25 Professionals You Should Follow as an HR Leader in 2025
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Here's the TL;DR
The future of HR leadership is rapidly evolving as Millennials and Gen Z reshape the workforce. With HR roles becoming more complex—thanks to return-to-office mandates, AI adoption, and mental health challenges—staying informed through credible, forward-thinking leaders is crucial. This article highlights 25 influential HR professionals to follow in 2025, chosen for their real-world impact, thought leadership, and innovation.
Why this matters:
- 91% of HR leaders say the role has dramatically changed in the last 5 years.
- Trends in AI, hybrid work, and DEI are reshaping talent strategies and company culture.
- These leaders drive innovation through books, newsletters, podcasts, and HR tech.
Top categories of leaders include:
- Thought Leaders & Authors – Redefining how HR is practiced through research and insights.
- Tech Innovators – Advancing HR efficiency through AI and automation.
- DEI Advocates – Building inclusive and equitable workplaces.
- Employee Experience Experts – Prioritizing engagement and well-being.
- Talent Development Strategists – Fostering growth and retention through learning.
Key 2025 HR trends:
- AI in recruiting and workflows
- Hybrid work becoming standard
- Mental health support as a core benefit
To stay competitive, HR pros must continuously learn from these experts, engage on platforms like LinkedIn or podcasts, and apply insights to drive real impact in their organizations.
The Future of HR Leadership is Changing
The workforce is undergoing a massive change with Baby Boomers and Gen X leaving the workforce. Millennials are taking center stage as thought leaders and Gen Z is making their presence known. With the demographics of workers changing, that means new HR leaders and new ideas about how HR (and businesses) should run.
Why Staying Updated with HR Innovators Matters
The only thing constant in life is change. Between navigating return-to-office mandates, compliance updates, employee engagement demands, the adoption of AI, and the million or so other things you’ve been tasked with, HR is in a constant state of change.
A recent study by Sage found that 91% of C-suite executives and HR leaders say that HR’s role has dramatically changed over the last five years. With all of the change, it can be difficult to know what are best practices, where trends are going, and what fads you can ignore. We’ve identified 25 trendsetters so you can stay in the know.
How These Professionals Influence Workplace Trends
These professionals are respected leaders in their niches in HR. You, along with the millions of other followers, will love the ideas shared by these accounts. Whether it’s through published research, new books, social posts, or releasing new software, these influential HR leaders are ones that you’ll want to keep a clear eye on.
Categories of Influential HR Professionals
HR professionals shape the future of work in many ways, from driving innovation in HR technology to championing diversity and enhancing employee experiences. Here are five key categories of influential HR leaders making a lasting impact in the industry.
Thought Leaders & Authors
These are professionals who share their ideas and concepts that redefine how we think about and implement HR practices. Sometimes shared through books, articles, or keynote speeches, these ideas can transform our profession.
Technology & HR Tech Pioneers
From filing cabinets and spreadsheets to AI-infused software, these are technology leaders that have added state-of-the-art technology to help us become more efficient, more informed, and (hopefully) more effective at our jobs.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advocates
These are individuals who are trailblazers in creating inclusive workspaces for all employees. They drive meaningful change in their organizations and evangelize the benefits of building a diverse and equitable workforce.
Employee Experience Experts
These professionals focus on the benefits of employee engagement, building an amazing culture, and balancing your employees’ well-being. By implementing these strategies, companies expect to see employees be more fulfilled and productive at work.
Talent Development Strategists
Once you’ve attracted great talents, it’s important to develop that talent. These experts help companies implement new strategies to enhance learning, leadership development, and help employees progress in their careers.
Criteria for Selecting Professionals to Follow
As we built this list, we focused on leaders who had a substantial impact on the industry - not just those who had a large social following. Influence in HR goes beyond just popularity - it’s about creating meaningful change. So, we focused on three main criteria:
Impact on Industry Trends
We looked for individuals whose work has influenced the direction of HR. We wanted to see if they had innovative ideas, groundbreaking research, or new initiatives that shaped the modern HR workplace.
Thought Leadership & Publications
Leaders who share their insights through books, research papers, blogs, or speaking engagements play a crucial role in educating and inspiring HR professionals worldwide. We considered those who contribute to the broader conversation and help move the industry forward.
Practical Contributions to HR Practices
Most importantly, we value professionals who have implemented real-world solutions or led initiatives that have directly improved HR processes and workplace experiences.
The 25 Professionals to Follow in 2025
Without further ado, here are the 25 HR professionals you should follow in 2025.
Eva Daniel is the owner of The Speak Shop - a coaching platform that helps CEOs and professional speakers enhance their public speaking. Eva understands the immense pressure that HR leaders and executives have when leading a town hall or answering difficult employee questions. She helps leaders develop skills to deliver their messages with authority and clarity and create compelling presentations to unveil new initiatives for their teams.
