HR.com has announced the winners of its 2026 Employee Retention Awards, recognizing organizations and solution providers that are making a meaningful difference in how businesses attract, engage, and retain their people. The awards come as workforce expectations continue to evolve and employee retention remains a critical priority for organizations looking to build engaged, productive, and resilient teams.
This year's award recipients are being recognized for their contributions to advancing retention practices through innovative programs, people-focused strategies, and solutions that support stronger employee experiences. The awards highlight the growing importance of retention strategies in a competitive labor market, where companies are increasingly seeking ways to keep talent engaged and reduce turnover costs.
Fuel50 received the Best Employee Retention Solution award. The company helps employers improve retention by giving employees visibility into personalized career paths, internal opportunities, skills development, mentorship, and growth pathways. Its Talent Marketplace solution connects employee aspirations with business needs, making career growth actionable, strengthening engagement, and encouraging employees to build their futures within the organization.
“When people can see a future for themselves where they work, they have a reason to stay,” said Jo Mills, CEO at Fuel50. “This award means a great deal to us at Fuel50, and we share it with the customers who help their people see what's possible and give them a real chance to pursue it.”
DX Learning Solutions won the Retention Excellence Award for its neuroscience-based CARE Model, which stands for Clarity, Autonomy, Relationships, and Equity. The model is transforming workplace culture, strengthening leadership behaviors, and improving employee retention. Through experiential learning, coaching, and sustained reinforcement, the initiative has fostered psychological safety, engagement, and accountability while building lasting internal capabilities.
“People don't leave jobs; they leave the absence of CARE: Clarity, Autonomy, Relationships, and Equity, usually without being able to name it that way. We are honored to win this award,” stated Matthew Sandel, Director of Design at DX Learning Solutions. “It tells us DX Learning is truly helping leaders close that gap before it shows up as a resignation. That's the outcome we intentionally build into all of our portfolio offerings in order to consistently reproduce quality results.”
Debbie McGrath, CEO of HR.com, emphasized the broader significance of the awards. “Organizations that invest in helping people grow are better positioned to meet the challenges of a changing workplace,” she said. “These award winners demonstrate how thoughtful career development strategies can create lasting value for both employees and businesses.”
The recognition of Fuel50 and DX Learning Solutions underscores a key trend: retention is increasingly tied to career development and workplace culture. For employers, the message is clear—investing in employee growth and psychological safety can reduce turnover and build a more committed workforce. For HR professionals, these winners offer models that can be adapted to their own organizations. A full list of the 2026 HR.com Awards is available at www.hr.com/awards, and further details can be found in the HR.com Newsroom.
