In this episode, Anna Carlsson and Emira Blomberg summarize their experiences and reflections from HR Tech Europe, which took place in Amsterdam on March 4–5, 2025. The conference, bringing together HR leaders and technology experts, focused on the latest trends in HR technology, digital transformation, and the growing role of AI in the workplace.
The discussion highlights the importance of HR departments continuously staying updated on new digital solutions and how events like this create valuable networking opportunities. Among the most prominent themes at the conference were AI’s impact on HR processes, data-driven skills development, and the future of leadership. There were also panel discussions featuring global companies that provided concrete examples of how organizations navigate digital transformation.
Anna and Emira also discuss the challenges of investing in HR development, noting that some participants had to fund their trip privately due to a lack of budget support. The episode concludes with a call for HR professionals to prioritize skills development and start planning for HR Tech Europe 2026.
For those looking to stay updated on the latest trends in HR and technology, this episode offers invaluable insights into the future of work.
Note: This episode is in Swedish. A translated transcript is available below.
Transcript:
Anna Carlsson: Today’s episode will be a bit shorter. Only about 30 minutes, so there’s no shortened version—just the original.
This time, Emira and I have stepped straight into my hotel room to record a summary of HR Tech Europe. We share our thoughts and reflections on the event, which took place on March 4–5 in Amsterdam and will return on April 22–23, 2026. I really hope to see you there!
The value of this event is significant, and as I mention in the episode, it’s especially for those of you who are HR leaders and responsible for HR tech. Make sure to include it in your 2026 budget. I had the chance to ask many of the Swedish attendees about their reflections, and everyone mentioned how valuable it is to meet and discuss with others, which is one of the event’s main intentions. Through exchanges with other organizations, we develop our competencies.
Anna Carlsson: So here we are in my hotel room.
Emira Blomberg: Yes, we are. It’s a different setting. I just said that it’s a very fancy, beautiful hotel room. There’s even a peacock bowl on the table—really stylish! Your hotel room, Anna.
Anna Carlsson: Yes, thank you! I shared it with Åsa, who was also here. It’s been so great to attend HR Tech. That’s what we wanted to talk about—we’ve just been at HR Tech in Amsterdam, and instead of waiting and reflecting later, we’re recording this right away. It just ended, what, half an hour ago?
Emira Blomberg: Yes, exactly. We picked up our jackets and made our way to a hotel room just 50 meters from the venue. So, to say the least, our impressions are fresh.
Anna Carlsson: And we thought this could be useful for those who weren’t here, and maybe even for those who were. A little recap of what we saw, heard, thought about, and reflected on. I also think it’s truly a great place to gain new perspectives and reconsider your thoughts. I hope more people will come next year from all kinds of companies and organizations and send their employees here. Someone even told me, “This has been amazing, and next time, I’m bringing my HR director.”
Emira Blomberg: Yes! And I met people from HR departments who actually paid for the trip themselves, out of their own pockets, because they thought it was important.
Anna Carlsson: Wow!
Emira Blomberg: Exactly. So I wonder how willing companies really are to sponsor and send their employees to these kinds of events. I really hope this becomes a regular part of budgets. It’s frustrating to have to fight for this kind of investment, and it’s not even that much money.
Anna Carlsson: No, it’s just the trip here and back. Admission has been free for all HR professionals, plus anyone who knows me. Most people probably got in for free—the ones funding this are the vendors present at the event. That’s a fact.
Emira Blomberg: The sponsors.
Anna Carlsson: The ones who have booths or sponsor in other ways. They’re the ones paying for you to learn new things. So really, it’s just the travel cost. I don’t think that’s even that expensive, but it’s incredibly unfortunate if people have to pay for it themselves. But what do you think? Why is this happening? Is it a general budget issue?
Emira Blomberg: Well, I think it’s the same as in all leadership categories. This event is targeted at HR leaders—CHROs, Chief People Officers, or whatever they’re called. If you’re lucky enough to have progressive leadership, maybe you’ll send yourself, someone on your team, or parts of your team to an event like this. But if you’re an HR professional working under an HR leader who isn’t as forward-thinking, this is what happens. And of course, no company can afford to send everyone to conferences all the time—that’s not what I’m saying. But the message here was very clear: this event is for HR as a profession and what HR needs to do to be adaptive and stay ahead. Maybe not ahead, because that might be impossible, but...
Anna Carlsson: In sync, maybe.
Emira Blomberg: Yes, exactly.
Anna Carlsson: With developments.
Emira Blomberg: Yes.
