The Top HR Conferences to Attend in 2025

Top HR Conferences in 2025

Here are the top HR conferences to attend in 2025, organized chronologically:

Talent Acquisition Week

Dates: February 3-6

Location: San Diego, CA

Conference overview: This conference brings together HR and  recruitmentleaders to discuss new trends in sourcing, recruitment marketing, and employer branding. The event offers three conferences in one, providing a collaborative space for professionals to share insights on candidate engagement and hiring practices.

Highlights: Keynote speakers include Chad MacRae, the VP of People at VAST, Allison Kruse, the Head of Global Employer Brand at Baxter, and Jamie Starner, TA Operations & Technology Manager at Swire Coca-Cola.

SHRM Talent Conference & Expo

Dates: March 24-26

Location: Nashville, TN and virtual

Conference overview: This conference focuses on  talent managementstrategies with an emphasis on integrating AIand prioritizing skill developmentto improve efficiency in the workplace. Attending this conference will help you learn innovative tactics and data-driven approaches for dealing with changing hiring environments.

Highlights: Attendees can explore diverse content tracks like AI & Human Ingenuity, Talent Development, and Workforce Planning. Sessions are available in-person, via live stream, or on-demand for 30 days after the event. The event also offers opportunities to earn credit towards professional HR certifications.

HCI's SPARK HR

Dates: April 30-May 2

Location: Lake Buena Vista, FL

Conference overview: SHARK HR 2025 focuses on  improving employee engagement, retention, and leadership development. You can learn from top HR leaders at organizations like Chobani, NASCAR, and LinkedIn. This is a great option for HR leaders interested in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), manager growth, and strategic onboarding.

Highlights: Hear from top speakers like Shari Eaton, Chief People Officer at Chobani, Tyrese Manigault, Manager of Employee Engagement at NASCAR, and Chrissy Roth-Francis, Director of Talent Development at LinkedIn. 

BenefitsPRO Broker Expo

Dates: May 6-8

Location: Boston, MA

Conference overview: This expo has been the go-to event for benefits professionals for over 20 years. This editorially-driven content delivers unbiased, actionable content specifically designed for brokers, agents, and advisors. This is a good choice if you’re an HR professional looking to network with benefits advisors.

Highlights: The 2025 speaker lineup features industry experts like Jennifer Berman, the CEO of MZQ Consulting, Michael Agostino, the CEO of Network of Advanced Specialty Healthcare, and Paul Wilson, the Editor in Chief at BenefitsPRO. 

Small Business HR Alliance Conference

Dates: May 6

Location: Virtual

Conference overview: This virtual event connects  HR professionalsfrom smaller organizations with solutions tailored to their unique challenges. Topics include multitasking in HR, maximizing your tools for limited resources, and maintaining resilience under pressure. Plus, attendees can get HRCI or SHRMcredits toward an HR certification.

Highlights: Speakers include leaders from BambooHR, Namely, and TangoCard. You’ll also be able to watch presentations from sponsors, access comprehensive data, and learn from HR.com’s experience with over two million HR professionals around the world.

HR Vision

Dates: June 4-5

Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Conference overview: This conference is an excellent choice for those looking for networking opportunities in the heart of Europe. This year’s focus will be on topics like the  employee experience, AI in HR, and diversity and inclusion.

Highlights: Hear from speakers like Gerald Penning, an HR senior executive with over 20 years of experience and the current HR Senior Executive at Alliander, and Li Yin, the Global Head of People and Culture at Retail Concept at IKEA.

SHRM Annual Conference & Expo

Dates: June 29-July 2

Location: San Diego, CA

Conference overview: As the world’s largest HR conference, this flagship event brings together thousands of HR professionals for unparalleled networking opportunities. With over 375 sessions, the conference covers pretty much everything under the sun when it comes to  HR. Attendees can also earn up to 28 credits toward SHRM recertificationwhen they attend!

Highlights: While specific keynote speakers are yet to be announced, SHRM consistently attracts industry-leading experts. The conference is sure to have inspiring keynotes from HR thought leaders, in addition to discussions and workshops about all things HR.

