14 Best Workplace Wellness Conferences 2026

Workplace wellness is no longer a “nice to have”, it’s a business imperative. From mental health and burnout prevention to inclusive culture and employee engagement, organizations are realizing that well-being drives both performance and retention. 

For HR professionals, executives, and wellness advocates, conferences offer a chance to learn directly from experts, explore new tools, and connect with peers who share the same challenges.

To make it easier to find the right event, we’ve broken down the best workplace wellness conferences of 2026 into four categories:

• Comprehensive workplace wellness
• Mental health and stress management
• Inclusive and diverse workplace wellness
• Leadership and wellness in the workplace

Whether you’re seeking fresh ideas, professional development, or networking opportunities, you’ll find a conference here that can help you elevate wellness in your workplace.

Comprehensive workplace wellness programs

Comprehensive workplace wellness programs provide a good framework for professionals who want to implement initiatives at a smaller level but plan to scale them up to a larger level.

1. Workhuman Live Orlando

• Date: April 27-30, 2026
• Location: Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Orlando, Florida
• Event format: In-person
• Pricing: From $1595 (team discounts are also available) 
• Key focus: Inclusive workplaces, leadership, future of work
• Notable speakers: Past speakers include Brené Brown, Simone Biles, Jen Fisher
• Ideal for: Anyone trying to find a better work/life balance and make work a more meaningful place

Why attend

Unlike your typical HR conference, Workhuman Live Orlando is an immersive experience that transforms your thinking in just four days. 

With trailblazing speakers from industry leaders, opportunities for long-term networking with other wellness professionals, and immersive interactions that boost spirits, you’ll leave better than you came.

The conference provides thoughtful, insightful, and entertaining stories and solutions to the problems you confront at your workplace. You’ll leave with the tools you need to uplift your workers and create a psychologically and socially safe working space.

2. Wellbeing at Work Summit 2026 (US Edition)

• Date: March 3-5, 2026
• Location: New York City and Austin, Texas
• Event format: In-person and virtual
• Pricing: Starts at $249
• Key focus: Employee well-being, mental health, physical fitness
• Notable speakers: TBD
• Ideal for: Senior-level HR business leaders

Why attend

This summit blends business strategy with human-centered leadership, making it ideal for senior HR leaders focused on the big picture of workplace well-being. You’ll gain insight into embedding mental health, psychological safety, and physical wellness into organizational strategy. 

Sessions highlight global best practices, while regional tracks provide locally relevant insights. Networking opportunities connect you with like-minded executives, giving you a support system long after the event ends. 

If you’re seeking to improve employee creativity, resilience, and long-term productivity, this summit equips you with the frameworks to do so.

3. Wellbeing at Work Summit Chicago 2026

• Date: May 5, 2026
• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Event format: In-person and virtual
• Pricing: Starts at $249
• Key focus: Workplace wellness, HR management, leadership
• Notable speakers: TBD
• Ideal for: Senior HR, reward, wellness, benefits, and business leaders in the Midwest region

Why attend

The Chicago edition of the Wellbeing at Work Summit delivers both local expertise and global insight. You’ll meet HR, wellness, and business leaders from across the Midwest, all eager to tackle the same challenges you face in talent retention, mental health, and leadership. 

The program includes inspiring speakers, hands-on workshops, and practical sessions designed to spark new approaches you can apply immediately. 

With a reputation for excellent networking opportunities (and hospitality), this event balances serious workplace wellness strategies with community, making it a must-attend for regional professionals.

4. Wellbeing Think Tank Summit 2026

• Date: February 19, 2026
• Location: Portland, Oregon
• Event format: In-person and virtual
• Pricing: Starts at $149
• Key focus: Mental and physical wellness, organizational health
• Notable speakers: Past speakers from Paul J. Zak, Ph.D., Imran Haider, MA, and more
• Ideal for: DEIBA advocates, HR practitioners, and people and culture leaders

Why attend

This highly accessible summit combines affordability with high-quality content. Featuring renowned experts such as Paul J. Zak, Ph.D., the event explores the intersection of neuroscience, wellness, and organizational health. 

Attendees benefit from in-person and virtual formats, book signings, social connection opportunities, and extended access to session replays. HR practitioners, DEIBA advocates, and culture leaders can expect evidence-based strategies for creating healthier workplaces. 

With potential SHRM and HRCI credit availability, the summit doubles as a professional development opportunity, ensuring you leave with both knowledge and credentials to support change in your organization.

5. The Organizational Wellness Conference

• Date: July 9-11, 2025
• Location: Virtual
• Event format: Virtual
• Pricing: Starts at $949
• Key focus: Organizational wellness, employee engagement, productivity
• Notable speakers: TBD
• Ideal for: Anyone in the education space

Why attend

Designed for education professionals, this conference focuses on promoting health initiatives that directly impact student and staff success. Sessions emphasize collaboration, organizational wellness, and practical strategies for building a positive school culture. You’ll hear case studies from educators who have successfully implemented wellness programs, and explore frameworks you can adapt to your own setting. 

