In our daily work with talent leaders and solution providers, we run into some incredible technology. These tools available to organizations right now can help them hire, develop, and retain their people, and the platforms and systems are amazing in their ability to support intelligent decisions, personalized actions, and more.

According to nearly 10 years of gathering data in the market, we estimate that 5,000+ technology providers exist across the entire landscape of HR, talent, learning, and related categories. This year, we are recognizing approximately 1-2% of those firms for their focus on creating solutions that solve problems their customers care about. 

This isn’t just about recruiting tools or just about learning systems. It cuts across the entire journey of an employee today. In the program we saw systems that:

  • Help employers see, understand, and leverage the skills of each individual in the business
  • Support workers in the use of flexible benefits, giving them more choices and autonomy
  • Guide training and learning decisions, providing a more developed and capable workforce
  • Support a truly valuable employee experience across core HR, payroll, and other critical areas
  • And so much more!

As someone who is a vocal advocate for HR, talent, and learning technology, it was tremendous to see the breadth and depth of the tools in the market, and our judging team was overwhelmed by the number of entries we received this year.

This week, we announced the winners and touched on some of the highlights from each category that each one brings to the table in terms of value, innovation, and/or service.

Due to the popularity last year, we’re sharing some of the comments from judges on each of the providers so employers that are looking to buy technology can see what each brings to the table. In addition, for the first time ever as part of our new UNLEASH partnership, we’ll be unveiling winners for Best in Class at the UNLEASH America conference in May.

2025 HR Tech Award Winners

Below is an listing of winners and finalists for 2025 attached to their appropriate category. For more details on the program, please visit HRTechAwards.org to learn more.

You’ll be seeing more of these companies in the coming weeks and months through a series of published case studies here on the blog.

Congratulations to the winners! If your organization wants to compete in 2026, simply let our team know by emailing us.

Jump to Sections

Winners-Core HR/Workforce

Core HR/Workforce Best Advance in Practical AI One Model Winner One Model has developed AI capabilities that help users to speed up data analysis, take a more guided hands-on approach, and glean more value out of every metric and data point that matters to the business. Our team was impressed.
Core HR/Workforce Best Comprehensive Solution Experian Employer Services Winner Taxes. It’s a topic that makes many people cringe, because the topic is complicated and difficult to understand. Good thing there are organizations like Experian making it easy for employers to withhold taxes in an accurate and timely manner. Their solution supports 7,000 distinct tax jurisdictions, helping employers and the workforce to stay on top of this critical component of payroll and life.
Core HR/Workforce Best Frontline-Focused Solution Paycor Winner Paycor brings deep frontline insight to its HCM platform, empowering leaders with tools to engage, develop, and retain deskless and hourly workers. At a national retail group, the platform helped reduce turnover by 15%, improved communication, and cut manual HR tracking time by more than 50%. With mobile-first design, leadership development tools, and real-time scheduling and labor cost controls, Paycor meets frontline challenges head-on.
Core HR/Workforce Best Global Solution HiBob Winner The client case study in the HiBob entry serves as a case in point for why the Bob platform is a solid choice for global employers. The global, midsize company had unique setup and level of complexity that made it feel more like an enterprise firm, but other software wasn’t able to manage that complexity. HiBob offered a solution that enabled faster and more comprehensive reporting, better HR automation, and other critical capabilities, helping the organization level up. That’s a real game changer.
Core HR/Workforce Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution AbsenceSoft Winner AbsenceSoft excels in providing an intuitive and comprehensive leave and accommodation management solution tailored specifically for HR teams, addressing the growing complexity of compliance with over 200 state and federal leave laws. Their scalable platform significantly streamlines administrative processes, enhances regulatory compliance, and ultimately improves the overall employee experience.
Core HR/Workforce Best Midsize Business-Focused Solution BLR Winner HR Hero stands out as a centralized compliance and HR resource that simplifies complex employment laws and supports efficient, everyday HR operations. With tools like Salary Finder, Job Description Manager, and customizable training modules, it enables small and midsize teams to operate with the confidence and clarity of a much larger department. Our judges particularly liked the state-by-state comparisons of different laws and requirements, giving HR leaders an easy way to understand compliance at a glance.
Core HR/Workforce Best Midsize Business-Focused Solution Deputy Winner In our research on frontline workers, we see that satisfaction with shifts and scheduling affects virtually every aspect of the employee experience. Deputy surprised us with their excellent entry in this year’s program by not only showcasing their technology but including some of the most in-depth statistics on client ROI, implementation speed, and other critical factors that HR buyers need to know.
Core HR/Workforce Best Midsize Business-Focused Solution Paycor Winner Paycor is well-suited to the realities of midsize employers, offering an agile yet comprehensive solution that balances automation, analytics, and ease of use. A regional bank reduced onboarding time by 330 hours annually and streamlined benefits, reviews, and exit interviews through self-service tools and centralized dashboards. With flexible workflows and robust reporting, Paycor gives HR teams the control and insight needed to scale smarter.
Core HR/Workforce Best Small-Business Focused Solution GoCo Winner HR software for small business needs to be easy to use, save administration time, and elevate the value that HR brings to the business. GoCo is making this a reality for its clients. Our judges were most impressed by the AI features that include expense management, template generator, and more.

