Human Interest Wins 2026 HR Icons Award as Employee Retention Hits Record Highs

Leadership development programs strengthen retention and career growth amid 25% workforce expansion

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Human Interest, the highest-rated,¹ fastest-growing 401(k) provider,² today announced it has won the 2026 HR Icons Award for Excellence in Employee Engagement³ at the annual HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas.

The HR Icons Awards recognize organizations that have designed and implemented exemplary human resource programs that deliver significant business value and deeply impact the employee experience.

Over the past two years, Human Interest overhauled how its leadership coaching and career development tracks to keep pace with rapid expansion. As the company expanded its workforce by approximately 25%, voluntary turnover fell to record lows.⁴

Key results across the organization include:⁵

• Higher Retention: Leadership program participants achieved 50% higher retention compared to peers.
• Stronger Management: Structured leadership coaching increased manager confidence from under 50% to 82.7%.
• Accelerated Mobility: 28 employees advanced into expanded leadership roles.
  

“Employee engagement is central to Human Interest’s mission and culture, which makes it particularly rewarding to receive this award. We help employees at small and mid-sized businesses connect with their financial futures, and our People team brings that same intentionality to how our own employees connect with their work, their teams, and our purpose,” said Klinton Miyao, Chief Legal & People Officer at Human Interest. “The award comes in a year of tremendous growth for Human Interest. I’m thrilled to see the People team’s work recognized, and I’m grateful for the rigor and care they bring every day.”

The recognition places Human Interest as a premier brand, sitting among an elite cohort of nominees in other categories—including household names like American Express, Atlassian, and Cornerstone OnDemand—yet Human Interest stood out as a leader in employee engagement. Taking top honors alongside dozens of global enterprises underscores how Human Interest’s agile, purpose-driven approach to talent strategy rivals the impact of the world's most recognized brands, proving that world-class employee engagement relies on vision, innovation, and genuine human impact.

The honor adds to Human Interest's workplace recognitions, which include certification as a Great Place to Work® (2023–2025) and selection for Fortune's Best Workplaces in the Bay Area and Built In's Best Places to Work.

Human Interest is hiring. Explore open roles at https://humaninterest.com/careers/.

For more information about Human Interest please visit www.humaninterest.com.

About Human Interest
Human Interest is the highest-rated, fastest-growing 401(k) provider in America. Human Interest believes that employers deserve retirement benefits that run themselves, do not put unnecessary liability on the company, and have low and transparent fees. Human Interest has created the retirement platform that delivers these commitments, allowing millions of employees to access retirement benefits for the first time. Human Interest has set the new standard for 401(k), including: eliminating transaction fees, offering a cash-back incentive program for plan participants, and a customer experience guarantee. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, Human Interest has helped provide retirement benefits to employees at 50,000 companies and counting. For more information, please visit humaninterest.com.

Contact
humaninterest@icrinc.com
ICR for Human Interest

¹ Highest-rated 401(k) claim is based on G2’s “Highest Rated 401(k) Software” list ranking as of 6/9/26. Ratings are based on the product’s satisfaction score, which is calculated by a proprietary algorithm that factors in real-user satisfaction ratings from review data. Of the 23 listed 401(k) software products, six products qualified. Human Interest’s overall G2 score is 4.3 out of 5, as of 6/9/26. Ratings fluctuate in real-time. Solicited clients for reviews in exchange for de-minimis non-cash compensation. Solicitation and non-cash compensation make a customer more likely to portray Human Interest favorably. Testimonials may not be representative of the experience of others and past success does not guarantee future results. Previously, Human Interest offered gift cards as an incentive for customers to complete reviews. A higher value was offered for non-anonymous testimonials. Read our full disclosures.
² Based on Human Interest’s internal analysis of self-reported, publicly available data from PLANSPONSOR (12/31/25), NAPA (6/30/25), DOL Form 5500 filings (1/9/26), and customer count data published on provider websites (12/18/25). This data may be incomplete, represents a point-in-time estimate, and is subject to change.
³ Human Interest was awarded a 2026 Icon Award after submitting an application. The application was reviewed by a panel of independent judges. For a list of nominees and winners, visit HR Icon Awards.
⁴ Human Interest, Internal calculation, (2026).
⁵ Human Interest, Internal calculation, (2026).