Day One musings from Workhuman Live 2025 in Colorado, weighing in on the power of live events to wake us up and make us love our jobs.
How much do I appreciate live conferences? They’re great opportunities for making and bolstering connection. They’re a super way to learn about a whole lot of innovation in a short amount of time. They’re hands-on, people-first — and it’s inspiring to get a first look at the solutions to HR challenges and meet some of the people responsible. We’re so used to interacting via video that we may have forgotten the power of being at a live event.
But Workhuman Live 2025 has been an upbeat, engaging, FUN reminder. I’ve had a blast here so far — absorbing everything from big ideas to workshops to a welcome meditation break to endless, joyous reconnecting with great people and connecting with new great people. As I wrote in my preview, I was looking forward to it. Now that I’m here, it’s even better.
Before I forget, I wanted to unpack my impressions — because time goes fast enough, especially in HR tech, and conferences can be a whirlwind. As I write this from Aurora, Colorado, I’m decompressing from Monday and getting ready for Tuesday. This is what I’ve experienced so far, on Day One — and judging from the agenda it’s just the beginning.
Energized in a Big Way
It’s definitely not a stretch to say the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center is packed with thousands of HR and people management practitioners, leaders, experts, and in-the-trenches enthusiasts. Workhuman’s own estimation of over 4,000 attendees sounds right. Today (Monday) hasn’t just been filled with people though, it’s been a nonstop parade of events, moments, workshops, big idea sessions, and more. And there’s more to come — including the powerhouse speakers from Trevor Noah to Adam Grant to Eric Mosley to Vernā Myers.
The overarching theme of the conference: creating a great culture and an amazing human experience. Constructive positivity and we can do it spirit is setting a great tone. You know I love sessions that promise to “Deliver Rockstar Value,” and this morning’s one certainly did — with best practices and savvy strategies on using analytics to make the best HR decisions. Recognition is getting its due as well — as well it should — with great insights and data about the connection between recognition and engagement.
Topics that Matter
Nothing about this has been run of the mill: the presentations are fun, dazzling, and smart. We shifted after lunch to a very helpful orientation session — you know you’re in for a very busy conference when you’re scrambling to take it all in just at the orientation. But nothing has felt hectic, either. The afternoon was filled with two really meaningful sessions that got to the heart of the matter. Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work, covered recognition — and one huge nugget of truth that resonated was that leaders need to listen to build trust. I love that, and honestly the bottom line is that you can’t lead if you don’t listen. Leaders, listen up.
NYTimes bestselling author Erin Meyer held a powerful session on the value of creating a culture map to bring global workplaces together, and like Michael’s, hers was a big, chunky session that raced right by, as my colleagues shared. I’d say every event, audiences were rapt. Everywhere I looked, I saw smiles, ah-ha moments, heads nodding, laughs. Live HR events bring out the inspiration in all of us.
Another much-appreciated focal point here: DEIB. Instead of abandoning DEIB, Workhuman is smartly doubling down, with a very powerful, very necessary panel discussion happening tomorrow afternoon on how to weigh compliance, corporate responsibility, and values — with four experts. This is a chance to assess the robustness of your DEIB programs amid the new climate. At its essence, you’ll want to be prepared for what comes next and have actionable strategies to face it with.
Building in Down (and Up) Time
One of my pet peeves around live events, though, is when there’s no down time. Big ideas and groundbreaking solutions require some time to absorb. (Best done in a womb chair, which wins a prize for one of the most comfortable mini-environments I’ve ever tucked into at a conference.) But in all seriousness, transformation doesn’t happen unconsciously. HR decision-makers need to be able to apply the new approaches and solutions, and that may start as you’re walking over to the coffee bar. Further, wellness isn’t just a nice-to-have in the world of work. We all know how important it is to cultivate and support everyone’s well-being.
Workhuman’s strategy isn’t just to provide opportunities to reflect, it’s offering intentional, structured meditation sessions. Talk about a win-win — getting the chance to mentally refocus meant we were ready for more, including the night’s great entertainment, the food, the fun.
Sending high-fives to Workhuman for being devoted to great experiences and providing just that, and even more so, reminding us what it means. This is an organization that walks the walk. Also? I highly recommend leaving the sanctity of your office (or remote workspace) and getting to a live conference. It’s time.
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