Winners-EmployeeExperience

Employee Experience Best Analytics, Measurement, and Business Impact Solution Culture Amp Winner Culture Amp sets itself apart by offering a comprehensive people and culture platform that empowers organizations to build high-performing teams through data-driven insights and actionable feedback. With its focus on continuous improvement and employee engagement, Culture Amp inspires companies to cultivate a thriving workplace culture poised for sustainable success and innovation.
Employee Experience Best Comprehensive Solution Simpplr Winner Simpplr stands out as an industry leader by effortlessly integrating AI-driven solutions into a user-friendly intranet platform, fostering a seamless and personalized employee experience that drives engagement and organizational cohesion. Their commitment to innovation and ease of use empowers companies to cultivate vibrant workplace cultures, where communication and recognition are at the heart of their success.
Employee Experience Best Frontline-Focused Solution theEMPLOYEEapp by Engagedly Inc. Winner TheEMPLOYEEapp excels in transforming communication for remote and frontline workers through a mobile-first platform, ensuring real-time updates and seamless access to vital resources. Lighthouse Research and Advisory research shows employees who are happy with their current employer are 2x more likely to say they have the resources and support to perform at their best. This aligns with TheEMPLOYEEapp, which empowers organizations to enhance productivity and cultivate a motivated, well-informed workforce by fostering robust engagement and continuous learning.
Employee Experience Best Global Solution Applaud Winner Our research shows that when workers have access to modern, intuitive HR technology, they are more likely to perceive their employer as transparent and more likely to say they feel like they are treated fairly at work. Applaud is enabling this for global, enterprise employers through its range of AI tools, portals, and resources. The employee experience doesn’t have to be disconnected—Applaud’s case studies prove it.
Employee Experience Best Global Solution Oyster Winner Oyster stands out by providing a seamless global employment platform that allows companies to hire, onboard, and pay talent in 180 countries without the need for local entities. By combining deep local knowledge with robust automation features, Oyster empowers organizations to expand their international teams confidently and efficiently, fostering a future where top talent can be sourced from anywhere in the world.
Employee Experience Best Midsize Business-Focused Solution HiBob Winner HiBob strikes the right balance for midsize organizations, offering enterprise-grade tools with the usability and flexibility fast-growing companies need. At an apparel company with 14 retail locations, Bob helped connect corporate and store teams through shared newsfeeds and peer recognition, while also delivering board-ready dashboards with zero lift from the HR team. The platform supports culture, performance, and compliance—all in a package that feels built for midsize scale.

