July 10, 2026

The UK Employee Experience Awards 2026 Winners Revealed 

By Becky Norman

On 9 July, finalists gathered at Park Plaza Riverbank, London, for the UK Employee Experience Awards (UKEXA) 2026, the first time in over six years that the finals have taken place live and in person. 

Nineteen organisations made the 2026 shortlist, presenting a combined 33 case studies to seven judging panels made up of more than 40 senior industry judges. Finalists argued their case in the room that afternoon, then returned that evening for the awards ceremony and celebrations at the same venue.

Bupa Announced Overall Winner  

Bupa took the night’s top honour – awarded to the organisation with the highest score across all categories – for its gold win for Best Learning and Development. The healthcare provider also picked up three silvers over the course of the evening for Best Leadership Development, Best Company Culture, and Best Use of Technology.

Gold Winners  

B. Braun, in partnership with Elev-8 Performance Improvement, won two golds: Best Leadership Development and Best DEI. Lloyds Banking Group also took two, for Best Employee Driven CSR and Best Health and Wellbeing.

One gold went to each of seven more organisations. Jane Austin at Wave Utilities won Leader of the Year, Goji Investments took Best Use of Employee Insight & Feedback, and Octopus Energy won Best Employee Centric Company. Pure Pet Food was recognised for Best Employee Engagement, Somerset Bridge Group for Best Company Culture, and Bristan Group for Best DEI.

Silver Winners  

Verplas picked up three silvers: Best Employee Centric Company, Best Change Management, and Best Employee Driven Business Change. The manufacturer won three golds at last year’s awards on the strength of a turnaround story that began with a hostile, toxic culture and a full leadership overhaul; this year’s results suggest that rebuilding trust remains a live, ongoing effort rather than a one-off fix.

Lloyds Banking Group added two silvers to its gold haul, for Best Use of Technology and Ethical Implementation of AI. StepChange Debt Charity won silver for Best Company Culture and Best Place to Work, while XPS Group did the same for Best Place to Work and Best Employee Centric Company. Wave Utilities, already a gold winner on the night, also took silver for Best Employee Centric Company.

One silver went to each of the remaining finalists. DHL Supply Chain was recognised for Best Employee Driven CX, Equinix for Best Reward & Recognition, and Octopus Energy for Best Place to Work. Sherbet, in partnership with Renault Group, won Best Reward & Recognition, The Access Group won Best Place to Work, and Wernick Group and Enthuse won Best Internal Communications.

Enter the 2027 Awards  

Details of the next UK Employee Experience Awards will follow later this year. Organisations that want to get ahead of the entry process can register their interest now to receive early news on categories, deadlines, and guidance on the kind of evidence judges look for.