In an AI-first category, Playroll won two golds for a contrarian bet: use AI to back people, not replace them, on infrastructure it owns.
Playroll, the global HR platform helping companies hire, pay, and manage talent across 180+ countries, has won two Gold Stevie® Awards at the 2026 Stevie Awards for Great Employers: Global HR Solution Provider of the Year, its second consecutive win, and HR Technology Solution Provider of the Year.
As the industry races to use AI to replace people in HR, Playroll uses it to free them. Automation handles the routine, while a human expert owns the moments that matter: a paycheck, a visa, a contract. Over half of Playroll’s team works in client-facing roles.
“Most providers sell an interface and run the compliance work manually. We built the opposite, with compliance at the core, experts in-house, and a platform that scales without diluting service,” said Brendon Silver, CEO and Co-Founder of Playroll. “AI handles routine work so our experts can do what only a human can: be accountable when it matters. Two golds in two years proves that’s the service clients want.”
The recognition marks Playroll’s evolution from EOR provider to full global HR platform, spanning Employer of Record, contractor management, and in-country payroll, from a company’s first international hire to multi-country payroll at scale.
Why Playroll Keeps Winning
- 3–5 day onboarding vs 5–10 day average
- 40–60% lower total cost
- Owned entities and in-house experts, not third-party partner networks
- AI-assisted with human-owned support
- 4.7/5 G2 rating, featured in 57 Summer 2026 G2 reports
Client outcomes include 300% growth and over $1M in savings for a single client. Clients who switch cite support quality and pricing without steep minimums or termination fees.
What the Judges Said
“Clear differentiation through its compliance-first model and owned-entity infrastructure, which sets it apart from competitors relying on partner networks.”
“[They] demonstrate an impressive HR technology platform that combines global employment expertise, compliance, payroll, and AI-driven innovation into a scalable solution.”
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