13 Employee Experience Conferences To Help You Improve Retention In 2025
Employee experience is at the core of HR's focus in 2025, so I've put together a summary of all of the best employee experience conferences for HR professionals and industry experts to attend this year.
I’ve included a mix of conferences focused on employee management, workplace culture, and employee engagement which can help you connect with industry peers and learn new technologies and trends in the industry.
For top-notch networking, these HR conferences are essential.
Best Employee Experience Conferences 2025 Shortlist
Here's my shortlist of the best employee experience conferences in 2025:
- IRL 2025 - Alberta, Canada (October 2025)
- Transform 2025 - Las Vegas, NV (March 2025)
- The Workplace Event - Birmingham, UK (April 2025)
- SPARK HR Conference 2025 - Lake Buena Vista, FL (April-May 2025)
- Connect 2025 - San Francisco, CA (May 2025)
- ATD 2025 International Conference & EXPO - Washington, DC (May 2025)
- Employee Engagement Summit - London, UK (May 2025)
- Festival of Work - London, UK (June 2025)
- 8th Annual Employee Experience Summit - Ontario, Canada (June 2025)
- SHRM25 Annual Conference & Expo - San Diego, CA (June-July 2025)
- The Employee Experience Conference 2025 - Anaheim, CA (August 2025)
- CultureCon 2025 - Madison, WI (August 2025)
- Unite 25 - TBA
Find more details about each conference below.
Best Employee Experience Conferences of 2025
Below are my summaries of the best employee experience conferences that made it onto my shortlist. My reviews offer a look at each event’s dates, location, pricing, and unique offerings.
1. IRL 2025 - Alberta, Canada (October 2025)
(Source)
- Dates: October 1-4, 2025
- Location: Alberta, Canada
- Pricing: From $2,950
- Website: IRL
Overview:
The IRL 25 conference is an exclusive and immersive event for SaaS executives scaling their businesses from millions to billions in revenue. It's for leaders scaling up post-Series B, and the conference will cover challenges including as product-market fit, go-to-market strategies, customer retention, leadership hiring, and scaling infrastructure.
IRL is a conference designed for participation. Participants engage in tailored tracks, collaborative workshops, expert-led discussions and masterminds while enjoying outdoor adventures and gourmet dining experiences together.
Why you should attend:
The IRL conference stands out due to its unique approach to outdoor programming and building in-person engagement. It's also by application only to ensure a high quality of attendees. This one-of-a-kind event forgoes the typical conference format—it's participant-driven, with a carefully selected roster of SaaS executives who form an exclusive network that help each other take their business to the next level.
The IRL conference offers a rare chance to build relationships with like-minded leaders in a refreshing environment away from the usual hustle. If you’re part of an exec team at a SaaS company driving growth beyond $10m ARR, IRL is for you.
2. Transform 2025 - Las Vegas, NV (March 2025)
- Dates: March 17-19, 2025
- Location: Wynn Las Vegas, NV
- Pricing: $1,695
- Website: Transform 2025
- Social Media: LinkedIn, X, Facebook
Overview:
Transform 2025 focuses on revolutionizing the employee experience through technology and actionable strategies. It features over 350 world-class speakers delivering insights through roundtables, showcases, and interactive workshops to explore the intersection of people, culture, and innovation.
Why you should attend:
The conference offers a unique opportunity to engage with over 4,000 industry thought leaders and thinkers dedicated to transforming workplace cultures. It covers AI in talent acquisition, fostering inclusive cultures, and innovative leadership strategies. The event also features hands-on workshops for practical learning sessions, interactive small-group discussions to help you engage in focused conversations, and insights from 350 speakers.
3. The Workplace Event - Birmingham, UK (April 2025)
- Dates: April 8-10, 2025
- Location: NEC Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Pricing: Free
- Website: The Workplace Event
- Social Media: LinkedIn, X, Facebook
Overview:
The Workplace Event brings together workplace and facilities management professionals to explore innovative strategies for creating efficient, inclusive, and sustainable work environments. The conference emphasizes pivotal topics such as workplace culture, ESG (Environment, Social, and Governance) initiatives, inclusion, and leadership.
Why you should attend:
This conference features over 100 exhibitors showcasing advanced solutions to enhance workplace efficiency and employee experience. It has the Emerging Leaders of Tomorrow sessions, which address critical issues like racism, inclusion, and entrepreneurship, and the Social Enterprise Village, which highlights ESG principles and emphasizes sustainability and social impact within workplace strategies. Additionally, the event offers networking opportunities with a diverse group of professionals, including those from human resources, technology, real estate, design, and architecture.
