Inspiring Workplaces names Australasia’s Top 40 for 2026

Inspiring Workplaces Group has announced its 2026 Australasia winners, led by Douglas Pharmaceuticals, at a Sydney gala. The rankings spotlight organizations the group says are building PeopleFirst cultures focused on trust, purpose, belonging and employee wellbeing.

Why it matters: - The rankings highlight which employers are being recognized for culture, leadership, wellbeing and employee experience across Australasia. - Inspiring Workplaces says these people-first practices matter because they help organizations adapt, retain staff and perform through rapid workplace change, including AI-driven transformation. - The awards give companies a benchmark for how workplace culture is being judged across industries and organization sizes.

What happened: - Inspiring Workplaces Group, in association with Prezzee and CU Health, announced the 2026 Australasian Inspiring Workplaces winners on June 8, 2026. - The awards were presented at an exclusive gala dinner at Doltone House Hyde Park in Sydney. - The Top 40 organizations were recognized for leading with PeopleFirst cultures built on trust, purpose and belonging. - Douglas Pharmaceuticals ranked No. 1 overall in the Australasian Top 40. - Other organizations in the Top 40 include Hungry Jack’s, Flight Centre Travel Group, The NRMA, Tax Traders + Taxi, Monash IVF Group, Contact Energy, Concentrix, Viva Leisure and Star Aviation.

The details: - The awards have been running since 2015 and recognize organizations that go beyond policies and programs to create workplaces where people feel valued, included and empowered. - Matt Manners, founder of Inspiring Workplaces Group, said workplaces are changing at an unprecedented pace and that organizations need cultures that help people adapt, grow and perform. - Ryan McGrory, Australasian managing director, said the judges saw strong entries across industries and organization sizes. - The top-ranked organizations by size category were Flight Centre Travel Group for Enterprise, Douglas Pharmaceuticals for Large, Bare for Medium, Tax Traders + Taxi for Small, and OneSchool Global for Government & Non-Profit. - Enterprise category winners listed alphabetically were Concentrix and Ventia. - Large category winners listed alphabetically were Contact Energy and Monash IVF Group. - Medium category winners listed alphabetically were Gallagher Benefit Services ANZ and Tritium. - Small category winners listed alphabetically were East West Group and ZEN WELLNESS CENTRE. - Government & Non-Profit category winners listed alphabetically were IFYS Limited and Unison Housing. - The awards use six evaluation areas: Culture & Purpose, Leadership, Wellbeing, Inclusion & Belonging, Employee Voice and Employee Experience. - Winners were chosen through a submission process reviewed by an independent panel of expert judges, with scores determining the rankings. - The 2027 awards will accept entries across North America, Latin America, UK & Ireland, Europe, Asia, Middle East & Africa and Australasia. - The deadline to enter the 2027 awards is February 24, 2027. - Inspiring Workplaces says sponsorship opportunities are available, with inquiries directed to ryan@inspiring-workplaces.com. - More information is available at Inspiring Workplaces and on the company LinkedIn page.

Between the lines: - The rankings show a broad mix of employers, from construction and healthcare to tech, hospitality and nonprofit organizations, suggesting workplace culture is now a cross-industry competitive issue. - Multiple organizations appeared in several special recognition lists, with ADCO Constructions, Centorrino Technologies and Tax Traders + Taxi standing out across leadership, inclusion, wellbeing, voice and experience categories. - The structure of the awards suggests Inspiring Workplaces is trying to measure culture as a business system, not a soft-benefits program.

What’s next: - Organizations can now enter the 2027 Inspiring Workplaces Awards before the February 24, 2027 deadline. - Inspiring Workplaces will continue offering regional awards, special recognitions and sponsorship opportunities across its global program. - The next round of rankings is likely to draw attention from employers trying to prove culture is a measurable part of performance.