Applications open July 7, 2025

2025 Best Culture Awards presented by Kudos

Showcase your organization’s outstanding culture and get the recognition you deserve.

Apply Now

✨ Applications open July 7, 2025 ✨

The Best Culture Awards are back for its 5th year of celebrating outstanding workplaces.

This year’s program features 3 exciting categories:

  • Culture of the Year, celebrating organizations who made big strides in their culture in the last year that had a measurable, quantitative impact.
  • Culture Leader Award, for organizations with powerful cultures driving employee well-being and business impact.
  • Culture Innovator Award, for organizations taking a unique approach to building culture.
Recommend this program to your team

New this year! Past winners can recertify their 2024 Award with a shorter, simplified application.

About the Best Culture Awards:

HR professionals, like you, are working tirelessly to create a great culture and boost employee engagement – and we are impressed.

We’re proud to recognize that hard work with the 5th Annual Best Culture Awards, presented by Kudos.

Winning this award will showcase your unique culture and the amazing people that make up your organization.

The right culture can help employees fulfill their need for meaning and purpose at work, leading to improved workplace happiness, better work, and great retention rates.

Great workplaces also have higher levels of productivity and better financial performance.

Why apply?

Winners will receive:

  • Enhanced Employee Value Proposition (EVP): Elevate your brand’s attractiveness to top talent by showcasing your commitment to excellence and recognition.
  • Bragging Rights: Stand out in your industry and among peers with the Best Culture Award recognition.
  • Featured Case Study: Your company’s outstanding work with Kudos will be highlighted in an in-depth case study on Kudos.com, increasing your visibility and credibility.
  • Feature in Kudos' Public Acknowledgment: Enjoy the limelight in Kudos' formal press release and social media posts, showcasing all the winners.
  • Exclusive Kudos Platform Assets: Enhance your Kudos experience with unique digital assets designed to spotlight your success.
  • Comprehensive Communications Package: Gain a digital award badge for your website, tailor-made social media graphics, and a professionally crafted press release to announce your achievement.
Apply Now

Award Categories

Culture of the Year

Culture Leader

Culture Innovator

Recertification (New!)

Selection Process

  1. Complete the Application Form (we want to hear your story!)
  2. Applications will be evaluated by the selection committee based on the following criteria (total of 10 points available):

Up to 5 points for Effort & Impact:
Did your application provide examples of dedicated programs and initiatives to improve employee experience and culture, including examples of how Kudos is used in those initiatives?

Up to 5 points for Leadership & Results:
Did your application provide examples and proof points that the efforts to improve culture through Kudos have benefited organizational results and employee performance?

Application Tip

Check out some examples on how you can measure the impact of culture changes below!

Learn More

9 Examples of Positive Culture Change & Culture Impact

  1. Fewer Regrettable Resignations

    Are you keeping your best people? Regrettable resignations are when people you did not want to go leave.

  2. Turnover

    Consider all departures. Are you experiencing lower turnover and/or is it trending in a positive direction? Are you hitting your retention goals?

  3. Absenteeism

    Fewer unplanned sick days taken – an indicator of employee wellness.

  4. eNPS

    Are you see improvements in employee sentiment and/or a more consistent high score in your desired range?

  5. Referrals

    Has the number of employee referrals for new hires increased?

  1. Feedback

    Has your team score in surveys around feeling valued and appreciated improved and trending in the right direction?

  2. Performance

    Has your company/departments hit more of your goals consistently?

  3. Exit interviews

    Have people’s reasons for leaving changed? (External vs. Internal reasons)

  4. Accolades and Awards

    Have you been recognized as a ‘best place to work’ or leader in your sector? Do you think your culture and commitment to recognition contributed to that?

2024 Kudos Best Culture Award Winners

Applications open July 7, 2025 

2025 Best Culture Awards presented by Kudos

Showcase your organization’s outstanding culture and get the recognition you deserve.