4. SPARK HR Conference 2025 - Lake Buena Vista, FL (April-May 2025)
- Dates: April 30-May 2, 2025
- Location: Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Area, Lake Buena Vista, FL
- Pricing: $1,795
- Website: SPARK HR Conference 2025
- Social Media: LinkedIn, X, Facebook
Overview:
The SPARK HR 2025 aims to address employee engagement and retention challenges. It discusses innovative strategies for fostering a more committed and productive workforce and harnessing AI and data analytics for employee experience.
Why you should attend:
The conference provides insights on enhancing a leader’s abilities to provide feedback, creative and non-monetary ways to motivate employees and implementing DEI initiatives to resonate within the organizational culture. It also offers sessions like Journey Mapping, allowing you to design impactful employee journeys. Keynote speakers and thought leaders include Jeremy Browder, Director of Employee & Workplace Experience at Coinbase; Angela Cheng-Cimini, Senior Vice President at Harvard Business Publishing; and Tyrese Manigault, Manager of Employee Engagement at NASCAR.
5. Connect 2025 - San Francisco, CA (May 2025)
- Dates: May 14-15, 2025
- Location: San Francisco, California
- Pricing: Starts at $321.96
- Website: Connect 2025
- Social Media: LinkedIn
Overview:
The Epoch Connect 2025 unites leaders and innovators to explore deeper strategies for fostering connection in hybrid work environments, scaling organizational culture, and implementing impactful DEI and L&D initiatives. It empowers industry and HR leaders to drive change in their organizations with actionable strategies.
Why you should attend:
Last year’s conference explored the various stages of the employee journey and strategies to enhance engagement at each phase. It discussed effective DEI initiatives, approaches to developing and retaining top talent, innovative solutions, and practical insights for human resources challenges. The 2024 event featured speakers from world-class companies like Max Mullen, Co-Founder & Culture Leader at Instacart; Molly Sands, Head of Team Anywhere Lab at Atlassian; and Jamie Edwards, Global Workplace Experience Manager at Lattice.
6. ATD 2025 International Conference & EXPO - Washington, DC (May 2025)
- Dates: May 18–21, 2025
- Location: Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC
- Pricing: Starts at $2,095
- Website: ATD 2025 International Conference & EXPO
- Social Media: Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram
Overview:
The ATD International Conference & Expo 2025 focuses on innovative strategies and tools to elevate learning and performance in the workplace. It showcases the latest technologies and services in talent development and rethinking traditional approaches to workforce transformation.
Why you should attend:
The expo covers leveraging artificial intelligence in learning design, effective consulting practices, and creating impactful leadership development programs. It showcases advanced tools and resources, giving you practical and professional development solutions to implement in your organizations. The event also features hands-on workshops and pre-conference learning opportunities, such as the AI for Instructional Design Workshop and the Consulting Skills Certificate program.
7. Employee Engagement Summit - London, UK (May 2025)
- Dates: May 22, 2025
- Location: Evolution London, London, UK
- Pricing: Register to see current pricing
- Website: Employee Engagement Summit
- Social Media: LinkedIn, X
Overview:
The Employee Engagement Summit explores innovative strategies for enhancing the modern workplace. It features over 70 presentations, including case studies and interviews on employee engagement, internal communication and collaboration, diversity and inclusion, and the role of employee experience in providing competitive advantage.
Why you should attend:
The event has panel discussions and roundtable workshops for timely topics, such as engagement strategies for hybrid and remote work environments, the impact of diversity and inclusion on company culture and performance, and employee well-being and mental health. It has industry-specific perspectives on engaging employees in a competitive talent market and addresses actual challenges with actionable solutions. You can also participate in roundtable sessions with discussions on challenges and solutions for employee engagement and collaborative learning.
8. Festival of Work - London, UK (June 2025)
- Dates: June 11-12, 2025
- Location: ExCeL London, London, UK
- Pricing: TBA
- Website: Festival of Work
- Social Media: LinkedIn, X, Facebook
Overview:
The CIPD Festival of Work merges the latest insights with practical solutions to redefine workplace dynamics. It features exhibitors showcasing the latest trends and innovations in HR, technology, and employee engagement and provides a platform for discovering tools and strategies that transform work environments and practices.
Why you should attend:
The past conference discussed the impact of AI, EDI initiatives and best practices, and onboarding, retention, and talent management strategies. It addressed issues like pay equality, mental health, employee wellness, and transparency. The event also offered an AI Lab for interactive workshops, a People Library to gain one-on-one insights from individuals with unique experiences, and an Employee Law Legal Drop-in Clinic for free, 20-minute consultations with legal advisors.