HR Analytics Summit

Dates: September 4

Location: London, United Kingdom

Conference overview: This turbo-charged, single-day event brings together leaders in  HR analytics, digital HR, and employee engagementfor an intensive focus on data-driven HR strategies. The summit features over 12 case studies and 20 expert speakers. This is the perfect conference for you if you’re looking for strategies to implement data-driven HR programs.

Highlights: While 2025 speakers are yet to be announced, this global summit consistently attracts some of the best HR leaders anywhere in the world. It also has five hours of scheduled networking time, giving you the chance to make connections from all over the world.

HRSouthwest Conference

Dates: October 12-15

Location: Fort Worth, TX

Conference overview: As one of the largest regional HR events in the country, HRSouthwest brings together HR practitioners and industry suppliers for some good, fun professional development. The confidence offers opportunities to learn from best-in-class speakers and get credits for the SHRM certification.

Highlights: While 2025 speakers haven’t been announced yet, the conference has a history of featuring industry leaders. The 2024's conference speaker was Ben Utecht, Chief Culture Officer at True North Private Equity family of companies, who delivered a keynote speech on the impact of company culture.

Wellbeing at Work Summit

Dates: November 11-13

Location: Sydney and Melbourne, Australia

Conference overview: This three-day summit brings together senior leaders from HR, with a close focus on  employee wellbeingand DEI. The event features VIP receptions in both Sydney and Melbourne with leadership discussions and keynotes for HR leaders.

Highlights: Although 2025 speakers haven’t been announced yet, the 2024 summit featured influential leaders like Claire DeCarteret, the Managing Director APAC at Gallup, Dr. Christopher Robinson, the Chief Medical Officer at Medibank, and Lisa Curry, a triple Olympian and Co-Founder of Happy Healthy You.  

Why Attend HR Conferences in 2025? 

The HR landscape is changing faster than your email inbox fills up. Between AI reshaping recruitment, hybrid workbecoming the norm, and wellness taking center stage, staying current can feel overwhelming. Attending conferences is one of the best (and most fun!) ways to get ahead of these challenges while connecting with other HR pros leading with similar challenges.

Here’s why it’s a good idea to attend an HR conference in 2025: 

• Stay ahead of trends: Attending an HR conference will let you be one of the first to know about the trends that are happening around the world. You can learn how other organizations are implementing AI in their  HR processes, managing remote teams effectively, and creating wellness programs that actually work. You can get these insights and more before they become mainstream requirements, making you one of the coolest companies on the block!
• Gain strategic insights for organizational success: Move beyond day-to-day operations to gain big-picture perspectives on  organizational success. Conference sessions usually come with case studies and real-world examples that can help you take a more strategic approach to common HR challenges.
• Network with industry experts and peers: Connect with peers who understand your daily challenges and triumphs. Build relationships with industry experts, potential mentors, and fellow HR pros who can become valuable resources way long after the conference ends.
• Discover new HR technologies and solutions: Get hands-on experience with the latest  HR techbefore making investment decisions. Meet vendors face-to-face, ask tough questions, and see how different solutions might fit your organization’s needs.
• Elevate leadership skills and build influence: Learn from successful HR leaders about building influence within your organization. See what they’ve done to become successful and how you can apply those tips to lead change in your organization.
• Find creative solutions: Sometimes, the best ideas come from casual conversations between sessions. Hearing how other organizations tackle similar challenges can turn into innovative solutions in your own workplace.

Tips for Maximizing Your Conference Experience

Professional developmentis an investment in time and money, so make sure you get the most out of it. Whether you’re a conference veteran or are attending your first HR event, having a clear strategy can help you maximize your return on investment. Here’s how to make every conference count, from before the big day to the days after:

Pre-conference Planning

Success at HR conferences starts long before you arrive. Take the time to prepare strategically by:

• Setting clear objectives: Define what you want to learn and accomplish. Before you even sign up for a conference, reflect on what specific challenges you’re facing and what kind of solutions you might find at the conference. 
• Researching speakers and sessions: Look beyond catchy session titles to understand the content and the speakers’ expertise. Choosing sessions that align with your goals and organizational needs is a good way to maximize what you get out of the conference.
• Creating a balanced schedule: Mix strategic sessions with practical  workshops. And don’t forget to leave room for networking! You can learn the most from a conference outside the main conference hall during unstructured time.