Winners-Talent Acquisition

Talent Acquisition Best Advance in Practical AI SmartRecruiters Winner SmartRecruiters sets a high bar with its AI-powered Winston companion, making smarter hiring accessible to every stakeholder—not just recruiters. The platform’s Superhuman Hiring™ approach blends automation with ethical oversight, helping employers move faster without sacrificing fairness or quality. A standout for enterprise-ready, future-facing hiring tech.
Talent Acquisition Best Comprehensive Solution AppVault Winner Put simply, the case study showcasing the results and outcomes for AppVault’s transporation and logistics client was one of the best in the entire awards program. AppVault supports talent acquisition teams that need to create a positive brand, convert visitors to applicants, and do it all in a way that creates an engaging candidate experience. Very well done.
Talent Acquisition Best Comprehensive Solution ERIN Winner Our research shows that candidates are 7x more likely to say trust increases when a company encourages referrals. ERIN is doing this at scale, enabling talent teams to not only drive referral activity on a consistent and comprehensive scale, but also handling the “afterthought” aspects like payouts and bonuses through easy payroll integrations. Clients that use ERIN are winning with referrals and the benefits they offer: faster hires at a lower cost.
Talent Acquisition Best Comprehensive Solution iCIMS Winner
Our latest research shows that hiring teams’ biggest struggle is picking the best and most suitable candidate for the role. iCIMS helps companies solve this by getting more candidates through the hiring process with streamlined applications, offering deeper insights via its reporting features, and delivering additional value via embedded AI features like the iCIMS Copilot.
Talent Acquisition Best Comprehensive Solution Sense Winner Sense brings serious automation power to the talent acquisition space, combining AI sourcing, automated scheduling, and smart messaging into one seamless experience. Its ability to personalize outreach at scale and cut down recruiter workload makes it a standout for high-volume hiring. A strong example of intelligent orchestration in action.
Talent Acquisition Best Frontline-Focused Solution Dayforce Winner Dayforce Flex Work tackles one of the toughest challenges in frontline hiring: finding qualified workers fast, without the staffing agency runaround. Its seamless integration with the broader Dayforce platform and real-time shift claiming—averaging just 24 seconds—make it a game-changer for high-volume staffing needs. A smart, scalable solution built for today’s dynamic labor market.
Talent Acquisition Best Frontline-Focused Solution Talroo Winner Talroo is redefining frontline hiring with a platform built specifically to reach the overlooked workforce others miss. A caregiving startup using Talroo saw a $14.41 cost per hire, nearly 100% onboarding completion, and a pipeline of ready-to-work talent—all in just the second month of using the platform. With AI tools like SmartMatch and SmartDriveTime, Talroo stands out for both precision targeting and hiring efficiency at scale.
Talent Acquisition Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Findem Winner Lighthouse research shows that employers are struggling to find the best and most suitable candidate for their open jobs. The Findem candidate search criteria is deeper and more nuanced than our judges have seen before, offering layers of insight for employers to search for that best-fit candidate. Additionally, the competitive insights tool gives employers a helpful perspective to see how a candidate matches up to other similar openings. Well done .
Talent Acquisition Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution HiringBranch Winner A major telecom firm reduced assessment time by 50% and cut 90-day attrition to just 10% by switching to HiringBranch’s Soft Skills AI. The platform’s open-ended, scenario-based assessments provide a realistic job preview while surfacing candidates most likely to succeed on the job. A strong example of AI driving both efficiency and quality in high-volume hiring.
Talent Acquisition Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Match2 Winner Our research shows that employers today are struggling to down select to the best and most capable person for the job. Match2 is flipping the hiring funnel by helping jobs find candidates, not the other way around. And the results are compelling: early adopters have reported a 10–15% reduction in time-to-hire and a 25% improvement in candidate conversion rates. These are big wins for employers that see talent as their competitive advantage.
Talent Acquisition Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Worksome Winner Worksome stands out by offering a seamless hiring and onboarding experience for freelance talent, ensuring that your projects stay on track through fast, compliant, and efficient processes. With a dedicated client team and 24/7 online support, they focus on delivering an exceptional experience that attracts and retains top talent while simplifying global workforce management for your organization.
Talent Acquisition Best Small-Business Focused Solution JazzHR (Employ Inc.) Winner JazzHR is a strong choice for small businesses that need hiring tools without the complexity of enterprise systems. With one-click job posting, resume screening, interview scheduling, and payroll integration, it gives lean teams an efficient, centralized way to manage the full hiring funnel. The intuitive design and flexible pricing make it especially well-suited for franchise and high-volume hiring models.
Talent Acquisition Best Small-Business Focused Solution isolved Winner isolved’s Attract & Hire platform brings AI, automation, and integrations together to streamline hiring from job post to onboarding. With tools like Job Ad Authoring, Candidate Matching, and seamless syncing to over 5,500 job boards, it’s designed to save recruiters time and improve applicant quality. A flexible, full-featured solution that fits the needs of both lean HR teams and growing organizations.

