2026 HR Calendar
A free calendar packed with compliance deadlines, DEIB celebrations, and self-care tips to help you and your company thrive all year. Download a printable version for your desk or add the iCS file right to your calendar.
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January
The start of the year can bring pressure to do it all at once. Prioritize one thing that protects your peace — whether it’s shortening meetings or setting clear boundaries.
New Year's energy can be powerful. Harness it by encouraging managers and employees to shape their goals and growth plans.
Don’t get ahead of yourself. Prioritise just one thing that protects your peace — whether it’s shortening meetings or setting clear boundaries.
New Year's energy can be powerful. Harness it by encouraging managers and employees to shape their goals and growth plans.
February
Don’t let the recent holidays dissuade you from taking PTO. Use February to look ahead and block real vacation time on your calendar — even if it’s just a long weekend. Planning your rest now protects your energy later.
According to the 2026 State of People Strategy Report, high-performing teams are five times more likely to prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Use this month to audit your promotion data and employee experience metrics for racial equity.
Don’t let the recent holidays dissuade you from taking leave. Look ahead and block holiday time on your calendar. Planning your rest now protects your energy later.
The 2026 State of People Strategy Report found high-performing teams are 5x more likely to prioritise DEIB. Use this month to audit your promotion and pay data for racial equity.
March
Set a no-after-hours rule (and model it). It’s Q2 planning season, which makes those late-night emails tempting. Resist! Protect your time and tell your team to do the same.
Celebrate women and rethink workplace equity. Read our story on International Women’s Day and hear what the day means to the HR community at large.
Set a no-after-hours rule (and model it). It’s Q2 planning season, which makes those late-night emails tempting. Resist! Protect your own recharge time and communicate that your team can (and should) do the same.
Celebrate women and rethink workplace equity. Use this month’s spotlight on women’s history to assess equity in everything from pay to promotion paths. Read our story on International Women’s Day and hear what the day means to the HR community at large.
April
Touch grass. Earth Month is your cue to get outside. A lunchtime walk, working from a patio, or even five minutes of fresh air between calls can reset your brain and reduce stress levels.
Make giving back a group project. Organise a park cleanup, schedule a donation drive, or create space for employees to lead their own impact projects. Volunteer time off (VTO) is a great way to formally endorse this work.
Touch grass. Use Earth Month as a cue to get outside. A lunchtime walk, working from a patio, or even five minutes of sunlight between calls can reset your brain and reduce stress levels.
Whether it’s for Earth Day or Volunteer Month, April is your opportunity to give back. Organize a park cleanup, schedule a donation drive, or create space for employees to lead their own impact projects. Volunteer time off (VTO) is a great way to formally endorse this work.
May
Ask for help, even if you're usually the helper. Mental Health Awareness Month is the perfect time to normalize asking for support. Whether it’s talking to a therapist, looping in a teammate, or saying “I can’t take that on,” take your own advice.
Struggling to balance performance expectations and employee wellbeing? We just so happen to have a workbook for that.
Ask for help, even if you're usually the helper. Mental Health Awareness Month is the perfect time to normalize asking for support. Whether it’s talking to a therapist, looping in a teammate, or saying “I can’t take that on,” take your own advice.
By now, Form W-2 filing is a distant memory, and year-end payroll is the last thing on your mind. Consider taking advantage of this relatively quiet time to reflect on any challenges faced during 2025’s year-end. Double-checking employee information now could mean a smoother year-end next time around.
June
Overcommitment is a recipe for burnout. Take stock of your recurring meetings and responsibilities — be ruthless about cutting anything that’s not critical. Bye, darlings.
Halfway through the year, it's time for performance reviews. Just make sure the only dry promotion is the one in your glass on National Martini Day.
Overcommitment is a recipe for burnout. Mid-year, take a close look at your recurring meetings and responsibilities — and be ruthless about cutting or delegating anything that’s not mission-critical. Bye, darlings.
You're halfway through — which means it’s time to recalibrate. Revisit OKRs, celebrate wins, and identify friction. If you need to crunch the numbers and present any findings, consider using Lattice’s free HR Metrics Slide Deck Template or Employee Engagement Survey Template.
