HR.com has announced the winners of the 2026 HR in Small Business Awards, recognizing HR professionals, organizations, and solution providers that are making a meaningful impact on human resources in small businesses. The awards celebrate excellence in human capital management and 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.
The importance of these awards lies in their focus on the unique constraints small businesses face. Unlike large enterprises, small businesses often operate with lean HR teams and tight budgets, making strategic HR practices both more challenging and more critical. By spotlighting successful approaches, HR.com aims to provide models that other small businesses can emulate. “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. The company is 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. This recognition demonstrates how we turn moments of tension, fear, and isolation into opportunities for meaningful, intentional, and positive change.”
Haleigh Myers, HR Director at Stateside Brands, was honored as Small Business HR Leader of the Year. Starting when Stateside Brands had about 70 employees, Myers built and now leads the company’s HR function from the ground up. She created scalable, compliant systems across recruiting, compensation, benefits, policies, professional development, and employee relations—ensuring growth remained legally sound and sustainable. As a trusted leadership advisor and employee advocate, she has strengthened people practices while enabling continued growth. “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 said. “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. More than anything, it’s a reminder of why I love my job: making sure our people feel seen and supported, even as the company around them keeps growing.”
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. She has transformed HR from a reactive function into strategic infrastructure that drives accountability, efficiency, and organizational success. “Thank you so much to HR.com, the expert judges, and our incredible community for this meaningful recognition as a runner-up for Small Business HR Leader of the Year,” 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. I am incredibly grateful for this platform and inspired to keep pushing the boundaries of what small business HR can achieve.”
The implications of these awards extend beyond individual recognition. They signal to small business owners and HR professionals that effective people management is achievable even with limited resources. By highlighting solutions like Career Candor and leaders like Myers and Duque, HR.com provides a roadmap for others to follow. For more information, visit the HR.com Newsroom.