During the Conference

Try these tips to make the most of your time while you’re there:

• Take strategic notes: Focus on action items and key takeaways rather than trying to transcribe everything you hear. You can try using note-taking apps like Evernote or Notion that let you organize your thoughts by topic.
• Network intentionally: Don’t just collect business cards. Have meaningful conversations about specific challenges and solutions. Schedule coffee meetings with people whose experience aligns with your interests. Who doesn’t want to chat over a nice cup of coffee?
• Engage with the conference: Don’t be shy to make yourself known! Ask questions during sessions, participate in workshops, and share your own experiences. Even if it’s your first time attending an HR conference, you have a lot to contribute. The more you engage, the more value you’ll get from the experience.  

Post-conference Implementation

The real value of conferences comes from what you do afterward:

• Organize what you’ve learned: Review your notes within 48 hours while the information is still fresh. Create an action plan for implementing the main takeaways. 
• Follow up professionally: Connect with new contacts on LinkedIn with personalized messages referencing your conversations. You could even schedule phone calls to keep up with particularly valuable connections.
• Share knowledge effectively: Create a brief presentation for your team where you highlight the key takeaways from the conference. Sharing the knowledge is a great way to reinforce what you’ve already learned and spread the knowledge.
• Track implementation: Set specific goals for implementing what you learned at the conference. It’s always a good idea to create timelines and accountability measures so good ideas don’t get lost in the daily hustle and bustle.

Transform Your HR Leadership Through Strategic Development

Professional development in HR demands a strategic approach to learningand implementation. You can create that change you want to see in your organization by applying what you’ve learned at one of the best HR conferences in 2025. 

A comprehensive employee wellbeing program goes hand in hand with HR conference visits. Whether you’re just starting to attend these networking events or have been in the game for a long time, you can apply the new knowledge you acquire in 2025 to create an even better benefits packagefor your employees.

Speak with a Wellhub Wellbeing Specialisttoday to see how we can help you improve your benefits offerings. 

You May Also Like:

• Stepping into the Future of Work
• HR Best Practices for 2025: Boost Engagement & Productivity
• 11 Best HR Podcasts: Accelerate Knowledge & Growth

References:

• BenefitsPRO. (2024). Home. https://www.event.benefitspro.com/bprobrokerexpo
• HCI. (2024). HCI’s SPARK HR. https://www.hci.org/spark-hr-conference-2025
• HR Vision Event – Senior Level HR Conferences. (2022, December 15). HR Event Amsterdam 2025: Empowering Modern Talent Management.https://www.hrvisionevent.com/amsterdam/
• HR.com Limited. (2022). We help create inspired workforces by maximizing human potential. https://www.hr.com/en/about_us/splash_pages/small-business-hr-community-virtual-event_lmuhab3a.html
• HRSouthwest. (2024). PheedLoop. https://www.hrsouthwest.com/event/HRSWC2025/home
• SHRM. (2019). SHRM 2019 Annual Conference & Exposition. https://annual.shrm.org/
• SHRM. (2024). Talent Conference & Expo | Conferences. https://conferences.shrm.org/talent-conference
• Summit, A. (2024). HR Analytics Summit. HR Analytics Summit. https://www.hranalyticssummit.com/
• Talent Acquisition Week. (2024). Talent Acquisition Week. https://talentacquisitionweek.com/january-2025-save-the-date
• Wellbeing At Work. (2024, November 26). Wellbeing at Work Summit Australia 2024 in Sydney & Melbourne. https://wellbeingatwork.world/summit/wellbeing-at-work-summit-australia-2025/