Winners-Talent Analytics

Talent Analytics Best Analytics, Measurement, and Business Impact Solution HireRoad Winner The problem with the analytics software market is that the systems are typically built for large enterprises, but midsize employers have challenges that can be informed by data, too! PeopleInsight serves these companies with a blend of insightful service advisory and a platform that makes it easy for clients to combine data and dive deep into the information for strategic decision-making purposes.
Talent Analytics Best Analytics, Measurement, and Business Impact Solution One Model Winner One Model does a great job of bringing together data data from multiple sources into a data model that enterprise users can understand and manipulate. The system takes the historical data and creates the storyboards, support, and meaningful explanation of what and how things are happening in the organization. Excellent work.
Talent Analytics Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Cognitive Talent Solutions Winner Our judges were pleasantly surprised by the organizational network analysis features Cognitive Talent Solutions has to offer. By combining both active and passive ONA—plus embedded generative AI and predictive analytics—it enables leaders to identify influencers, improve onboarding, and support inclusion efforts with data-backed clarity. A differentiated solution for organizations ready to move beyond org charts and embrace network-first decision-making.
Talent Analytics Best Talent Intelligence Solution Fitt Winner Fitt’s ESP-tIQ platform transforms succession planning into a real-time, enterprise-wide talent intelligence capability. Developed in partnership with a major Middle Eastern utility, the solution tracks 74 employee metrics and manages nearly 16,000 position pipelines—integrating performance, assessments, and business-critical roles across the organization. It’s a strong example of how agile, purpose-built analytics can address complex workforce planning challenges at scale.
Talent Analytics Best Talent Intelligence Solution Joveo Winner Joveo’s Unified Analytics platform brings clarity and control to recruitment marketing with unmatched visibility across spend, source, and strategy. A large financial institution reduced cost per application by 23% and slashed manual reporting time by 90% after switching to Joveo, gaining the ability to optimize campaigns in real time. This is a standout example of analytics that truly enable smarter hiring decisions.
Talent Analytics Best Talent Intelligence Solution SURVALE INC Winner Our candidate research shows that more than 83% of candidates experience frustration occasionally or frequently in the hiring process. SURVALE helps employers overcome this by asking questions of candidates, getting the information they need, and using that insight to adapt and change the hiring process when needed.

Winners-Talent Development

Talent Development Best Analytics, Measurement, and Business Impact Solution Pinsight Winner By leveraging data-driven insights and scientifically validated assessments to support leadership development and succession planning. Their commitment to promoting fair and objective evaluations ensures that organizations can confidently identify and nurture top talent, ultimately fostering a culture of growth and excellence.
Talent Development Best Comprehensive Solution Guild Winner Guild offers a powerful, end-to-end solution for talent development that blends tuition-free education access with personalized coaching and business-aligned skill building. With tools like Guild Talent Advantage™ and integration with Lightcast’s skills taxonomy, employers gain visibility into workforce capabilities while employees get clear, supported pathways to career advancement. It’s a thoughtful approach that repositions education as a strategic lever for workforce growth.
Talent Development Best Frontline-Focused Solution Schoox Winner Schoox sets itself apart by transforming traditional corporate learning into a dynamic and engaging process that emphasizes skill-building, collaborative learning, and personalized development paths.The people-first approach, Schoox empowers organizations to turn their workforce into a strategic advantage, ensuring both individual and business growth thrive.
Talent Development Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Atana Winner Atana distinguishes itself with a comprehensive, award-winning training platform that is designed to create a more respectful and inclusive workplace, using engaging content to tackle even the most challenging topics like diversity and sexual harassment prevention. By leveraging behavioral theory and robust analytics, Atana empowers organizations to drive meaningful change and quantify the positive impact on both employees and the business as a whole.
Talent Development Best Talent Intelligence Solution Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc Winner Cornerstone Galaxy delivers clear business impact by combining AI-powered learning, performance, and internal mobility in one unified platform. At a global defense firm, compliance completion jumped to 98%, internal moves resulted in 40% skill growth, and performance self-reviews surged from 30% to 91.5%. It’s a powerful case of integrated talent development fueling strategic outcomes. Cornerstone continues its legacy of innovation with this solution, building on its history of multiple HR Tech Awards wins.

