The 2026 HR conference calendar is out, and it’s shaping up to be a busy year. Whether you’re looking to attend an industry staple, a specialized event, or a virtual option with no travel requirements, there’s plenty to choose from.
Before booking your ticket, it’s worth thinking about what you’re hoping to get out of the experience. If you’re looking to connect with as many of your peers as possible, a big event makes sense. But if you’re keen to focus on a single topic, like meeting peers in your regional location or action planning, a smaller, more specialized event might be the answer.
We’ve gathered the HR conferences and events worth adding to your calendar.
How to Choose the Right HR Conference
Choosing the right HR conference isn’t just about picking an event with the best advertising or the biggest names. The best choice is a conference that directly supports your team’s goals while also matching your budget and time constraints. Here’s how to narrow it down.
Start with what your team actually needs
Before you book a ticket for the hottest HR conference of the year, check how each event on your shortlist aligns with your team’s current goals. Key words to look for based on your needs:
- If one of your main goals is improving health outcomes, prioritize conferences that focus on digital + human support, behavior change and measurable impact - not just point solutions or engagement trends.
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If your OKRs center on increasing engagement or reducing point solution fatigue, look for sessions on personalization, activation strategies, and how to unify point solutions into a seamless experience.
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If you're focused on culture and retention, choose events that address frontline workforce wellbeing, mental health, women's health, or equitable access to care - and how wellbeing connects to performance.
- If your challenge is preventive care, GLP-1 strategy, or aligning wellbeing with medical and pharmacy benefits, seek out programming focused on rising healthcare spend.
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If you're focused on culture and retention, choose events that address frontline workforce wellbeing, mental health, women’s health, SDoH, or equitable access to care — and how wellbeing connects to performance.
- If are looking to network with peers like you, look for industry specific events such as SALGBA, focused on Public Sector, or local events such as Iowa's Healthiest State Conference.
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Before you book, a quick alignment check helps ensure the event will yield actionable insights rather than interesting but disconnected or hard to action takeaways. Have questions? Ask your Client Success Manager, we have events experts on team to assist!
Consider the real ROI: cost, time, and connections
Conference ROI goes beyond the ticket price. Instead, it’s worth looking at the full investment and what you get back in return:
- Budget: In addition to the cost of tickets, consider how many people will attend, plus any travel, accommodation, and expense requirements. You’ll also need to factor in the cost of any time spent away from the office and what you will want to bring back after the event.
- Time: Multi-day events can offer a lot of depth, but single-day and hybrid formats also offer value with less disruption to day-to-day work - consider both!
- Networking: Some events prioritize peer connections, vendor meetings, and roundtable discussions. Others focus on content, rather than connection. If networking is a key goal, decide what type you’re looking for and choose a conference that offers those opportunities.
Choose a format that fits your needs
Not every conference has the same format, so choose one that works for your team and your goals.
- Local events are great for building regional relationships, tapping into local talent market trends, and keeping travel costs to a minimum.
- National conferences typically offer access to broader market perspectives, high-profile speakers, and plenty of networking opportunities and usually come with bigger time and budget commitments.
- Virtual options are great for flexibility, sharing sessions across a team, or when travel isn’t practical. They’re also a good way to explore hybrid conferences for the first time before committing to in-person attendance.
The best format is the one that your team will actually benefit from. To make that choice a little easier, here’s our roundup of the HR conferences worth bookmarking for 2026.
Top HR Conferences in 2026
The Conference Board East - New York
When: March 17 - 18, 2026
Where: New York City
Ideal for: HR, benefits, and total rewards leaders focused on improving health outcomes while managing rising health risks and costs.
The Conference Board New York > focuses on the strategy of employee health and wellbeing. Sessions dive into benefits design, workforce health, and data-driven decision-making, with practical insights from employers navigating cost pressure, complexity, and outcomes accountability.
Attending Conference Board East? Navigate will be there! Join Stephanie John, Prisma Health's Director of Team Member Well-being and Matt Percia, Strategic Advisor at Navigate for our speaking session on Wed, March 18 at 11:20 ET. We also have an event booth and special surprises throughout the conference. Let your Client Success Manager know if you are attending so we can connect!
