Small businesses often operate with constrained HR resources, yet the strategic management of people remains vital to their success. Recognizing this, HR.com has announced the winners of the 2026 HR in Small Business Awards, which celebrate HR professionals, organizations, and solution providers that are making a meaningful impact on human resources in small businesses. The awards highlight innovative solutions, programs, and practices that help small businesses address workforce challenges, attract and retain talent, and build effective HR strategies despite limited staffing, budgets, and resources.
“Congratulations to all the winners of the 2026 HR in Small Business Awards,” said Debbie McGrath, CEO of HR.com. “Small businesses face unique workforce challenges, and these awards recognize the people and solutions helping them build stronger teams, support employees, and achieve business success.”
Career Candor was named Best HR Solution for Small Business for transforming outplacement by making human-centered career support accessible to employers of all sizes. Its approach helps employees navigate layoffs with coaching, AI tools, benefits guidance, and community resources—supporting both workforce resilience and employer care. “No one should have to navigate a layoff alone. That’s why I founded Career Candor after experiencing a layoff myself and facing the challenges without support,” said Brittany Wilson, Founder and CEO of Career Candor. “Today, Career Candor specializes in helping businesses and displaced workers navigate layoffs with human-first, knowledgeable outplacement services. We’re proud to be recognized as a best-in-class solution for small businesses.”
Haleigh Myers, HR Director at Stateside Brands, was honored as Small Business HR Leader of the Year. Starting when the company had about 70 employees, Myers built and now leads the company’s HR function from the ground up, creating scalable, compliant systems across recruiting, compensation, benefits, policies, professional development, and employee relations. “When I started at Stateside three years ago, we didn’t even have an HR department, so winning this validates that building something from scratch the right way, instead of the easy way, really does pay off,” Myers stated. “I’m incredibly grateful for the trust leadership gave me to build this function, and this recognition belongs just as much to my team as it does to me.”
Ashley Duque, VP of Human Resources at Matrix Human Resources, received an Honorable Mention as Small Business HR Leader of the Year. Duque has built a modern, compliant, people-centered HR function that strengthens culture, develops talent, supports leaders, and manages risk. “Thank you so much to HR.com, the expert judges, and our incredible community for this meaningful recognition,” said Duque. “In a small business, building impactful people strategies requires wearing many hats, and this honor is a true testament to our team’s dedication to creating a thriving, people-first culture.”
The recognition comes at a time when small businesses increasingly rely on innovative HR practices to compete for talent and maintain compliance. By spotlighting these successes, HR.com aims to inspire other small businesses to adopt effective strategies. More information about the awards and past winners is available in the HR.com Newsroom.