Jacob Morgan is a 5 times best-selling author, TED talk and keynote speaker, and founder of the Future of Work group. The Future of Work Leaders consists of C-Level people leaders (CHROs) who are working toward moving past traditional HR to change how employees experience work and how leaders interact with their employees.
Johannes Sundlo is the Director of People at Avalanche Studios Group in Sweden and is a prominent speaker about HR in Europe. Having worked at places like The Talent Company and Spotify, Johannes brings a wealth of knowledge about scaling HR and adopting cutting-edge HR principles. Sundlo recently has been focusing on how companies can leverage AI into their businesses and how individual HR people can learn how to maximize AI’s power to become more efficient.
Brian is a senior HR leader with experience across a wide range of industries including pharmaceuticals, retail, and telecommunications. As the founder of Talent Edge Weekly, a free newsletter, he sends out a weekly update on the top curated posts from around the HR world. His work focuses on helping organizations align their talent practices with business objectives to drive performance.
Hung is the Founder and Curator of Recruiting Brainfood. The weekly newsletter recaps the latest news and relevant content for recruiting professionals. His newsletter provides talent acquisition leaders with insights into the latest trends in recruiting, branding, and the overall landscape of work.
Johnny C. Taylor is the President and CEO of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management). Johnny is a global leader in HR and often speaks about the future of employment, culture, and leadership topics. Johnny, along with SHRM, has advocated for policies that support better workplaces. Johnny is also an official Advisor to Nectar in helping guide it to be the premier employee engagement platform.
Nick is the CEO and Founder of Built Brands, known for their popular Built Bars. With a strong entrepreneurial background, Nick has led multiple ventures to success. At Built Brands, he emphasizes a people-first culture, focusing on employee development and community involvement. His leadership style centers on innovation, resilience, and fostering a positive workplace environment.
Josh Bersin is a global leader in the HR space. With a deep background in research and advising HR teams, his company, The Josh Bersin Company, focuses on corporate learning, talent management, and HR tech. With regular research topics, CHRO training, and its own Bersin Academy, he is regularly producing high-quality content that’s worth a read.
Marc is the Founder and CEO of UNLEASH. UNLEASH curates the “latest HR news, exclusives, and analysis” and is a global HR community where leaders can come together to learn about new research, attend webinars, and socialize online or through in-person events.
Darren is a business leader who helps others find and build their communities. While he isn’t a full-fledged HR leader, Darren does do 1:1 coaching and brand building for those who want to build their online presence.
Hebba is the Chief People Officer at Workweek and founder of the I Hate It Here podcast. As a seasoned HR professional, Hebba has experienced the pains of dealing with high-growth companies and the challenges of building scalable HR practices. Hebba is an expert in employee experience and developing strategies to help employees avoid becoming jaded, overworked, and emotionally burned out.
Jessica Winder is the SVP of People at CoLab Software and the author of “The Hidden Gem Within”. As someone who has been in the trenches with fellow HR pros, she prides herself on having, “no fluff, no corporate jargon, just the raw truth about work.” Jessica often covers topics around talent acquisition, employee engagement, organizational culture, and the challenges in scaling startups dealing with rapid business growth.
Melanie is the Chief People Officer at Ethena and an Advisor to TroopHR. She is known for her commitment to ethical HR practices and fostering inclusive workplace cultures. Melanie frequently shares her insights on leadership, diversity, and employee development, contributing to the broader HR community through mentorship and thought leadership.
With experiences at BambooHR, Infusionsoft and Pluralsight, Anita is an expert in helping tech companies manage the complex problems associated with creating amazing employee experiences and building a strong company culture. Anita constantly shares ideas on LinkedIn with other industry leaders.
Laurie Ruettimann is a world-renowned speaker and author. Recognized by CNN as one of America’s top career advisors, Laurie specializes in human resources and workforce Management. She also hosts the popular podcast Punk Rock HR where she and her expert guests delve into the real world of work to talk about topics ranging from career development, employee wellness, inclusivity, compensation and total rewards, and a variety of other topics.
Sharlyn Lauby is the Author and Publisher of the popular site and podcast HR Bartender. As an experienced HR professional, Sharyln often shares her ideas and experiences about topics on how to be a better supervisor and leader, employee engagement, and career advice. HR Bartender is a great resource to ask questions, with Sharlyn regularly answering questions from readers.
Jill Felska is the founder of the Want To Work There newsletter and podcast. Jill provides regular content on topics like company core values, culture assessments, hiring best practices, onboarding, and people management. The free, bi-weekly newsletter prides itself on delivering usable content that is actionable for people operations people of any stage in their career.
Kelli Dragovich is a four-time CHRO and the founder of the HR Heretics Podcast where Kelli and Nolan give you their unfiltered views on HR topics. As a seasoned HR pro, Kelli has seen it all - from IPOs and layoffs to booms and busts. Kelli takes off the rose-colored glasses and lets you peek behind the curtain into how high-level leadership decisions happen behind closed doors.