The Conference Board West - San Diego
When: April 16 - 17, 2026
Where: San Diego
Tickets: $2895 - Navigate client's can get complimentary passes until April 3, 2026. Ask your Client Success Manager for details!
Ideal for: HR, benefits, and total rewards leaders focused on improving health outcomes while managing rising health risks and costs.
The Conference Board West > focuses on the strategy of employee health and wellbeing. Sessions dive into benefits design, workforce health, and data-driven decision-making, with practical insights from employers navigating cost pressure, complexity, and outcomes accountability.
Attending Conference Board East? Navigate will be there! We also have an event booth and special surprises throughout the conference. Let your Client Success Manager know if you are attending so we can connect!
Healthiest State Conference - Iowa
When: April 22, 2026
Where: Des Moines
Registration: Opens March 9th
Ideal for: HR, benefits, and wellbeing leaders committed to strengthening workplace health, advancing prevention, supporting mental health, and building cultures where employees can thrive. .
Healthiest State Conference - Iowa > brings together employers, public health experts, and community leaders to advance practical, evidence-based approaches to workforce wellbeing. Sessions focus on real-world strategies to prevent chronic disease, address mental health, support caregivers, and reduce health disparities - all within the context of workplace impact. Attendees gain actionable tools to improve engagement, foster healthier cultures, and align wellbeing initiatives with broader organizational goals. The event is especially valuable for leaders who want to move beyond surface-level wellness programming and toward integrated, sustainable health strategies that support both employees and long-term business performance.
Attending Healthiest State Conference? Navigate will be there! Join Lindsay Waechter, Wellness Coordinator at Waukee Community Schools and Jim Barclay, EVP Client Experience at Navigate for their breakout session, Elevating Education by Investing in Employee Wellbeing. Let your Client Success Manager know if you are attending so we can connect!
Business Group on Health 2026 Annual Conference
When: April 22 - 24, 2026
Where: New Orleans
Registration: Now open here
Ideal for: HR, benefits, and health strategy leaders at large employers who are responsible for shaping workforce health and benefits strategy, managing cost pressures, and driving measurable organizational impact.
Business Group on Health > influential annual conference equips large employer leaders with deep insights into the evolving healthcare landscape and the most pressing cost, delivery, and wellbeing challenges facing today’s workforce. Over three days of curated sessions and peer discussions, attendees explore innovative solutions to optimize benefits strategy, improve health outcomes, reimagine vendor relationships, and leverage data and industry trends to strengthen workforce wellbeing and financial performance. Sessions emphasize actionable approaches for confronting rising costs, enhancing care quality, supporting mental and chronic health needs, and aligning benefits design with long-term organizational goals, giving HR and benefits teams the tools to drive strategic, evidence-based improvements in employer-sponsored health systems.
State and Local Government Benefits Association (SALGBA) - SALGBA 2026 National Conference
When: May 4 - 7, 2026
Where: Providence
Registration: Now open here for Public Sector attendees
Ideal for: Public Sector HR, benefits, and wellbeing leaders focused on employee benefits strategy, health plan design, and workforce wellbeing.
SALGBA > brings together public sector benefits professionals from states, cities, counties, school districts, and related entities for education, networking, and strategic insight. Sessions emphasize real-world approaches to benefit design, health cost management, policy trends, and strategies for improving the health and wellbeing of public sector workforces. With focused content tailored to this unique audience, attendees can benchmark with peers, explore practical innovations, and strengthen their benefits leadership toolkit.
Attending SALGBA? Navigate will be there! Let your Client Success Manager know if you are attending so we can connect!
Midwest Business Group on Health - MBGH 46th Annual Conference
When: May 5 - 6, 2026
Where: Chicago
Registration: Requires MBGH membership, learn more here >
Ideal for: HR, benefits, and health strategy leaders working to improve workforce health and wellbeing, strengthen benefits value, and drive systemic change in healthcare delivery and transparency.