Winners-Talent Management

Talent Management Best Advance in Practical AI Perceptyx, Inc Winner Perceptyx AI-driven insights highlight how potential new organizations and current clients can transform complex data into actionable strategies for leadership development and organizational growth. By providing precise, behavior-based recommendations and comprehensive manager effectiveness surveys, Perceptyx empowers managers to drive measurable success and cultivate a thriving, adaptable workforce.
Talent Management Best Comprehensive Solution Betterworks Winner Betterworks stands out by transforming traditional performance management into a dynamic and continuous process, fostering growth and engagement at every level of the organization. By integrating AI-enabled goal-setting, feedback, and talent development into a unified platform, Betterworks empowers teams to align their efforts, unlock potential, and drive measurable business outcomes with ease and efficiency.
Talent Management Best Comprehensive Solution JDXpert Winner JDXpert is more than just “job descriptions.” It’s peace of mind for compliance purposes, a source of fairness for pay equity, and a strategic support for hiring and internal mobility. This solution surprised our judging panel in the best way with its incredible case study and robust capabilties. Truly excellent.
Talent Management Best Culture Building Solution Humareso Technology Solutions Winner Humareso is setting a really exciting precedent in the market by enabling access to intuitive technology solutions for small and midsize businesses. The solutions (Engage, Reflect, and Perform) are tied deeply to the mechanisms employers use to build and sustain supportive workplace cultures.
Talent Management Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution ClearCompany Winner ClearCompany has pushed hard in recent years to become more competitive in the market, and this entry proves it. Their suite allows employers to get solid hiring, development, and talent management solutions, but our judges were especially intrigued by their analytics tool, ClearInsights, which helps drill into the data utilizing AI capabilities. This tool helps admin teams to be faster and more agile. The reports and dashboards add value to the organization, especially with how the data is shared instead of being stuck in a silo. Incredible work.
Talent Management Best Midsize Business-Focused Solution 15five Winner 15five has pulled all the data points together to create a real vision of engagement and retention. They turn the insights into actions with succession planning, performance actions, meaningful surveys, and most importantly–team communications.
Talent Management Best Talent Intelligence Solution Phenom Winner Phenom delivers a strategic, AI-powered approach to internal mobility that’s driving real impact for enterprise employers. One global health insurer used Phenom to map 1,500 career paths and now fills 37% of roles through internal hires—boosting engagement and reducing external hiring costs. The platform’s blend of skills visibility, personalized upskilling, and talent marketplace tools makes career growth actionable at scale.