By fostering healthier environments for both teachers and students, attendees gain strategies to boost engagement, reduce burnout, and ultimately improve performance outcomes across the education spectrum.

6. 35th Annual HBCE Health Benefits Conference + Expo

• Date: January 20-22, 2026
• Location: Sawgrass Marriott, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
• Event format: In-person 
• Pricing: Starts at $695
• Key focus: Health benefits, employee wellness programs
• Notable speaker: Zonya Foco, R.D., CHFI, CSP
• Ideal for: Benefits, employee health services, and occupational health and safety professionals

Why attend

The HBCE Conference + Expo offers a rare opportunity to learn directly from employers who have successfully implemented health and wellness programs. 

With a mix of case studies, expert-led sessions, and motivational talks, you’ll gain strategies that balance cost management with employee well-being. The event highlights best practices in benefits design and showcases innovative approaches to wellness incentives. 

Whether you’re focused on compliance, program effectiveness, or employee engagement, this conference equips you with tested solutions and access to peers who understand the challenges of benefits management.

7. Boston Half-Day Benefits Conference

• Date: April 1, 2026
• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Event format: In-person
• Pricing: Starts at $320
• Key focus: Employee health benefits, wellness strategies
• Notable speakers: TBD
• Ideal for: Professionals interested in addressing the childcare crisis in HR

Why attend

This condensed yet impactful event is perfect for busy professionals who want value in just a few hours. The program emphasizes practical, affordable approaches to employee health benefits, with topics ranging from cost-efficiency to childcare solutions in HR. 

Attendees can earn continuing education credits while also participating in timely discussions around pressing benefits challenges. With a format that maximizes learning in a short timeframe, this half-day conference delivers actionable strategies you can bring back to your workplace immediately, making it both time- and budget-friendly.

Mental health and stress management

Poor mental health and stress management lead to lower productivity, absenteeism, poor morale, and burnout. If your employees are suffering from mental health challenges, it will spill over into their work. 

The more training you have, the more prepared you are to provide an inclusive, safe culture that encourages open dialogue. The following three conferences are ideal for organizations dealing with these problems.

8. Onsite Employee Health & Wellness Centers Summit

• Date: January 15-16, 2026
• Location: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada
• Event format: In-person
• Pricing: Starts at $995
• Key focus: On-site employee health, wellness centers
• Notable speakers: TBD
• Ideal for: Executives and leaders in onsite health, nursing, human resources, benefits, finance, disability management, and operations

Why attend

For organizations considering or expanding onsite health clinics, this summit is essential. It explores how integrated wellness centers can lower healthcare costs, boost employee satisfaction, and strengthen workforce engagement. 

You’ll learn from leaders who have built effective programs and discover new models that align with organizational goals. Topics include compliance, cost reduction, and technology-enabled healthcare. 

With a strong focus on practical implementation, attendees leave equipped to design or refine onsite clinics that deliver measurable ROI while also supporting employee health and well-being.

9. 7th Annual Employee Wellness Summit for Legal Professionals

• Date: March 3-4, 2026
• Location: Hotel Alba, Tampa, Florida
• Event format: In-person
• Pricing: Early bird starts at $1295
• Key focus: Legal industry wellness, stress management
• Notable speakers: TBD
• Ideal for: Legal professionals who hope to improve mental health and manage stress in the office

Why attend

Legal professionals face unique pressures, from long hours to high-stakes workloads, and this summit addresses those challenges head-on. Sessions highlight stress management, mental health support, and strategies for building resilient teams in law firms and corporate legal departments. 

You’ll connect with peers who understand the specific demands of your field while learning from experts who offer tailored solutions. By focusing on both personal well-being and organizational practices, this summit empowers attendees to reduce burnout, strengthen culture, and improve productivity in the legal industry.

10. Healthy Worksite Summit

• Date: March 4-5, 2026
• Location: Lynnwood Convention Center, Lynnwood, Washington
• Event format: In-person
• Pricing: TBD
• Key focus: Workplace safety, well-being initiatives
• Notable speakers: TBD
• Ideal for: Wellness coordinators, HR leaders, and risk management, health, and insurance industry professionals

Why attend

As one of the premier wellness conferences in the Pacific Northwest, the Healthy Worksite Summit offers a wide range of workshops designed for both newcomers and seasoned professionals. 

The event covers safety, well-being, and organizational health, with speakers who are practitioners in the field. Networking sessions encourage collaboration, while breakout discussions provide actionable strategies for boosting engagement and lowering workplace risks. 

