The HR Tech Awards 2025 are coming to the International Festival of HR!

This year’s iteration of the awards program, powered by Lighthouse Research & Advisory in partnership with UNLEASH, is now open for submissions from HR technology vendors across a variety of categories.

These include awards in Talent Development & Growth, HR/Workforce Management, and Talent Acquisition & Management.

The deadline for entries is February 28 2025 at 11:59pm, and all the information you need to apply can be found here.

Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse, tells UNLEASH that the awards program is much more than an opportunity for technology providers to show off what they’ve been working on.

“Every entry has a case study that makes up a significant portion of the judging criteria because it’s important to us that employers and the workforce are the ultimate winners here. The technology ultimately needs to make work faster, easier, and more valuable,” Eubanks says.

We hear from employers every year that use the Awards list as a way to add names to their shortlist when purchasing new systems across HR, talent, learning, analytics, and employee experience categories. 

“We estimate that the HR Tech Awards winner population represents approximately two percent of the HR tech landscape worldwide.

“Many times, buyers and HR leaders don’t have time to talk with many solution providers in their daily work – our team at Lighthouse meets with and learns about approximately 300 vendors a year.”

Winners of this year’s HR Tech Awards will be honored on 6 May during a special ceremony at UNLEASH America 2025 in Las Vegas.

“We at UNLEASH are incredibly excited to partner with the HR Tech Awards, a program that plays a pivotal role in showcasing the innovation and excellence transforming the HR industry,” comments Viktoria Tripp, Head of Experience at UNLEASH.

This collaboration reflects UNLEASH’s unwavering commitment to empowering HR professionals worldwide, and celebrating the trailblazers shaping the future of work, and highlighting the groundbreaking technologies driving progress in the HR space.

“We can’t wait to honor the 2025 award winners at UNLEASH America in Las Vegas.”

Previous winners of the HR Tech Awards include HR technology mainstays HiBob, Rippling, Symphony Talent, Phenom, Visier, and Bonusly, among many others.

Here’s what some had to say about the awards:

“Together, the entire Bonusly team thanks Lighthouse Research & Advisory and the Awards panel for recognizing our platform and its role in creating engaged teams and high-performing cultures across the globe.” Raphael Crawford-Marks, CEO of Bonusly

“It’s rewarding to see our products and teams recognized for focusing on technology and customer experience… I appreciate being able to share this award with our teams, customers and other technology innovators focused on UX.” Kermit Randa, CEO fo Symphony Talent

“We’re honored to receive this industry recognition from Lighthouse Research & Advisory for our company’s efforts in supporting businesses and their employees, especially as they navigate a litany of new and evolving challenges.” Tom Hammond, VP of Corporate Strategy and Product Management at Paychex

So, what are you waiting for? Submit your entries before February 28 and join us in Las Vegas at UNLEASH America 2025 to find out the winners!