Registration of companies for VR’s Company of the Year 2026 survey is now open. The survey is a fantastic opportunity to gauge employee sentiment! The results provide a broad and reliable overview of the internal environment of the company, including how employees perceive management and their workplace. These insights can then be used to make necessary improvements. Strong performance in the survey enhances a company’s position in the competition for skilled and sought-after employees.
How Can Your Company Participate?
Companies that wish to give all employees the opportunity to participate must send the following information by January 23, 2026:
- ID numbers (kennitala), names, email addresses, and mobile phone numbers of all employees—both VR members and non-members.
- The name and ID number of your company.
Please note that data submission from companies will follow a new procedure this year.
Companies will be granted access to a secure platform hosted by Gallup, where they can upload the necessary information. This platform will also be used to access the survey results once the survey is completed.
To register your company for participation in the survey, please send an email to: fyrirtaekiarsins@gallup.is
For more information, please contact Tómas Bjarnason – tomas.bjarnason@gallup.is or Sólveig Lilja Snæbjörnsdóttir – Survey Coordinator at VR – 2026@vr.is
To be eligible for the Company of the Year 2026 award, the company must ensure all employees, regardless of union membership, have the right to participate in the survey. Even if all employees are VR members, the list must still be sent to ensure the company’s participation in the selection process. The survey is conducted exclusively online and is available in Icelandic, English, and Polish.
What Is the Cost of Participation?
If all employees in your company are VR members, participation in the survey is free of charge! Companies incur no costs for VR-member employees but may request that non-members also be included. The costs for non-members are as follows (amounts exclude VAT):
- Small companies (fewer than 29 employees): 59,900 ISK
- Medium-sized companies (30–69 employees): 86,400 ISK
- Large companies (70 or more employees): 106,300 ISK
Additionally, there is a fee of 490 ISK per non-member employee.
Companies can also purchase a report with the survey results, which is prepared for presentation to employees. This report includes free consultancy services for management.
Announcement of the Company of the Year 2026
In May 2026, the results of the Company of the Year survey will be announced. The selection is based on the results of nine key factors in the survey. The top 15 companies in each size category will be awarded the title of Model Company, with 45 Model Companies in total, including the winning companies themselves.
Additionally, awards will be given for the Most Family-Friendly Firms, based on employee attitudes toward factors like flexibility and the ability to balance work and personal life. The VR Education Award will also be granted, reflecting employees’ attitudes toward lifelong learning, professional development, and training opportunities within the company.
The results for all companies meeting the minimum response rate (7 answers or 35%) will be published publicly on the VR website, regardless of whether all employees were given the opportunity to participate.