HR Conferences & Events in the USA: May 2026 Edition

myhrevents
10 hours ago
5 min read

An editorial guide to the industry’s top conferences, summits, and expert-led webinars.

HR Conferences & Events in the USA: May 2026 Edition

Premier In-Person Conferences & Summits

ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit (May 5–6) | Atlanta, GA – ERE.net
- Description: Focuses on the next generation of talent acquisition, specifically AI-powered hiring and practical recruiting operations for TA leaders.
Wellbeing at Work US Summit: Chicago (May 5) | Chicago, IL – Wellbeing at Work
- Description: A gathering of senior leaders aimed at elevating strategies for leadership, connection, and purpose as the pillars of modern workplace culture.
HRO Today Forum North America (May 6–8) | Philadelphia, PA – HRO Today
- Description: Features massive "HR Think Tanks" and the CHRO of the Year Awards, focusing on talent engagement and AI integration.
Wellbeing at Work US Summit: Los Angeles (May 7) | Los Angeles, CA – Wellbeing at Work
- Description: An immersive regional event focused on building sustainable, resilient workforces through personalization and environmental design.

CAHR26 (California HR Conference) (May 11–13) | Anaheim, CA – PIHRA
- Description: The premier destination for navigating California’s notoriously complex labor laws, DEI strategies, and leadership development.
HRO Today HR Data Analytics and AI Summit (May 12–13) | Philadelphia, PA – HRO Today
- Description: A deep-dive for data scientists and HR leaders on how generative AI is shifting from a tool to a "teammate."

North Carolina CUPA-HR Spring Conference (May 18) | Colfax, NC – CUPA-HR NC
- Description: Titled "Navigating HR's Season of Change," this session addresses Higher Ed workforce trends and legislative shifts.

North American HR Executive Summit (NAHRES) (May 18–19) | Orlando, FL – Executive Platforms
- Description: An exclusive summit for CHROs and VPs to discuss "human-centric" product rigor in internal HR processes.
ATD26 International Conference & EXPO (May 17–20) | Los Angeles, CA – ATD
- Description: The world's largest talent development event, covering instructional design, future readiness, and the "Embrace Disruption" theme.
SHRM Tech 2026 Preview (May 21) | Regional/Hybrid – SHRM
- Description: Strategic preview sessions on the technical stacks and digital transformation needed ahead of the annual June conference.

Regional SHRM & Chapter Events

SHRM NorCal: AI Culture Leadership (May 14) – SHRM NorCal
- Description: Exploring how to lead talent through cultural shifts caused by rapid AI automation.
Garden State SHRM: Legislative Update (May 12) – GSSHRM
- Description: A crucial briefing on New Jersey-specific labor law changes and compliance for the second half of the year.
Texas SHRM: Retention Strategy (May 13) – Texas SHRM
- Description: Data-driven tactics for retaining top talent in the competitive Texas energy and tech corridors.
Illinois SHRM: DEI Symposium (May 15) – ILSHRM
- Description: Addressing the "DEI backlash" with sustainable, business-aligned inclusion strategies.
Florida SHRM: Workforce Planning (May 19) – HR Florida
- Description: A workshop on scaling workforces effectively in high-growth hospitality and tourism sectors.
Richmond SHRM: HR Dept of One (May 20) – Richmond SHRM
- Description: Practical peer-to-peer networking for HR professionals operating without a large support team.
NYC SHRM: Executive Comp (May 21) – NYCSHRM
- Description: Deep-dive into compensation structures, equity, and transparency laws in New York City.
Seattle SHRM: Conflict Resolution (May 21) – Seattle SHRM
- Description: Masterclass on de-escalation and mediation in high-pressure tech environments.
Atlanta SHRM: Future of TA (May 22) – SHRM-Atlanta
- Description: Investigating how brand identity influences hiring cycles in the Southeastern US.
Ohio SHRM: Benefits Seminar (May 26) – [Ohio SHRM](https://www.shrm Ohio.org)
- Description: A focus on healthcare costs and voluntary benefits trends for the 2027 planning cycle.