Anna Carlsson: So we should try to help with that. We can publish reminders next year when it’s time to decide whether to attend. In this podcast, we’ve talked about the importance of the major trends happening right now. This event is one where technology and HR come together—people management in various ways. And really, all of us will be part of digital organizations in the future, so this isn’t just for those working specifically with HR and tech. It’s a way to gain real insight into what’s possible and how things can be done. Organizations that share their experiences here offer valuable perspectives.
We’ve discussed how massive changes are happening—with everything digital and how different generations will behave in workplaces. It’s incredibly important to keep up with this, and we don’t get that kind of insight at home. There’s nothing equivalent to this event.
Emira Blomberg: No. That’s actually an interesting point when we look at what kind of event we’ve been at. It’s HR Tech Europe.
Anna Carlsson: Yes.
Emira Blomberg: In Amsterdam. And you know the people behind it, right?
Anna Carlsson: Yes, I do. When I started my own business in 2017 and left my corporate job, I had been envious of those who got to attend HR Tech in Las Vegas. That’s where it all started—it’s an American organization. They run a magazine, conduct a lot of research and thought leadership, and organize an annual event in Las Vegas. I attended for the first time in 2018.
Emira Blomberg: Right.
Anna Carlsson: And I’ve attended every year since then, whenever possible—except during the pandemic. They’ve always had a plan to establish themselves in Europe because they believe there’s a need for a dedicated event focused on HR tech. This area is becoming increasingly important—you can’t just look at the entire HR spectrum anymore. You need to focus on what technology can enhance and all the changes driven by technology, such as generative AI. So having that perspective at an event like this is crucial.
They launched this event in Europe just last year. So this was only the second time it was held. They originally planned to start earlier. They actually started in Asia first—there’s a similar event there—but the pandemic delayed their European launch.
Emira Blomberg: Right. So it’s still quite new. And you can kind of tell they’re still finding their format. I wasn’t here last year, but you were. From what I gathered, this year’s event felt more refined—like they had learned from the first one and improved things. But it was a relatively small expo. I mentioned to you that I had expected it to be bigger. The name makes it sound huge, but in terms of size, it was similar to the Personal & Chef expo in Stockholm recently. I had thought it would be larger.
At the same time, it was extremely knowledge-intensive. You’d need to clone yourself to attend everything. So while the physical space and attendance numbers weren’t massive, there was definitely plenty to do.
Anna Carlsson: And I know their approach. They aim to grow organically by relying on advocates like me and others who attend, share their experiences, and spread the word. They prioritize quality growth.
One of the biggest highlights was definitely the networking opportunities. They created spaces for meaningful conversations, like think tanks where you could discuss different topics with experts. You meet so many interesting people in between sessions.
Emira Blomberg: Yes.
Anna Carlsson: If you compare it to the Personal & Chef expo, it’s different—it’s not just about listening to speakers and visiting vendors.
Emira Blomberg: That’s a great observation.
Emira Blomberg: Yes, exactly.
Anna Carlsson: And there was one Finnish and one Norwegian participant. And the rest were a mix, of course, with several from the Netherlands. But everyone had a broader perspective than just their own country. One of the participants I met said he really liked realizing that there is a solution to everything.
When walking around—now, I’m comparing a lot to the Personal & Chef event, which is the biggest event in Sweden—you meet HR system providers and a few niche solutions. But then it’s everything from bikes to coffee machines, and last time, there were a lot of bikes. Here, though, everything is about someone coming up with something really smart that can help develop organizations and employees in some way.
Emira Blomberg: Exactly. And now I'm just repeating what I heard, because I haven't been there myself. But apparently, this is more of a mid-segment event, with a target audience of medium-sized businesses rather than large enterprise companies. Unleash, on the other hand, seems to have a stronger enterprise focus.
Something I found charming about HR Tech Europe was a small section of the exhibition hall reserved for startup corners, where you could meet...
Anna Carlsson: I love that!
Emira Blomberg: It's so great! I asked one startup, "How many customers do you have?" And he just said, "Four." And that’s just so delightful!
Anna Carlsson: Meeting them is a way to understand all the possibilities. Maybe you won’t invest in them, and maybe you're not looking for suppliers to buy from at the moment. But it’s about expanding your understanding of what’s possible and what vendors are currently developing. And for them, just meeting a potential new customer is enough.
Emira Blomberg: Exactly. There were both large, well-established companies with big booths and this little startup corner—everything in between, really. Such a wide range!
Since I work for a company that provides a system for recruiters—so more HR Tech or TA Tech—our solution is too small to exhibit at an event like this. Many exhibitors took a broad approach to data and analytics, and I noticed a lot of focus on enabling data flows between different systems. That seemed to be a big trend. More open integrations, less talk about standalone solutions. It’s now assumed that you are part of an ecosystem, either as a plugin or an important add-on to a larger system. I thought that was exciting.
