About the award
Decided by the people who work there.
Retail Employer of the Year celebrates the best places to work in retail across Australia and New Zealand. It has done since 2011.
What it is
A career in retail, done well.
The award started in 2011 to recognise retail businesses with a strong employer brand, and to show off the career paths retail offers.
Candidates, employees and customers now judge a business on more than what it sells. The businesses that live their values are the ones that attract good people and keep them.
So the people decide. Past and present retail staff, and the public, vote for the best place to work. The business with the most votes in its category wins. No judges, no panel, no pitch deck.
What people vote on
Thirteen reasons to vote.
Everyone votes for their own reasons. These are the parts of an employer brand people mention most.
The categories
Sized fairly. Voted honestly.
Categories are set by full time equivalent headcount across the whole business, shopfront and support office included.
New Zealand
Small. Fewer than 100 employees.
Medium. 101 to 500 employees.
Large. More than 500 employees.
Australia
Small. Fewer than 100 employees.
Medium. 101 to 1,000 employees.
Large. 1,001 employees or more.
Open. Businesses of any size can campaign.
Important dates
The 2026 calendar.
Winners are announced on the night of the New Zealand awards evening.
About Retailworld
Who runs it.
The award is run by Retailworld Resourcing, a specialist retail recruiter with offices across Australia and New Zealand. Retailworld connects retailers with the people who make their stores work, and has championed retail as a career of choice for more than twenty years.
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