Professional Research & Virtual Summits

State of Today’s HR Tech (May 14) – HR.com
- Description: An annual research report presentation on which HR technologies are delivering the highest ROI.
The Future of Employee Engagement (May 15) – HR.com
- Description: Virtual summit exploring the connection between remote flexibility and long-term productivity.
Fusion: Digital Transformation (May 20–21) – HR Week
- Description: A technology-first conference focusing on the total digitization of the employee lifecycle.
AI4HR Live: Scaling Automation (May 27) – HR.com
- Description: Live case studies of HR departments that have successfully automated administrative tasks.
Employee Experience Summit (May 28) – HR.com
- Description: Mapping the modern "employee journey" to identify friction points that cause turnover.

Specialist Webinars & Research Labs

CUPA-HR: Stress in Higher Ed (May 13) – CUPA-HR
- Description: Addressing the unique mental health challenges of HR practitioners in academic settings.
BambooHR: Global Performance (May 21) – BambooHR
- Description: How to standardize performance reviews across international borders and time zones.
CUPA-HR: Securing Buy-In (May 26) – CUPA-HR
- Description: Titled "Pitch Perfect," this session teaches HR leaders how to sell innovation to skeptical executive boards.
BambooHR: Rethinking L&D (May 27) – BambooHR
- Description: Moving away from traditional training toward continuous, "in-the-flow-of-work" learning.
CUPA-HR: Washington Update (May 28) – CUPA-HR
- Description: A monthly briefing on federal employment litigation and upcoming Department of Labor rulings.
Lattice: Science of Performance (May 12) – Lattice
- Description: How behavioral science can be used to motivate teams and set more effective OKRs.
Gartner: Hybrid Paradox (May 13) – Gartner
- Description: Analyzing Gartner research on why hybrid work is both a talent magnet and a management challenge.
Paylocity: Payroll Compliance (May 14) – Paylocity
- Description: A technical session on multi-state payroll taxation and automated compliance workflows.
Workday: AI in Finance & HR (May 19) – Workday
- Description: Examining the convergence of HR and Finance data through unified AI platforms.
BetterUp: Resilient Leadership (May 20) – BetterUp
- Description: Developing the psychological capital needed for leaders to navigate market uncertainty.
Culture Amp: Growth Feedback (May 21) – Culture Amp
- Description: How to transform annual performance reviews into a culture of continuous constructive feedback.
Lever: Data-Driven Recruiting (May 22) – Lever
- Description: Using pipeline analytics to predict time-to-fill and improve candidate quality.
Deel: Global Compliance (May 26) – Deel
- Description: A masterclass in EOR (Employer of Record) models and hiring in 150+ countries.
SHRM Virtual: Mid-Year Legal (May 29) – SHRM
- Description: A comprehensive recap of employment law changes taking effect on July 1st.
Research Skills: DataOnDemand (May 27) – CUPA-HR
- Description: Advanced training on using benchmarking data to justify salary and benefit adjustments.

Academic & Research Forums (WASET/ICTRWS)

alent Retention & Sustainability (May 7) | Austin – Conference Alerts
- Description: Academic research on the long-term impact of "Green HR" and sustainable work practices.
HR in Public Sector (May 15) | New York – WASET
- Description: Addressing the specific civil service and regulatory hurdles of public organization HR.
HR Analytics Decision Making (May 15) | San Francisco – WASET
- Description: peer-reviewed findings on using predictive modeling for turnover reduction.
Leadership & Democracy (May 8) | D.C. – WASET
- Description: How workplace governance impacts employee civic engagement and company loyalty.
Intersectionality & Gender (May 12) | Dallas – WASET
- Description: Examining complex identity dynamics in the modern corporate environment.
Pandemic Response Rights (May 15) | D.C. – WASET
- Description: Legal research on employee health rights and long-term remote work policies.
Civic Leadership in Offices (May 9) | Seattle – WASET
- Description: Case studies on corporations acting as community centers and civic hubs.
Religious Pluralism & DEI (May 4) | Hawaii – WASET
- Description: Developing inclusive frameworks for religious and spiritual diversity in the workforce.
Gender & Public Policy (May 4) | Los Angeles – WASET
- Description: Analyzing how legislative gender policies affect corporate HR benefits.
Strategic Salary Benchmarking (May 27) – CUPA-HR
- Description: Training for compensation specialists on using peer-group data to maintain competitive pay.

Editorial Summary

May 2026 is defined by "AI Practicality" and "Legal Readiness." With major events like ATD26 and CAHR26, the focus is moving away from discussing change and toward implementing it before the massive SHRM Annual Conference in June. Keep a close eye on the regional legal updates late in the month—they are the key to staying compliant through the rest of the year.