July
Remember that holiday you planned back in February? Make sure it’s still on the books, so you can return feeling refreshed and ready to rumble with end-of-year planning.
Tech evaluations might not scream “summer hols,” but future-you will thank you. Use our free checklist to start evaluating and purchasing new HR tech.
Remember that PTO you planned back in February? Now’s a great time to make sure it’s still on the books. A mid-year break can help you return for the fall feeling refreshed and ready to rumble with end-of-year planning.
Let tech set you free (from admin chaos). Tech evaluations might not scream “summer fun,” but future-you will thank you. Start exploring tools that will help your team scale with less stress and more strategy. Use our free checklist to start evaluating and purchasing new HR tech.
August
What parts of your role drain you? What fills your cup? Take time to reflect and make one meaningful change. Even a small shift can realign your work with what energizes you.
Pulse check your people strategy. What’s landing? What’s missing? Use our HR effectiveness survey template for a head start.
What parts of your role drain you? What fills your cup? Take time this month to reflect, and then make one meaningful change — even a small shift can help realign your work with what energizes you.
Use August to pulse check your people strategy. What’s landing? What’s missing? Quick surveys and listening tours can catch small issues before they become culture killers. Use our HR Effectiveness Survey Template to give yourself a head start.
September
Say no more often. With conference season, planning season, and everything in between, it’s easy to get swept up. But every “yes” is a “no” to something else. Say “no” to protect your bandwidth and mean it!
Reconnect with your people. Join Resources for Humans, Lattice’s free Slack community of over 23,000 HR leaders for a place to connect, learn, and grow.
Say no more often. With conference season, planning season, and everything in between, it’s easy to get swept up. But every “yes” is a “no” to something else. Say “no” to protect your bandwidth and mean it!
Ahead of this open enrollment season, understand what benefits your employees truly want. Use our Benefits Survey Template to gauge what health, dental, and alternative offerings matter most to your people.
October
As the days get shorter, build a habit of getting fresh air in the middle of your workday. Before you know it, it will be pitch dark by the time you clock out. Spooky!
How is it already Q4? Make a checklist for closing out the year. Include budgets, appraisals, and bandwidth for anyone facilitating the end-of-year wrap up.
Open enrollment stress is real. Protect your buffer. Between compliance, vendor issues, and employee confusion, benefits season can be brutal. Build in time for recovery — even just 30 minutes blocked off for a quiet walk or a proper lunch break.
Reconnect with your people. This is your month to learn, network, and plan a smarter Q4. To stay inspired, join Resources for Humans, Lattice’s free Slack community of over 23,000 HR leaders.
November
Rethink how you recharge. Whether it's cooking, journaling, moving your body, or saying no to holiday events — choose what genuinely fills you up, not just what looks relaxing or is socially expected.
Celebration season is here — make it inclusive: Lead with cultural curiosity and make space for diversity. Use these engagement holidays to enrich your company celebrations.
Rethink how you recharge. Not everyone finds rest in rest. Whether it's cooking, journaling, moving your body, or saying no to holiday events — choose what genuinely fills you up, not just what looks relaxing or is socially expected.
Celebration season is here, but not everyone celebrates in the same way. Make gratitude inclusive: Lead with cultural curiosity, make space for difference, and plan events that welcome everyone. Use these engagement holidays to enrich your company celebrations.
December
Celebrate yourself, not just the season. HR often celebrates others — but you deserve it, too. Write down one big thing you accomplished this year that no one thanked you for. Then thank yourself. You carried a lot.
Retention isn’t a Q1 problem, it’s a now problem. People often reassess their careers during the holidays. Encourage managers to use Lattice’s Employee Health feature and check in with their team.
Celebrate yourself, not just the season. HR often celebrates others — but you deserve it, too. Write down one big thing you accomplished this year that no one thanked you for. Then thank yourself. You carried a lot.
Retention isn’t a Q1 problem, it’s a now problem. Top performers often reassess their future during the holidays. Encourage managers to use Lattice’s Employee Health feature and check in with their reports.