Winners-Total Rewards/Wellbeing

Total Rewards/Wellbeing Best Comprehensive Solution HRSoft Winner Compensation, incentives, and total rewards technology has historically been seen as a “nice to have” by employers. Today, competitive organizations use these systems to stand out, attract quality talent, and keep their best people. HRSoft is doing this by enabling smarter, more streamlined rewards practice for HR teams, supporting client compensation needs in 80+ countries.
Total Rewards/Wellbeing Best Comprehensive Solution Mercer Winner Mercer distinguishes itself through its commitment to promoting pay equity and transparency, helping organizations create fair and inclusive work environments. By aligning total rewards strategies with principles of fair pay, Mercer enables companies to attract and retain top talent, ensuring compensation reflects the true value of employees’ skills and contributions. Embracing Mercer’s solutions translates to more equitable workplaces where all employees feel valued and rewarded appropriately.
Total Rewards/Wellbeing Best Culture Building Solution Bucketlist Rewards Winner Bucketlist Rewards makes employee recognition scalable, meaningful, and measurable—especially for organizations with limited resources. A rural healthcare employer jumped from the 16th to the 96th percentile in engagement after adopting the platform, while reducing admin time and boosting retention during a national staffing crisis. This is a powerful example of how the right recognition strategy can transform workplace culture.
Total Rewards/Wellbeing Best Frontline-Focused Solution Wagestream Winner Wagestream delivers measurable impact by reducing employee financial stress and boosting retention with a truly holistic wellbeing platform. One global retailer saw 81% of workers report less financial stress within 90 days, along with a 40% drop in borrowing from friends and family. With strong adoption and seamless payroll integration, Wagestream stands out as a benefit that drives both human and business value.
Total Rewards/Wellbeing Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Financial Finesse Winner There’s no shortage of financial wellness solutions in the market today. But ones that make a difference like Financial Finesse? Those are more rare. Our judging team was impressed by the scale and scope of what Financial Finesse brings to the table, and the results they are helping workers and employers achieve is remarkable.

