After two years of attending conferences from behind a screen, it’s finally time to reconvene IRL (for the most part).
Conferences provide the unique opportunity to network with peers from around the world; hear from tech pioneers, design leaders and HR experts; and engage in debates and roundtables. Plus, in- person conferences have the added magic of exploring a new city.
From a conference focused on startup founders to the largest gathering of HR professionals, here are seven of the best professional conferences to attend in 2022.
Digital Workplace Experience: Virtual Conference Series
When: May 4-5; Aug. 3-4; Oct. 12-13
Where: Virtual
Attendees can take a look inside successful digital workplaces and learn about best practices and research during this virtual conference series. The conference relays strategies on how to boost collaboration and improve communication through tours, workshops, and case studies.
During the conference, industry leaders in IT, HR, People Analytics and other disciplines will share hybrid workplace best practices that span connected digital workplaces to intelligent workflows and employee acquisition. Topics will include addressing employee burnout and the new watercooler.
The series is produced by Simpler Media Group, which publishes Reworked and CMSWire.
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Annual Conference
When: June 12-15
Where: New Orleans, Louisiana and Virtual
SHRM is the world’s largest convening of HR professionals. This year’s speakers include founder and president of Humana, Inc. Bruce D. Broussard, former president George W. Bush, Thrive Global founder Arianna Huffington, and more. The conference has various content tracks such as “recruitment and talent acquisition,” “workplace culture, empathy, and work-life integration,” and “HR technology and data analytics,” and more.
When: June 28-30
Where: London, England
This three-day conference will cover all aspects of the design process, from user research and content design to product design and design systems. UXFest will take place at the Tobacco Dock, a versatile venue in the heart of London. The flow of the conference and topics is intended to mirror the design process. Speakers this year include Candi Williams, head of content design at dating app Bumble; Inayaili León, design program manager with GitHub, an Internet provider for software development; Heldiney Pereira, senior product designer at Monzo, an online U.K.-based bank; and more.
When: Aug. 3-4
Where: Chicago, Illinois
Partner Summit is an annual event that’s tailored to academic educators, commercial trainers, government agencies, corporate learning and development leaders, as well as instructors. The conference’s goal is to improve training solutions and enhance the skills of the IT workforce. A save-the-date is in place for this year’s gathering, but the speaker list and schedule hasn’t been released yet.
When: Oct. 17-20
Where: Orlando, Florida
The digital shift has brought about unprecedented changes to technology, business, and society. The role of CIOs has evolved beyond managing IT to leading and inspiring their teams and external stakeholders through transformative business models. Attendees at the Gartner IT Symposium learn about IT leadership skills and strategies with topics that explore how to attract and retain top talent and how to reinvent hybrid work based on human-centricity.
When: Oct. 18-20
Where: San Francisco, California
A conference focused on founders, TechCrunch Disrupt hosts a legendary startup competition (Startup Battlefield) that has launched companies like Dropbox, Fitbit, and Cloudflare. The conference can show startup founders the ropes, covering funding, term sheets, company culture and growth marketing. Whether you’re looking for funding, a new job, a co-founder, or team members, the conference is designed to connect you with the right people.
When: Oct. 24-26
Where: San Diego, California
The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) also holds an annual inclusion conference that’s focused on facing biases, addressing inequalities and shifting workplace habits. This year’s speaker and schedule is yet to be announced, but past keynote speakers have included Mimi Dixon, the director of brand activation and content at Crayola and Daisy Auger-Dominguez, the chief people officer at VICE Media Group.
Brittany Anas is a Denver, Colorado-based freelance writer. She is a regular contributor to publications including Apartment Therapy, Forbes and Men’s Journal and previously was a reporter at the Daily Camera in Boulder and The Denver Post. She worked three years as a federal background investigator before transitioning into a full-time freelance role.
