “triple threat” (physical, financial & mental well­being) to their employees, through total rewards, benefits and compensation, a broad offering of wellness initiatives and in “going the extra mile” to ensure their employees are cared for, financially, physically, financially and mentally.
• Evidence of an effective internal communication strategy that drives awareness (and participation...) of policies and programs for the wellness proposition.
• Evidence of the effectiveness of the programmes, including impact on employee productivity & retention / staff turnover rate and return on investment, reduced benefits costs, reduced stress related costs, reduced absenteeism, etc., measurement of benefits (i.e. savings) by company and employees.....improved financial, physical and mental wellness...

This award recognizes excellence and innovation in employee reward and recognition programs and initiatives that are aligned with business objectives in order to incentivise and enhance productivity.

 Criteria:

• Implementation of or improvements made to an innovative strategy that addresses employee reward & recognition in the last 12 – 18 months
• Demonstrate the drivers for implementing the reward and recognition strategy
• Alignment of the initiatives with other corporate objectives, including how effective is the rewards program at meeting the needs of varying employee demographics and seniority levels
• Innovation in the types of recognition programmes offered, alignment to performance (personal and organizational), recognition strategies (public and private)
• How was the strategy rolled out or communicated?
• Demonstrate how the reward & recognition initiatives have improved engagement, retention, productivity and other relevant measures including ROI

Award for women in the HR profession whose astounding personal and professional     achievements have earned them a place among the industry’s best.

Criteria

• Judges will review achievements including:
• Professional accomplishments in the last five years (business initiatives in which the nominee played a critical role, new business brought to the company, innovative ideas, etc.)
• Leadership of professional associations
• Other accomplishments (charitable work, accomplishments outside the industry, etc.)