Four years strong now, HR Advisory and its many members gathered on May 8th, 2025, for our fifth in-person meeting, celebrating and connecting the people behind People Ops and Human Resources – this time in Austin, Texas.
As befitting our setting of a city steeped in musical history, it was a day devoted to helping HR professionals find and embrace their own unique melodies.
“One size fits one” was our rallying cry this year, with speakers and attendees putting the focus on the importance of individuals, individuality, and diversity. Throughout the day, attendees got the chance to meet with their passionate peers, HR experts, and the vendors who power our day-to-day to talk HR strategy, current tech tools, benefits, and tips to achieve better confidence and personal success.
A variety of panels, talks, live demos, and round tables supplied ample opportunity to hear unique viewpoints, get inspired, and share great new ideas with one another.
Led by our brilliant emcee Danika Davis, CEO and Managing Partner of Merit HR, attendees enjoyed a day of networking, cross-industry collaboration, and in-depth discussions of HR’s biggest trending topics.
The Future Is Looking Bright for HR
In his opening keynote speech, Speaker Ben Eubanks, Chief Research Officer at Lighthouse Research & Advisory, forecasted a sunny future for HR. Cutting through the uncertainty of increasing automation and ever-growing demands from all directions, Ben reminded us of work's undeniable and necessary human element -- and the fact that that is where HR shines.
“Those are your superpowers; people and change are where we thrive."
He called our current moment the "'where, when, and how I want it' phase of work," a time when HR is most successful when tailoring benefits, policies, and practices to the individual needs of its workers.
Ben brought the research and identified current trends that are building stronger, more innovative HR teams. Whether operating with a full department or as a lone HR warrior juggling a dozen different hats, the recipe is the same: transparency, flexibility, and attention to the individual are the keys to building trust and engaging the modern workforce.
“We need people that are sold on creating a great culture.”
With specific examples like teaching the importance of modeling and elevating “what good looks like” in your organization and emphasizing the importance of learning when, where, and how employees work and grow, the opening keynote set a strong bassline for the rest of the day – remembering the individual and their unique experience is a crucial piece of the HR puzzle now more than ever.
We Made Space for Individual Experiences
Energized by our opening keynote, attendees spent the day bouncing between smaller, hour-long breakout sessions. Informative talks, panels, and round tables led by expert speakers covered topics ranging from managing impostor syndrome to designing more effective total rewards strategies.
Whether you were looking for actionable advice for planning and implementing new policies, curious about automation’s impact on our work, or simply looking for ways to manage stress and build confidence, there was somewhere valuable to spend your time. Attendees had left the Onyx Ballroom encouraged to make connections and embrace individuality, and it seemed that everyone had taken that directive to heart.
Breakout sessions highlighted the unique energy of HR Advisory's in-person meetings; from room to room and down the main hall, the air hummed with enthusiasm. Each session was marked by electric engagement. Every room was bright with laughter and insightful discussion, and it wasn’t just one-sided.
Audience members were active participants, sharing experiences, finding common ground, and connecting with others. Speakers and panelists encouraged questions, turning each session into a lively, insightful conversation, and universally made themselves available after each session for deeper cuts into the subject matter.
The passion on display was palpable. We really were making our own music – a song for embracing diversity and individuality, for finding balance in this unsettled time.
“When I think of DEI, I think of lightning in a bottle.” - Shawn Essien, Speaker, Attorney & HR Consultant
Over lunch, HR Advisory members got the chance to break into even smaller round table groups to discuss perennially important HR topics like change management, employee engagement, and the shape of DEIB, but it wasn’t all work.
A host of tables were dedicated to networking, social topics, and special interests like books and podcasts, pets, and working caregivers. After, attendees got the chance to stretch their legs and learn a few desk-friendly exercises with a wellness pop-up event from Wiggl before another host of breakout sessions, including a rapid-fire series of tech and tool demos from top HR innovators.
Ending the Day on a High Note
With the day nearly done, attendees gathered one more time in The Line’s Onyx Ballroom for a sensational send-off from Daron Moore, Strategist, Storyteller, and Principal at The ReConnect. In a lyrical closing keynote full of music and laughter, Daron artfully illustrated the most important components of organizational success – connection, consistency, originality, and accessibility – through metaphor.
“A great song has a great melody… our melody is our vision and purpose.”
Carrying the tune started that morning, Daron emphasized the importance of authenticity at work by sharing a personal story about his own rise to success. His talk made it clear that despite our current climate, diversity across all metrics – the things that make us most human – is still crucial to creativity, success, and innovation.
“We have to allow our people at work to be people at work.”
So long as we remember to keep the people in People Operations and HR, the future is certainly looking bright. In the coming year, embracing all the unique facets of your work and community will be vital to continued success.
Until next year’s meeting, HR Advisory can help keep you connected with a variety of virtual events.
Want to add your voice to our harmony? Join HR Advisory today! Core membership to our community will always be free, and it will earn you access to an invaluable network of HR leaders, exclusive resources, and online and in-person events and learning opportunities just like this one.
