20-05-2025
International HR Day 2025: Date, theme, origin, significance — all you need to know
Human Resources (HR) is considered the pillar of the organisation. It is an important business function that plays a crucial role in building inclusive and future-ready organisations within the rapidly changing landscape of work.
To recognise and celebrate HR's contributions, International HR Day is being celebrated annually on May 20 and has evolved into a global observance today.
The idea of International HR Day was initiated by Lithuania and the European Association for People Management (EAPM) in 2016, and by 2018, an official IHRD Committee was formed, which led to the first celebration on 20 May 2019 across seven pilot countries.
By 2024, more than 80 countries across the world actively participated, making International HR Day a key event for the HR profession.
This year, in 2025, International HR Day marks its sixth anniversary and will be falling on Tuesday, May 20, with the theme #HumanifyAI: Leading Change Together – highlighting the significant role that global HR professionals are playing in navigating and succeeding in the AI-driven work environment.
It further emphasises the need for HR to adapt to swift technological advancements while ensuring that the human element remains central to the workplace.
The day is marked by organising webinars, seminars, workshops, and conferences to provide HR professionals with insights into emerging trends and technologies that are reinventing the workplace.
AI integration, diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, agile HR practices, and HR technology are all highlighted, ensuring that professionals are prepared to lead organisations into the future of work.
