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2026 Australasian Inspiring Workplaces Awards Finalists in association with Prezzee and CU Health announced

2026 finalists include: Hungry Jack’s, Flight Centre Travel Group, NRMA, Gallagher, Richard Crookes Constructions, Tax Traders and more.
World’s #1 PeopleFirst HR & Workplaces Awards
From the shortlisted finalists, the highest-ranked organisations will be announced as winners at an exclusive event in Sydney on June 5, 2026.

Sydney – March 19, 2026 – The Inspiring Workplaces Group (IW) is delighted to announce today their 2026 Inspiring Workplaces Awards finalists across Australasia, in association with Prezzee and CU Health. This announcement brings these exceptional organisations one step closer to being named an official 2026 Inspiring Workplace across Australasia.

Inspiring Workplaces Awards honours organisations that put their PeopleFirst, creating cultures of trust, purpose and belonging. More than just a nice place to work, these workplaces empower individuals to thrive.

This year’s finalists represent a diverse cross-section of organisations that are redefining what it means to put PeopleFirst in today’s complex and rapidly evolving world of work. From innovative scale-ups to established global brands, each finalist has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to building cultures rooted in trust, inclusion, wellbeing and meaningful employee experience. Their stories showcase not just policies and programs, but real impact, where people are empowered to thrive and performance follows.

Matt Manners, Founder, The Inspiring Workplaces Group, commented: “Over the past decade and more, we have seen extraordinary organisations step forward to prove that putting PeopleFirst is not a soft choice, it is a strategic one. In a world facing increasing economic uncertainty, technological disruption and difficult political challenges, the need for strong, PeopleFirst leadership has never been greater.

These finalists represent the very best of what PeopleFirst cultures can achieve. They are demonstrating that when organisations prioritise trust, inclusion, wellbeing and purpose, they don’t just support their people, they strengthen performance, resilience and long-term impact. That is the future of work, and it’s inspiring to see it in action.”

Australasian Managing Director Ryan McGrory was thrilled to see the level of interest in the program in the region this year and the calibre of entrants.

“We have such diverse inspiration coming from across the region, across industries and across organisation sizes. From small teams to large enterprises, the ways that these workplaces put their people first are thoughtful and impactful. The judges consistently told us how enjoyable it was to read the entries and we’re excited to share more of the winners stories in June,” Ryan commented.

Being Named a Finalist
Entrants around the world submit the same entry form telling their PeopleFirst story. A rigorous form consisting of the six key elements that IW believes are fundamental to creating a PeopleFirst culture, and by extension an Inspiring Workplace. They are: Culture and Purpose; Leadership; Wellbeing; Inclusion & Belonging; Employee Voice; and Employee Experience.

Organisations of all sizes and industries enter a category defined by how many people are within the business.

These submissions are then sent to a local panel of independent expert judges who mark according to a clear scorecard. From the shortlisted finalists announced today, the highest-ranked organisations will be announced as winners on June 5, 2026.

The 2026 Inspiring Workplaces Finalists across Australasia (in alphabetical order)

ADCO Constructions
AMIGA Montessori
Bare
Beerfarm
Bilue
Centorrino Technologies
Concentrix
Contact Energy
Dental Boutique
Dormway Pty Ltd
Douglas Pharmaceuticals
East West Group
Firstsource Solutions Limited
Flight Centre Travel Group
Gallagher Benefit Services ANZ
Hungry Jack’s
Hysata
IFYS Limited
Ingram Micro
Link Digital
LIW Pty Ltd (Leading Initiatives Worldwide Pty Ltd)
Monash IVF Group
MV Law
My Guardian
O’Brien Accountants & Advisors
O’Shea
One New Zealand
OneSchool Global
PagerDuty
Pest2Kill
Resonate Health
Richard Crookes Constructions
SilverChef
Star Aviation
Tax Traders + Taxi
The NRMA
Tritium
Unison Housing
Ventia
Viva Leisure
Zen Wellness Centre

Winners Announcement
The official Top 40 Inspiring Workplaces across Australasia, along with individual category winners (by business size) and special recognition award winners, will be announced at an exclusive event, at the Doltone House Hyde Park, in Sydney on June 5, 2026. Please visit our website to book your tickets and for more information.

Register Your Interest in The 2027 Inspiring Workplaces Awards Now
If you would like your organisation to have the chance of being named an Inspiring Workplace in one or across all regions (North America, Latin America, UK & Ireland, Europe, Asia, Middle East & Africa, Australasia), visit here to choose your region, find out more information on the process, and register your interest for 2027.

Sponsorship
There are various opportunities for organisations to partner with Inspiring Workplaces. For more information, please contact [email protected]

Thank you to our 2026 Awards sponsors across Australasia:
Headline Sponsors: Prezzee, CU Health
Gold Sponsors: Workvivo by Zoom
Special Recognition Sponsors: KateBiling.com, OneAnother

About Inspiring Workplaces Group
The Inspiring Workplaces Group is a global organisation dedicated to recognising and advancing PeopleFirst culture. Through its two flagship programs: Certified PeopleFirst™ and the Inspiring Workplaces Awards. The organisation celebrates and certifies workplaces where people and performance thrive together.

Certified PeopleFirst™ is an independent workplace culture certification powered by anonymous employee insight, measuring belief in leadership, belonging at work and opportunities for growth. The Inspiring Workplaces Awards, established in 2015, recognise organisations demonstrating excellence in culture, leadership, wellbeing, inclusion and employee experience through a rigorous written submission and independent judging process.

Operating across North America, UK & Ireland, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa and beyond, Inspiring Workplaces has recognised thousands of organisations and continues its mission to change the world through the world of work.

Learn more at www.inspiring-workplaces.com