Anna Carlsson: I also noticed that many vendors aren’t just focusing on HR systems, which aren’t always the most flexible or innovative. There was a lot of discussion about communication, new performance models, and different ways to work in teams.
But like you said, there were also many workflow solutions and integrations—innovative thinking in that area.
Emira Blomberg: Exactly! And I also think we’re seeing more consolidation. I find it a bit dull when the pendulum swings too hard in that direction. I compared it to shopping at Åhléns City in Stockholm: You have different brands under one roof, and as a customer, you want to pick a blazer from one brand, a t-shirt from another, and pants from a third. You don’t want to be forced into buying your entire outfit from just one brand.
I’m very interested in aesthetics and fashion, so I enjoy taking my time to put together outfits that feel harmonious to me. But if you’re an HR Tech buyer, you either have to be really passionate about what you’re doing—or highly knowledgeable. Probably both.
And how can everyone be both? In that sense, consolidation makes sense. But I think we’ll see more smart solutions from new vendors who understand this dilemma. They’re doing their best to integrate seamlessly with existing systems so that you don’t have to build your own tech stack from scratch and spend excessive time on it. Instead, you get more of a “personal shopping” experience.
Anna Carlsson: At the same time, you can’t consolidate everything. Of course, you should check with your supplier to see what they’re doing in a specific area, but you also need the flexibility to add solutions for key issues.
It’s not about technology itself but rather about addressing crucial business needs—what’s essential for your organization to succeed. You need to stay open to different ways of doing things and also go back and challenge your suppliers based on new insights.
Emira Blomberg: Exactly! And that brings us back to the importance of attending these events. There may not be internal bias within your company right now, but the day there is, you won’t have time to catch up on all the possible solutions.
These tools enable performance and results in an organization. They’re incredibly important, so you need to stay updated on developments and possibilities.
Anna Carlsson: I know many people responsible for HR Tech in their organizations, and none of them can rely solely on their internal knowledge. They need external input, perspectives, and discussions with others.
Emira Blomberg: Exactly! And speaking of that, even though this was an HR Tech event, AI has been a dominant topic...
Anna Carlsson: Yes, should we talk about what topics were covered?
Emira Blomberg: AI overload, right?
Anna Carlsson: Yes, this time, definitely.
Emira Blomberg: Which, of course, is necessary in some ways. But as a balance, the final keynote panel focused on purpose-driven leadership.
Anna Carlsson: I wasn’t there for that.
Emira Blomberg: Oh, well, the panel featured the Chief People Officer from BBC, the EMEA representative from Netflix—what’s his name again?
Anna Carlsson: I saw his name somewhere.
Emira Blomberg: I won’t try to pronounce it here. And then there was someone from an up-and-coming financial payments company. They talked a lot about purpose-driven leadership.
On one hand, there was an extreme focus on AI and technology. But on the other, there was a strong emphasis on the human aspect—meeting people, finding our "why," and understanding why we want to improve things with AI. Those were the two main themes.
Anna Carlsson: People and AI. Last year, AI wasn’t as big of a focus as it is now. But now, we’re seeing a shift towards discussing why we should focus on AI.
There were discussions about what different organizations have learned, with analysts and experts providing guidance on how to move forward. Lots of great tips and advice on this journey we’re all on.
The potential impact of AI on organizations, employees, HR, and business is huge. But we also need to maintain the human perspective.
In a panel discussion I had with Spotify, we talked about feedback processes. One person mentioned a digital solution that determines who you work with, who should give you feedback, and collects all feedback automatically—without any conversations.
But that’s not how we want it! We still want to meet, discuss, and have dialogues. Feedback isn’t just one-way; it’s a conversation.
It’s fascinating how much we can do with these tools, but we need to decide where we still want a human touch. And as we keep learning, things will continue to evolve.
Emira Blomberg: Yes, exactly! That was such an interesting discussion. I actually had to sit on the floor because all the seats were taken!
Anna Carlsson: We should have saved you a spot!
Emira Blomberg: There were a few of us sitting in a circle on the floor in front of the panel. And I thought Johannes Sundlo was really great.
The first day of the event felt very abstract—lots of talk about the future and what will happen. But what’s happening right now? What’s actually possible today?
That’s what Johannes does so well. He even demonstrated his own ATS with an AI agent he built himself—showing how little it cost him to build, apart from his own time. A bit of a jab at the ATS vendors there!
I also noticed that Smart Recruiters had a booth but didn’t even want to call themselves an ATS anymore.
Anna Carlsson: Oh, really?
Emira Blomberg: No, they’ve apparently gone all in on this agent idea—forget the ATS. Instead, it’s about what you want to do. You just tell the agent what you want to do, and it happens. Say what you will about agents, but that was definitely a theme. There’s a lot of talk about agents.