Attendees leave with ideas that can be implemented immediately, making it a practical, results-oriented investment in workplace wellness.

Inclusive and diverse workplace wellness

Now more than ever, workplaces want to be inclusive and diverse, but they aren't always aware of the unintentional biases that affect marginalized communities. The following two conferences are designed to promote diversity and inclusion.

11. The Women Professionals Wellness Conference

• Date: January 19-21, 2026
• Location: Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, Nassau, Bahamas
• Event format: In-person
• Pricing: Starts at $1950
• Key focus: Women’s health, leadership, and wellbeing
• Notable speakers: Victoria Rodriguez, Jane Bridges, Sarah Furber, Myrna Daramy
• Ideal for: Women in HR and the wellness industry

Why attend

This event combines professional growth with personal renewal, set against the backdrop of the Bahamas. Sessions cover boundary setting, conflict management, and overcoming imposter syndrome, alongside fitness classes and reflective discussions. 

The format features half-day programming, giving attendees time to absorb insights and practice self-care. You’ll network with women leaders in HR and beyond, while also participating in activities that foster mind-body connection. 

By blending professional development with personal well-being, this conference equips women professionals with strategies to thrive at work and in life.

12. The Inclusive Workplace Conference

• Date: March 10-11, 2026
• Location: The NEC, Birmingham
• Event format: In-person
• Pricing: TBD
• Key focus: Inclusive workplaces, employee wellness
• Notable speakers: TBD
• Ideal for: Anyone in HR, as the conference spans many industries

Why attend

Learn from professionals in other industries about how you can apply their solutions to your problems. The content program includes psychological safety and wellbeing, inclusive leadership and culture, AI, technology and inclusion, and intersectionality in the workplace. With panel discussions, interactive workshops, and keynote speakers, there’s something for everyone.

Leadership and wellness in the workplace

Leaders can burn out just as easily as any other employee, and you need to take care of yourself. The next two conferences offer a chance to network, relax, and learn more about wellness in the workplace.

13. Business Group on Health Annual Conference

• Date: April 22-24, 2026
• Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
• Event format: In-person
• Pricing: TBD
• Key focus: Healthcare, workplace wellness, strategic wellness programs
• Notable speakers: TBD
• Ideal for: HR employees for large corporations

Why Attend

This large-scale event attracts over 700 professionals, making it one of the best networking opportunities in the wellness space. The agenda balances timely trends with long-term strategies, covering topics such as healthcare innovation, employee well-being, and strategic wellness program design. 

Attendees can expect practical sessions with immediate takeaways as well as visionary talks that shape the future of workplace wellness. With an emphasis on collaboration, you’ll leave with a stronger network, deeper insights, and strategies you can apply to your organization right away.

14. World Happiness Summit

• Date: TBD
• Location: Venice, Italy
• Event format: In-person
• Pricing: TBD
• Key focus: Employee happiness, mental health, workplace culture
• Notable speakers: TBD
• Ideal for: Professionals interested in the science of wellbeing and happiness

Why attend

The World Happiness Summit blends inspiration with science, exploring the latest research on well-being, mental health, and organizational culture. Attendees gain evidence-based strategies to improve both personal fulfillment and workplace happiness. 

The program typically features a mix of keynotes, workshops, and networking opportunities, all designed to help you cultivate resilience and creativity. 

By integrating personal and professional growth, the summit equips participants with new tools to create happier workplaces and more meaningful lives. Even without full 2026 details, its track record makes it a must-attend.

Why attending workplace wellness conferences is valuable

In a world where corporations are often focused only on the bottom line, those who invest in physical and mental wellness for their employees tend to thrive. These conferences provide professionals at all levels with access to experts' insights, invaluable opportunities to network, and professional development from those with more experience.

Discovering innovative wellness strategies and solutions

When your daily focus is on your industry and your organization, it’s hard to take a step back and see the bigger picture. These conferences allow you to do just that by engaging with other professionals who offer proven and creative wellness initiatives that quickly change employee engagement and workplace culture.

Building a supportive network

Networking is one of the most valuable assets for advancing your career. Conferences connect you with others in your field who face similar challenges. These relationships can grow into lasting friendships and open doors to opportunities across industries. With a little effort, you can find common ground with almost anyone.

Gaining industry insights and trends

No matter where you are in your career, there’s always something to learn from others. Learn about industry trends and take advantage of neutral perspectives on problems and challenges you’re facing when you attend a wellness event. Many attendees have done research and trials to see what tactics work and which don’t.

At every wellbeing at work summit, search for other attendees in your industry. If you have a problem with employee motivation, network with those who have overcome that challenge, even as you share your experience with them. If you have a hard time getting leadership on board, take home numbers and research to show how wellness is a vital part of the workforce. While your problems are specific to you, they can likely help someone else. And there is always someone who can brainstorm ideas for you.

