If you want to stay ahead of HR trends and best practices, you’ll need to hit the road. From the massive SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition to intimate roadshows like Disrupt HR, today’s conference circuit is full of exciting options. So how do you prioritize which events to attend?
This year, make it a resolution to invest in your professional development. Be sure to slot some of these can't-miss HR conferences into your travel calendar.
Disrupt HR
When: All year
Where: Around the world
In a field crowded with massive, standalone events, the Disrupt HR series offers conference-goers a more intimate alternative. Each event follows the same model: 14 speakers, each with five minutes to share their story. “Teach us something, but make it quick,” the organizers ask.
Disrupt HR events have been hosted in cities around the world, featuring talks from upstarts, veterans, and prominent HR influencers like Laurie Ruettimann and Steve Browne.
HR West
When: March 9 - 11, 2020
Where: Oakland, CA
For over thirty years, HR professionals in the Bay Area have attended HR West for its unique blend of content covering everything from recruiting to compensation. Hosted by the Next Concept HR Association, the event focuses on the issues and dynamics that are unique to Silicon Valley workplaces and tech startups. This year, HR West features over 70 concurrent sessions and a keynote from author and HR expert Cindy Soloman.
Advocacy@Work
When: March 15 - 17, 2020
Where: Washington, D.C.
Consider this the event of the year for HR pros with political science degrees. Advocacy@Work, formerly known as the SHRM Employment and Legislative Conference, offers a rich catalog of HR compliance content. Hosted in Washington D.C., the conference covers topics like paid family leave, labor reform, and even marijuana in the workplace. Past speakers have included former Attorney General Eric Holder and broadcast personalities like Chris Wallace, Ana Navarro, and Sally Kohn.
UNLEASH
When: Spring and Fall 2020
Where: London, Paris, and Las Vegas
UNLEASH bills itself as the world’s biggest HR event series — and looking at their 2020 calendar, you might be inclined to agree. UNLEASH has three major events scheduled in London, Paris, and Las Vegas, each expecting to attract as many as 3,000 attendees.
The events' concurrent sessions largely focus on how HR leaders can better use technology to advance their work. That’s fitting, as over 150 technology vendors will be showing off their latest innovations on the exposition floor. Past keynote speakers include Brené Brown and Richard Branson.
SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition
When: June 28 - July 1, 2020
Where: San Diego, CA
Call it HR’s answer to the World’s Fair. Every summer, the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) hosts over 20,000 professionals for four days of inspiring talks, interactive workshops, and networking. Past keynote speakers include Martha Stewart, Sheryl Sandberg, and Laszlo Bock.
In addition to hearing from industry thought leaders, attendees get the chance to see live HR technology demos on the expo floor. Be sure to visit Lattice’s booth and say hello!
Culture Summit
When: July 14 - 16, 2020
Where: San Francisco, CA
“No fluff, all strategy.” That’s how the organizers of this year’s Culture Summit bill their annual summer event. The conference, which focuses primarily on workplace culture, includes a variety of concurrent sessions, interactive workshops, and networking opportunities. Past speakers include HR leaders from companies like Facebook, Pinterest, Airbnb, and LinkedIn.
Hiring Success
When: February 11 - 12
Where: San Francisco
The conference circuit is flush with events that cover general HR. Hiring Success takes a different path, diving into talent acquisition almost exclusively. Attracting over 1,200 talent recruiting professionals each year, Hiring Success features a full agenda of sessions and workshops covering topics like unconscious bias, hiring strategy, and talent analytics. Past speakers include HR and recruiting leaders at Visa, Deloitte, and Optimizely.
California HR Conference
When: August 30 - September 2, 2020
Where: Long Beach, CA
Saying “California” to an HR professional might just induce cold sweats. It takes a unique blend of professional savvy and (serious) compliance chops to cut it in the Golden State. The California HR Conference is an event designed exclusively for those up to the challenge.
This summer, 2,700 HR professionals will gather in Long Beach to hear from industry experts, gain actionable insights, and build lasting connections. Be sure to also visit the Lattice team on the exposition floor!
Resources for Humans Live
When: September 2020
Where: San Francisco, CA
What’s the secret behind any successful business? Companies that put people strategy first. That’s what Lattice’s annual conference, Resources for Humans Live, is all about. Concurrent and keynote sessions in 2020 will cover topics like performance management, employee engagement, and HR strategy. Past speakers include HR leaders from companies like Reddit, Stripe, and Pinterest.
Can’t wait until September? Register for the our virtual conference on February 20, 2020. You’ll hear from HR and management experts including Josh Bersin and Kim Scott.
HRSouthwest
When: October 4 - 7, 2020
Where: Nashville, TN
One of the country’s largest regional HR conferences, HRSouthwest includes a full agenda of sessions across all recruiting and HR disciplines. Last year’s event attracted an audience of over 2,000 attendees and a speaker lineup that included best-selling author David Horsager and television personality Carla Hall.
HR Technology Conference and Exposition
When: October 13 - 16, 2020
Where: Las Vegas, NV
Where do you find HR technology’s cutting-edge? Right off the Vegas strip. For over two decades, HR professionals and industry experts have flocked to the HR Technology Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas for three days of inspiring content, product reveals, and networking.
The event’s concurrent sessions largely focus on how recruiting and HR professionals can better leverage technology. Industry expert Josh Bersin also gives attendees a sneak peek at his annual HR Technology Market Report.
Talent Connect 2020
When: October 14 - 16, 2020
Where: Boston, MA
While LinkedIn might be a newcomer on the conference circuit, you would never know it from the impressive scale of last year’s Talent Connect event. The three-day conference included content covering a broad range of HR disciplines and was attended by over 4,000 HR professionals. Keynote speakers included Michelle Obama and Dean Carter, Patagonia’s head of HR.
—
Attending conferences is a great way to keep up with HR best practices and make lasting professional connections. Looking for ways to keep the conversation going in between events?
Resources for Humans is a Slack community of over 6,000 people leaders who believe the best way to impact a business is through its humans. Together, we help each other navigate challenges by sharing resources and firsthand experiences. Click here to learn more about the free community.