Anna Carlsson: Back to other themes, discussions, and the value from the conference—so many interesting and well-known brands and organizations. There was quite a Swedish focus with IKEA, Volvo Cars, and Spotify. Fiskars isn’t really Swedish, though. It was Anna, their Chief People Officer, who was in my discussion. They’re Finnish, right?
Emira Blomberg: Yes, they’re Finnish.
Anna Carlsson: But it was great to hear different perspectives on their journeys and what they’re doing now. And we also talked about leadership, which ties back to what you mentioned about the final session on purpose-driven leadership. I have to mention Lego.
Emira Blomberg: Oh, right.
Anna Carlsson: Did you listen to that session?
Emira Blomberg: No, I didn’t.
Anna Carlsson: It was a fantastic speaker who talked about how they approach skills. Skills and skills tech have been big topics—many people focus on the technology but don’t really have their "why." He explained how they first identified their "why" and then figured out how to solve it and work towards being future-ready with the right skills. A company like Lego relies on plastic, and they need to move away from that, so they require new competencies in new areas. It’s hard to find chemists, so they are looking internally. This is where skills management really comes into play. It was inspiring to hear from companies that have actually gone through this transformation—we don’t have that many examples. The Swedish companies were present here, which was great.
Emira Blomberg: Yes, and I spoke with an exhibitor who provided a skills management tool, or rather a workforce planning tool based on skills. At the start of an employee journey, you import a CV or LinkedIn profile, and the system suggests what skills the person has based on that. You can edit, add, and modify them. They have an extensive skills library and career pathways based on the person’s current role. It shows possible career paths, the required skills for those positions, and the skill gaps—both for employees, so they know what to develop to move internally, and for HR, as a tool for workforce planning. I found that really interesting. That’s one of the great things about these kinds of events—you actually get to see these tools. It’s one thing to talk about them, like we do in the podcast, but seeing them makes it much more tangible.
Anna Carlsson: Yes, absolutely. And you get to discuss things. So, what was the best part? The meetings with people—suppliers, industry colleagues, and different companies. I met one organization—I won’t name them, but they were from the public sector—and they were completely blown away. It was their first time at an event like this, and they started thinking about things in a completely new way. It was so fun to hear how inspiring it was for them. Of course, you have to be realistic—there are budgets to consider—but they gained valuable insights into how to discuss these topics and understand the value of AI, data, and historical systems. AI and data were major discussion points.
Emira Blomberg: Yes, exactly.
Anna Carlsson: Is there anything else we should mention, or should we wrap it up?
Emira Blomberg: Maybe we should mention Josh Bersin?
Anna Carlsson: Josh Bersin.
Emira Blomberg: We have to mention him—he was the big draw. He opened the whole event yesterday. I had never seen him before, but those who had said that his presentations are always similar—tons of slides, and he often struggles to cover everything in his allotted time. I expected a more traditional speaker, but he’s more of a researcher. He takes the time to compile everything happening in such a huge field like HR and puts it into a structured format. And he’s passionate about it, which I find inspiring.
Anna Carlsson: He’s very much the engineer type—very structured. The first time I listened to him, I felt completely overwhelmed. He has made HR Tech his domain, returning to different events around the world. Over time, I’ve come to recognize patterns, but things do evolve. The world changes, and so does he. He constantly shares new insights and perspectives. If you’re not already following him, you should listen to his podcast. You can pick and choose episodes. It’s not just him—his whole organization shares case studies and best practices from different companies. He also records personal insights, probably from hotel rooms, which is his thing.
Emira Blomberg: Yeah.
Anna Carlsson: We learn from these quick insights.
Emira Blomberg: Exactly! And this is a Swedish podcast, so let’s also send a big thank you to the Swedish community we’ve been with these past two days. There’s a real passion for these topics, and it’s been great to connect with like-minded people interested in HR Tech. Discussing everything afterward, having a mimosa—it’s a trend at every event now, drinks from 3 PM onward.
Anna Carlsson: And that’s totally fine.
Emira Blomberg: Absolutely! It adds a nice touch. It’s truly a happening. We highly recommend this event, right?
Anna Carlsson: Yes! I saw a sign—April 22-23.
Emira Blomberg: Next year?
Anna Carlsson: Yes, 2026, April 22-23. Mark your calendars.
Emira Blomberg: And the budget.
Anna Carlsson: Yes, start working on that budget now. Many HR professionals are great at helping others but not always themselves. It’s time to invest in your own development—just book it!
Emira Blomberg: Absolutely!
Anna Carlsson: Thanks for today, Emira.
Emira Blomberg: Thanks, Anna.