Finalists for All Categories

Category Subcategory Short Company Final Ranking (winner/finalist) JUDGE COMMENTS
Core HR/Workforce Best Advance in Practical AI G-P Finalist G-P has a rich history of serving employers growing across the globe, offering peace of mind to keep them compliant and mission-focused. G-P’s AI tool, Gia, helps employers with understanding hundreds of thousands of employment scenarios including labor laws, contract requirements, and more.
Core HR/Workforce Best Advance in Practical AI VirgilHR Finalist Keeping SMB HR teams compliant is rated as the number one skill for HR and payroll teams in our research, but it’s easier said than done. VirgilHR offers an interactive AI tool that helps employers to make a range of employment decisions in a compliant, careful manner. Very well done.
Talent Acquisition Best Advance in Practical AI SeekOut Finalist A large global tech company used SeekOut Spot to fill a critical executive role in just two weeks—far faster than the 60-day industry benchmark. The combination of expert human recruiters and agentic AI delivered a slate of qualified, diverse, and interested candidates in record time. A compelling example of practical AI making a real impact in high-stakes hiring.
Talent Management Best Advance in Practical AI Harbinger Group Finalist Harbinger’s AI-powered, multilingual chatbot shows how practical AI can solve real-world performance challenges. For a major QSR franchise group, the solution achieved a 92.5% query resolution rate, reduced reliance on human support, and provided instant access to SOPs across languages—boosting employee confidence and efficiency. A great example of smart tech improving frontline operations.
Talent Acquisition Best Analytics, Measurement, and Business Impact Solution Lever (Employ Inc.) Finalist Lever delivers what every modern recruiting team needs: speed, simplicity, and smart insights. By combining ATS and CRM capabilities in one seamless platform, they eliminate the typical fragmentation that slows down hiring efforts. Our team especially appreciated the detailed analytics and Visual Insights features, which help users forecast needs, monitor funnel performance, and continuously optimize talent strategies.
Total Rewards/Wellbeing Best Analytics, Measurement, and Business Impact Solution Bentek Finalist The Bentek interface is very user-friendly, offering intuitive reports and dashboards to quickly find and manage the data needed for open enrollment and ongoing requirements for all life-changing events. Bentek is serving a range of government and municipal customers, offering targeted value for their unique needs and priorities.
Employee Experience Best Comprehensive Solution Perceptyx, Inc. Finalist Perceptyx distinguishes itself by transforming traditional employee engagement through its innovative platform. This platform not only listens to employees but actively empowers them with science-backed nudges and personalized recommendations. Turning insights into strategic actions inspires organizations to create a culture of continuous improvement, enabling both individuals and the company to thrive and achieve tangible success.
Talent Acquisition Best Comprehensive Solution Jobvite (Employ Inc.) Finalist Jobvite has a rich history as a hiring application, starting out nearly 20 years ago and advancing to a comprehensive, strategic system for employers needing flexibility. The platform works best for companies that need a solution that can be configured to their unique processes. Our judges were most impressed by the range of dashboards available for ongoing insight into talent activities.
Talent Management Best Comprehensive Solution aTalent Finalist aTalent was a new one for our judges this year, but they showed up with an impressive entry and feature set. The features of the AI help develop OKRS and goals and then analyze and breakdown the results in innovative ways. aTalent offers options for users to accept specific tasks and associate them association with company goals or break down overall goals into more granular tasks. Solid entry.
Total Rewards/Wellbeing Best Comprehensive Solution Businessolver Finalist Benefits don’t get enough credit in the HR technology ecosystem. Hiring, retention, training… They are all important. But someone’s benefits affect the person, their family, and their future. It’s a truly human connection. Businessolver is doing an excellent job helping to create more engaging experiences for workers to identify, select, and use the benefits that matter most to them.
Core HR/Workforce Best Frontline-Focused Solution UKG Finalist UKG transforms frontline work environments by leveraging innovative AI-powered HCM solutions that foster a culture of engagement, trust, and belonging. They excel in creating great workplaces for frontline workers by fostering environments where engagement, trust, and belonging are paramount. Their focus on intuitive solutions and employee empowerment highlights their commitment to enhancing both productivity and job satisfaction in frontline teams.
Employee Experience Best Frontline-Focused Solution Beekeeper Finalist Our research on frontline workers shows that onboarding, scheduling, and other similar actions are key moments that are either a stumbling block or a springboard to success for frontline workers. Beekeeper has created a product that enables success at a broader scale. Our judges were especially impressed with the AI support in the chat functionality that provides support to communicate effectively across generational and international language gaps.
Core HR/Workforce Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Native Teams Finalist With more organizations growing at a global level, solutions like Native Teams help to make that transition more seamless and painless. Our judges thought the dedicated employee support specialists were a unique touch that help to make the Native Teams offering more approachable for workers and less labor-intensive for employers.
Core HR/Workforce Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Paycor Finalist Paycor’s Integration Platform addresses one of the biggest challenges in mid-market HCM—seamlessly connecting data and systems in a resource-constrained environment. For a gig-economy company responding to complex regulatory shifts, Paycor enabled a full HCM deployment in under 60 days, delivering real-time attendance, payroll, and time-off flows integrated directly with its marketplace platform. The flexibility and speed of the Integration Studio demonstrate innovation with real operational impact.
Employee Experience Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution vaibe Finalist vaibe reimagines employee engagement through a gamified, API-ready platform that makes motivation measurable and work more rewarding. By embedding points, challenges, leaderboards, and real-time rewards directly into HR systems, vaibe empowers software providers and employers alike to drive behavior change.