Midwest Business Group on Health > equips employers with a practical blueprint for action - from leveraging data and employer influence to demanding transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes in health and wellbeing benefits. Sessions highlight real-world strategies for shifting beyond short-term cost cutting toward long-term investment in prevention, chronic condition management, and employee wellbeing. Attendees gain tools to strengthen vendor partnerships, drive innovation, and accelerate meaningful change in employer-sponsored health systems.
Attending MBGH? Navigate will be there! Let your Client Success Manager know if you are attending so we can connect!
Amercian Society for Health Care Human Resource Administration (ASHHRA) - ASHHRA26: Savannah
When: May 17 - 19, 2026
Where: Savannah
Registration: Healthcare and Health System Leaders open here
Ideal for: HR, benefits, and health strategy leaders in healthcare systems and organizations who are focused on workforce health, talent strategy, organizational culture, and HR excellence in complex care environments.
ASHHRA > delivers healthcare-specific HR strategy, practical workforce solutions, and peer insights tailored to hospitals and health systems. Attendees gain actionable ideas to strengthen recruitment and retention, support employee resilience and wellbeing, and align HR strategy with organizational performance all within the unique realities of healthcare delivery.
From Day One
When: Throughout 2026
Where: Across the US
From Day One >’s event series hits major US cities across 2026, aiming to unite HR professionals for insightful conversations and actionable ideas. This year’s main theme covers how HR leaders can make technology empowering, and the series features location-specific speakers across a broad range of themes.
SHRM26
When: June 16 - 17, 2026
Where: Orlando
Registration: Open here >
Ideal for: HR, benefits, and wellbeing leaders who want a comprehensive, strategic view of HR from workforce health and engagement to benefits, talent, compliance, culture, and the future of work alongside peers from across industries and around the world.
SHRM > Annual Conference & Expo is the world’s largest HR event, offering hundreds of expert-led sessions, immersive learning tracks and a massive solutions expo that together help HR leaders stay ahead of emerging trends and translate insight into action. With content spanning health and wellbeing, talent strategy, legal and compliance, technology, culture and more, attendees walk away with practical strategies to strengthen benefits value, improve employee experience, and align HR initiatives with long-term organizational goals.
Wellness Alliance Annual Wellness Summit
When: July 28 - 30, 2026
Where: Nashville
Registration: Open here >
Ideal for: HR, benefits, and wellbeing leaders focused on advancing workplace health, behavior change, resilience, and population wellbeing through evidence-informed wellness strategies that strengthen employee engagement, culture, and organizational impact.
Annual Wellness Summit > brings together wellness and interdisciplinary professionals to explore current trends, best practices, and practical solutions that support individual and organizational health. Attendees gain actionable strategies to improve employee wellbeing, enhance engagement through experiential learning, apply data-driven approaches, and build community with like-minded professionals — all through expert keynotes, breakout sessions, and high-quality networking opportunities designed for real workplace impact.
Additional Conferences releasing information in the summer:
DFW Business Group on Health >
Wellness Council of Wisconsin >
Northeast Business Group on Health >
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Conferences
Attending a conference is only part of the work. The real value comes from planning how to make the most of your time and budget. Here’s what that can look like:
- Plan ahead. Review the agenda and highlight any relevant sessions. If there are speakers, meetings, roundtables, or networking events you’d like to attend, book these in advance to avoid missing out.
- Make the most of post-event content. Many conferences provide post-event content, including session recordings, slide decks, and summaries. Share these with your team to spark discussion and get the most value from each conference.
- Encourage cross-functional attendance. Sometimes, the best insights happen when you involve other teams. For example, your chief financial officer might benefit from a session on compensation, or legal teams can help interpret compliance updates.
With a bit of planning, conferences can offer a real return on your investment. And if you’re ready to put that planning into action, here’s where you can meet your Navigate team in 2026.
Grow Your Network and Career with Navigate
Conferences are a wonderful way to connect with your HR, benefits, and wellbeing community! Are you attending or speaking at a conference in 2026?
Let us know and we'll update this post for our April Client Community Newsletter.
Send the event information you will be attending to clientcommunity@navigatewell.com
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