Enhancing leadership and wellness skills

As an HR professional, you often set the stage and the tone for employee wellness initiatives. This can be exhausting if it’s hard to get your group on board. Certain leadership skills can help you overcome this and exhibit wellness skills in your own life. The goal is to lead effectively while also creating a healthy, supportive workplace for you, your team, and executives.

Leadership skills that you’ll learn at conferences, not only through keynote speakers and workshops, but simply through networking with others, include:

• Emotional intelligence: Strong self-awareness, communication, and empathy
• Resilient leadership: The capacity to stay calm, adapt, and lead with confidence and compassion through adversity or change
• Stress management: Ways to manage personal stress and workplace pressure
• Health culture: Foster a workplace that values mutual respect, engagement, and wellness, and lead by example
• Inclusivity: Initiatives and activities that support everyone
• Work/life balance: Lead by example with healthy boundaries and priorities

How to get the most value from workplace wellbeing events

Wellness conferences are an investment, and if you make the effort, it’s important to get the most out of them. This requires preparation, goal-setting, and flexibility. Here are a few key strategies:

Strategize before you go: set clear, actionable goals

Are you struggling with leadership that doesn’t support wellness initiatives?  Do some of your efforts fall flat with employees, and do bad attitudes continue? Are your workers simply burned out and discouraged?

Assess your main workplace problems before attending your conference. If you go into it blind, you may not leave with the answers you need. Other attendees will come with problems you’ve dealt with, which is how networking and workshopping help improve practices.

Translate learnings into actionable wellness programs

Wellness initiatives are great in theory, and it’s easy to get excited about improving your workplace, but the truth is that follow-through is everything. Come into the conference ready to learn and prepared to act. It may require some adjustments on your end to fit your organization and industry if you have executives willing to invest in an HR professional attending a conference. Ride that momentum to quickly implement what you learned. 

Here are a few examples of actionable wellness programs obtained at a wellness conference:

• Mental health support programs: mental health days, meditation sessions, employee assistance programs
• Healthy eating: Nutrition workshops, healthy snack options
• Financial wellness programs: education workshops, savings incentives
• Community engagement: Paid volunteer days, bonding events
• Work/life balance: Remote options, flexible hours, no-meeting day

Share insights and collaborate with your team

It can be difficult to bring the excitement home to collaborate and share with your team, but it’s vital that you do so. Just as you prepared to go to the conference, prepare to come home with a plan in place. Start small so as not to overwhelm everyone, but attack the biggest problem you see with small steps.

For example, if your concern is employee physical wellness, try offering virtual or on-site fitness classes or ergonomic assessments. These are affordable and easy to implement without disrupting business. If mental health is an issue, offer a mental health day and see if it inspires motivation and increases morale. 

Decide with executives what type of time off you can offer for mental health, and start tracking how employees feel after a mental health day. Invite your team members to observe and participate, and show them tangible proof from conferences that these initiatives work.

Follow up and implement post-conference strategies

New strategies are only effective if you use them. Jot down notes and ideas during the wellbeing conference, but sit down with your team members when you get back and give an in-depth rundown. Collaborate with them to find the best strategies for your situation. Start small, but pick one or two initiatives to start. Have them come up with a rubric or way to track the effect of the strategies on team morale.

As with anything, diagnosis can be difficult. Don’t throw too many changes out there and expect to solve the problem. Hit one or two things at a time to see if they work. Once you’ve found something you like and it’s moving smoothly, add another initiative. 

Include your team in decision-making to decide if you want to drop something old and start something new or add to what you have. One of the most important rules is to use your team. The purpose of these conferences is to allow you to collaborate with other professionals to find solutions to common problems. Take that mentality home with you and lead by example.

Conclusion

The right workplace wellness conference can spark ideas, connections, and strategies that ripple through your entire organization. 

In 2026, you’ll find events tailored to every focus area: from large-scale summits with global thought leaders to niche gatherings addressing industry-specific challenges. Each one offers actionable insights, research-backed strategies, and opportunities to connect with peers who understand the importance of employee well-being.

If you can only choose one event this year, make it Workhuman Live Orlando 2026. With its mix of inspiring keynotes, immersive workshops, and a strong focus on human-centered leadership, it stands out as a transformative experience. No matter which conference you attend, investing in workplace wellness is an investment in both your people and your organizational success.

About Alex Yap-Dubois

Alex is a workplace storyteller with a knack for breaking big ideas into clear, actionable insights. As an author on the Workhuman Live Blog, he focuses on list-style articles that bring clarity to the most pressing workplace trends, from recognition and culture to leadership and the future of work. With a background in digital strategy and content creation, he approaches every topic with a balance of research and practical takeaways, helping readers find inspiration they can put into action right away.