Nolan is an HR advisor and former Chief People Officer at Carta and DoorDash. He’s also the co-host of the HR Heretics Podcast with Kelli Dragovich. His expertise lies in talent acquisition, organizational development, and leadership coaching. Nolan is passionate about redefining traditional employment models to meet the evolving needs of both companies and executives.
Britt Davies is a people-first HR leader and the Head of People and Culture at Fullcast, where she’s shaping the future of workplace engagement and performance. With a passion for building high-impact teams, Britt has worked across fast-growing companies, scaling HR functions that drive both business success and employee satisfaction.
Randy Carroll is a talent acquisition and workforce strategy expert who knows that hiring the right people isn’t just about filling roles—it’s about building the future of a company. With years of experience in recruitment and HR leadership, Randy has helped organizations optimize their hiring processes, improve employer branding, and create standout candidate experiences.
Erika Munson is the Head of People & Places at SalesRabbit, Inc., where she oversees various aspects of the business, including finance, HR, legal, facilities, and events. In addition to her leadership at SalesRabbit, Erika actively contributes to the professional community by sharing insights and opportunities. If you’re local to Utah, she’s a great person to be connected to.
Jared Olsen is a workplace culture and employee experience champion who believes that happy employees create better businesses. As the Chief People Officer at JobNimbus, he’s on a mission to help organizations build cultures of gratitude, connection, and recognition. Named Utah Business Magazine’s first-ever HR Disruptor of the Year, Jared has a knack for turning workplace engagement from a buzzword into actionable strategies where employees feel valued and motivated.
Megan Galloway is a people and culture strategist and the founder of Everleader, where she helps leaders build stronger teams and better workplaces. With a background in HR leadership, she specializes in talent development, employee engagement, and performance management. Megan doesn’t just talk about workplace culture—she builds it, creating leadership programs and growth strategies that actually make a difference.
Adam “Smiley” Poswolsky is a workplace happiness expert, bestselling author, and keynote speaker helping organizations create more engaged, purpose-driven workplaces. His books, including The Quarter-Life Breakthrough, explore meaningful work and connection. Smiley has spoken at Google, Apple, and Facebook, with his insights featured in The New York Times and Fast Company.
How to Engage with These Professionals
These HR leaders can provide valuable insights into the changing landscape in HR. Here are the best ways to stay connected and engaged with them.
Social Media Platforms (LinkedIn, Twitter)
Social media is a great avenue to consume and share their content. Many of the leaders highlighted frequently post, share, and respond to comments on platforms like LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter). Providing meaningful comments is a great way to engage in the topic with the author.
Conferences & Webinars
Another great way to connect is to attend conferences and hear from them directly. Conferences like SHRM Annual, HR Tech, and even virtual conferences like BambooHR’s Virtual Conference are perfect venues to hear directly from HR leaders. Many speakers will offer Q&A Sessions, live discussions, or even networking opportunities.
Books, Blogs, and Podcasts
Along with social media, more and more influencers are publishing books or blogs on their website, as well as producing podcasts. Reading and listening to their work is a great way to stay up to date on the latest trends. Also, these leaders are usually on the lookout for guests to come on their shows and tell stories about their jobs, experiences, or research.
Trends These Professionals Are Championing for 2025
The workplace continues to evolve and 2025 is no exception. There are several key trends emerging that are reshaping how companies attract, engage, and support their employees.
AI in Talent Acquisition
AI, or artificial intelligence, is seemingly being integrated into every tool, software, and process companies have. HR tech companies are infusing their ATS software with AI to help them streamline resume screening and become more efficient. Several of our HR leaders on this list talk about the pros and cons of AI in the hiring process.
Hybrid Work Models
While the in-office job isn’t dead, the hybrid model is thriving. Over 70% of companies surveyed said that they’re already doing a hybrid work model and the number is expected to continue to grow.
Mental Health Advocacy
With nearly 45 percent of workers saying that they are burned out from their jobs, it’s crucial for HR teams to learn how to empower employees to have a healthy work-life balance. Initiatives such as counseling services, mental health days, and awareness programs are now integral to employee benefits. Companies are recognizing that supporting mental health is not just a perk but a necessity for maintaining a productive and engaged workforce.
The only thing constant in life is change
HR is constantly evolving, and the professionals on this list are shaping the future of work. By following their insights, you can stay ahead of trends, improve workplace culture, and refine your HR strategies.
The Value of Continuous Learning in HR
Staying informed is essential to navigating the ever-changing landscape of HR, compliance, and business in general. Being exposed to new ideas and perspectives is a crucial way to uncover strategies you can take back to your own company and implement.
Don’t just follow these HR experts—apply what you learn. Whether it’s improving employee engagement, rethinking talent strategy, or embracing HR tech, small changes can lead to big improvements in your organization.
Desirae Serdar is a freelance writer specializing in technology, HR, and people management. With a passion for helping organizations create better workplaces, she explores topics that empower companies to build engaged and motivated teams. When she’s not writing, Desirae enjoys unwinding at the beach with her toes in the sand and a good book in hand.
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