9. 8th Annual Employee Experience Summit - Ontario, Canada (June 2025)
- Dates: June 24-25, 2025
- Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Pricing: TBA
- Website: Employee Experience Summit
- Social Media: LinkedIn
Overview:
The Employee Experience Summit is dedicated to transforming employee experience programs and setting new standards for modern workplaces. It brings together EX and industry experts from top North American companies to share insights and strategies on developing future-fit cultures and implementing effective hybrid workstyles.
Why you should attend:
The event offers hands-on workshops and curated breakout learning to provide practical tools and strategies for implementing effective EX initiatives. It explores strategies for cultivating company cultures, addresses challenges, and shares best practices for promoting DEI and efficient AI processes to enhance employment decision-making and build scalable talent engines. Additionally, there are structured networking opportunities like exclusive roundtables, and partner and exhibitor showcases.
10. SHRM25 Annual Conference & Expo - San Diego, CA (June–July 2025)
- Dates: June 29-July 2, 2025
- Location: San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA
- Pricing: Starts at $2,295
- Website: SHRM25 Annual Conference & Expo
- Social Media: Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram
Overview:
The SHRM Annual Conference & Expo 2025 explores advanced strategies and solutions for workplace challenges. It offers activities for specific HR roles and industries and features an expo hall showcasing the latest tools, services, and technologies to enhance HR practices.
Why you should attend:
The event covers over 375 sessions covering AI advancements to emerging regulations for various human resource roles and industries and best practices for reshaping the workplace. You can engage in dynamic discussions, practical workshops, and inspiring keynotes that address managing a diverse workforce and innovative HR technologies. Additionally, it has over 650 companies exhibiting innovative solutions.
11. The Employee Experience Conference 2025 - Anaheim, CA (August 2025)
- Dates: August 5-7, 2025
- Location: Disneyland Hotel, Anaheim, CA
- Pricing: TBA
- Website: The Employee Experience Conference 2025
- Social Media: LinkedIn, X
Overview:
The 2024 Employee Experience Conference focused on enhancing employee engagement, retention, talent management, and satisfaction while aligning with business objectives. It brought together HR leaders and industry experts to share strategies and insights to empower managers.
Why you should attend:
The 2024 conference’s key topics included effective internal communication, leadership development, and leveraging AI in workplace communication. It provided approaches to empower managers and HR leaders to drive performance and align employee experience programs with business goals. It also offered interactive workshops, such as “Measurement Strategies for the Employee Lifecycle” for identifying, measuring, and implementing strategies to achieve desired behavioral outcomes.
12. CultureCon 2025 - Madison, WI (August 2025)
- Dates: August 5-7, 2025
- Location: The Madison Concourse Hotel & Governor's Club, Madison, WI
- Pricing: From $199-$2,199
- Website: CultureCon25
- Social Media: LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram
Overview:
CultureCon features an extensive agenda beyond traditional organizational development. It highlights actionable strategies to create a culture that inspires innovation, inclusivity, and employee well-being.
Why you should attend:
The conference covers innovative culture development, including strategies for cultivating a company culture that is adaptable and resilient to changing workplace dynamics and approaches to empowering managers and leaders. There is a pre-conference workshop with practical tools for cultural transformation, and a showcase to engage with innovative companies and their presentations. Past conference presenters include Orlando Ashford, Chief People Officer at Fanatics; Bryetta Calloway, VP of Global Marketing & Communications at MassChallenge; and Mark Cruth. Principal Modern Work Coach at Atlassian.
13. Unite 25 - TBA
- Dates: TBA
- Location: TBA
- Pricing: TBA
- Website: Unite
Overview:
Last year’s Unite 24 featured successful employee experience initiatives, visionary keynotes, and engaging activities that inspire and challenge attendees. It blendeds education, inspiration, and community-building needed to lead organizations toward sustainable success.
Why you should attend:
The 2024 conference provided actionable insights and initiatives into employee engagement and organizational velocity. It addressed topics like using AI in the workplace, fostering inclusive company cultures, aligning employee well-being with business objectives, and practical tools to drive organizational change. The previous Unite conference has featured keynote speakers such as Emma Grede, CEO & Co-Founder at Good America, Nancy Maloney, Executive Director of Digital Channel Operations at Estée Lauder Companies; and Adib Abrahim, Managing Director of Digital Strategy and Communications at American Airlines. for attending an employee experience conference.
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