Employee Experience Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Welliba Finalist Having seen the Welliba platform, I was struck by its remarkable ease of use and the integration of advanced analytics, which effortlessly empowers organizations to make informed, data-driven decisions that enhance both employee wellbeing and productivity. This innovative solution fosters individual growth while simultaneously building a more resilient and engaged company culture, making it an invaluable asset for any organization dedicated to nurturing its workforce.
Talent Acquisition Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Fastr.ai Finalist Many applicant tracking systems were built pre-AI, which means users do more busy work, spend more time, and lack critical insights. Fastr.ai helps by overlaying AI candidate matching and ranking on an existing ATS, giving employers a way to generate more value from their incoming candidates and their overall resume database.
Talent Acquisition Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution NXTThing RPO Finalist Our research on the RPO market shows that employers expect their RPO partner to come not just with services and insights, but with technologies that enable better performance and results. NXTThing RPO has created NXTRecruit, a solution that dramatically speeds up high-volume hiring while increasing candidate satisfaction and decreasing drop-off rates. It’s truly a win-win solution.
Talent Acquisition Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution The Selection Lab Finalist In our research on talent acquisition, we find that employers are struggling mightily with picking the best, most suitable candidate for the job. That’s where The Selection Lab comes in with assessments designed to help employers quickly and painlessly screen candidates for open roles.
Talent Development Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Trainery One Finalist Trainery One brings a unified, yet modular approach to learning and development, streamlining training, coaching, compliance, and content delivery in one integrated platform. With dashboards and seamless administrative tools, it enables organizations to connect learning to performance in a powerful way. This is a solution our team will be watching closely.
Talent Management Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Engagedly Inc. Finalist Engagedly brings together performance, learning, engagement, and mobility in a unified platform that’s designed for modern talent management. Features like real-time feedback, personalized growth paths, and AI-driven insights from Marissa AI help HR teams reduce manual effort and support employee development at scale. It’s a well-rounded solution for organizations aiming to align people strategies with business goals.
Total Rewards/Wellbeing Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution DailyPay Finalist DailyPay delivers tangible workforce value through earned wage access that goes far beyond early pay—it’s a strategic financial wellness tool. At a global BPO client, DailyPay helped boost program adoption to 64% overall and 70% among new hires, signifying real value to the workforce. The seamless implementation, strong communication strategy, and measurable employee impact make this a compelling example of how pay flexibility can drive retention and engagement.
Total Rewards/Wellbeing Best Innovative or Emerging Tech Solution Payfederate Finalist The world of pay and compensation is one of heavy manual tasks, repetitive actions, and immense amounts of data. In other words, it’s ripe for AI streamlining. Payfederate’s leadership team is helping to turn traditional comp practices into valuable operational strengths for employers.
Core HR/Workforce Best Midsize Business-Focused Solution BambooHR Finalist BambooHR is a rich history of serving small and midsize employers with robust technology. Their team has begun to embed AI features to scale up HR efforts, decrease busywork, and drive better and more employee-centric outcomes. Our judges were most impressed by the case study where one client reduced hands-on time for open enrollment from nearly 30 days down to just 3 days.
Core HR/Workforce Best Small-Business Focused Solution Paychex, Inc. Finalist Lighthouse research shows that payroll and HR professionals today agree that managing employee payroll is harder than ever before. Paychex is doing solid work for employers that need support with payroll, benefits, and compliance. In addition, our judges were especially intrigued by the new Paychex Recruiting Copilot solution that enables smaller companies to compete with bigger ones when it comes to talent acquisition.
Talent Acquisition Best Talent Intelligence Solution Talogy Finalist Talogy distinguishes itself by seamlessly combining cutting-edge psychological research with advanced technology to provide tailored talent management solutions that meet the unique needs of each organization. By focusing on holistic employee growth and strategic talent optimization, Talogy inspires businesses to unlock the full potential represented by their candidates and workforce.
Talent Analytics Best Talent Intelligence Solution Beamery Finalist Beamery has been a player in the enterprise talent market for years, and their new Dynamic Job Architecture gives employers a more flexible view of the roles and skills they need. One client used the solution to reduce 1,200 job descriptions to 40 consistent, skills-based compositions, making discussions about talent planning more practical and tangible. Well done.
Talent Analytics Best Talent Intelligence Solution Humareso Technology Solutions Finalist Knowing your people means knowing your data. Humareso’s solutions give employers a deeper insight into their leaders, their workforce, and what activities drive the best outcomes. This isn’t just a data-gathering platform, it’s a decision-enabling platform.
Talent Analytics Best Talent Intelligence Solution Salary.com Finalist Salary.com has done good work in the last few decades helping employers to find, manage, and use the compensation information they need to be competitive in the market. The new SalaryIQ offering gives employers a way to see competitive pay data based on job postings in real-time, giving compensation teams an additional layer of pay insight for faster, better decisions.
Talent Analytics Best Talent Intelligence Solution TalentNeuron Finalist TalentNeuron has been operating in the industry for many years, but recently the team has begun innovating like a startup, creating new value for clients and showcasing just how much insight can be created from market data, skills insights and more. Excited to see what’s next from the team.
Talent Analytics Best Talent Intelligence Solution TrueComp Finalist It’s easy for many HR tech providers to focus on the private sector, but the government HR function also needs intuitive, useful technology. TrueComp is one of those providers, offering a mechanism for more than 1,000 clients across cities, counties, and government agencies to not just manage compensation, but bring data to critical workforce decisions and collective bargaining discussions. Excellent work.
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