CULTURECON WEST 2026 RECAP: 5 TAKEAWAYS FOR BUILDING MORE HUMAN, RESILIENT AND CONNECTED WORKPLACES
Written by Co-founders Zach Blumenfeld and Nick Lombardino
For nearly a decade, CultureCon has brought people together around a shared belief: Every individual, regardless of role, has the power to make work more meaningful for themselves and their organization.
Our CultureCon West 2026 recap celebrates that belief coming to life one final time under the CultureCon name, as hundreds of passionate leaders, innovators and Culture Geeks gathered at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas from October 27–29.
With attendees representing 40 U.S. states and five countries, our sold-out conference brought together a remarkable community for three days of inspiring ideas, meaningful connections and unforgettable experiences.
And while this year's gathering marked the end of an era, it also offered a powerful glimpse into what's possible next.
Across three days of thought-provoking keynotes, interactive workshops and shared experiences, five themes emerged that offer a roadmap for leaders looking to build more human, resilient and connected workplaces.
1. Belonging Is Built by Design
Creating a workplace where people feel seen, valued and connected requires more than good intentions. It requires leaders to intentionally build belonging into the everyday employee experience.
In her opening keynote, "Scaling Belonging: The Power of Story and Scrappy Solutions in a Hybrid World," Miriam Warren, Chief Culture Officer at Yelp, shared a story about an executive returning from maternity leave who wished her colleagues had acknowledged such an important milestone in her life.
"It would have been great to see a picture of my baby on my desk when I got back," the executive shared.
That simple observation inspired a new practice at Yelp: sending every new parent a welcome kit that includes a framed photo of their baby.
With a culture team of fewer than ten people supporting more than 5,000 employees, Miriam demonstrated how thoughtful, often low-cost gestures can create meaningful experiences of belonging.
Her story illustrated exactly what Dr. Donte Vaughn, Founder and Managing Partner of LightPoint Advisors and recipient of the 2026 CultureCon Catalyst Award, would later emphasize in his keynote, "The Culture You Carry: Building Workplaces Where People Are Seen, Heard, and Backed."
"Every organization has two cultures," Donte explained. "We have the one on the wall and we have the one that the people actually experience."
A framed baby photo might seem like a small gesture, but it represents something much bigger: an organization demonstrating that its people matter beyond their job titles.
Other speakers explored how this same philosophy applies throughout the employee experience.
Jazmin Webster, Founder and Chief Learning Curator at The Quality Experience, challenged traditional approaches to onboarding in "Culture Is Not a Checklist: Designing Onboarding as a Belonging Experience."
Her closing message encouraged leaders to stop asking whether employees completed onboarding and instead consider what employees actually experienced throughout the process.
Meanwhile, Gregg Ward of the Center for Respectful Leadership explored the business case for workplace respect, demonstrating how everyday interactions can either strengthen or undermine the cultures organizations work so hard to build.
Together, these presentations reinforced an important truth: Belonging isn't created through a single program or initiative. It's the result of countless intentional decisions about how people are welcomed, supported and treated.
Key takeaway: Belonging is built through everyday experiences. Organizations that intentionally design for connection, respect and inclusion create workplaces where people feel valued and empowered to contribute.
2. Leading Change Starts with Trust
Change has become a constant in today's workplace. But while organizations continue to invest in new strategies, technologies and operating models, one of the greatest challenges remains helping people navigate the uncertainty that comes with transformation.
Several CultureCon West speakers approached this challenge from different perspectives, reinforcing a common truth: People are more likely to embrace change when they feel supported, involved and equipped to navigate it.
In "Adventure: How to Lead People into a Future They Don't Trust," CJ Casciotta, Founder and CEO of Reculture, explored how storytelling can help leaders guide people through uncertainty.
But CJ also offered an important distinction between authentic storytelling and organizational spin.
"Stories without substance become spin," one of his slides reminded attendees.
His presentation encouraged leaders to replace top-down mandates with meaningful questions, helping employees become active participants in shaping the future rather than passive recipients of change.
Allen Hardin, Managing Director at joyful, brought neuroscience into the conversation with "What Neuroscience Reveals About Leading Change That Sticks."
His LUCID framework outlined five conditions for sustainable change: Leader-Modeled, Urgent, Clear, Inspiring and Dynamic.
Together, CJ and Allen's presentations demonstrated that effective change leadership requires both a compelling narrative and the behaviors necessary to make that narrative credible.
That same emphasis on participation appeared in "Why Not the Collaboration Corps?" presented by Danielle Steele and Amy McGovern of Arizona State University.
Their people-powered approach explored how organizations can strengthen alignment and shared ownership by inviting employees to participate directly in culture transformation.
And in "Building Resilient Teams for Constant Change," Eliza Jackson, Chief Operating Officer at ButcherBox, highlighted the organization's "coaching for all" philosophy, extending professional development opportunities beyond the executive suite.
Her presentation reinforced the importance of equipping people at every level with the capabilities and confidence needed to navigate change.
Across these sessions, the message was clear: Resilience doesn't come from simply asking employees to embrace uncertainty. It comes from creating the trust, relationships and systems that help people move forward together.
Key takeaway: Successful change is a human process. Leaders who build trust, communicate with purpose and involve employees in shaping the future are better positioned to create lasting transformation.
3. Keeping People at the Center of AI
Few forces are reshaping the workplace as quickly as artificial intelligence.
At CultureCon West 2026, conversations about AI moved beyond the technology itself to explore a more consequential question: How can organizations embrace innovation while strengthening the human connections and values that make their cultures successful?
Satu Salminen, Director of People Success Enablement at Zscaler, explored the organizational side of adoption in "Leading AI Transformation."
Her message challenged the assumption that leading AI transformation requires a technical background.
"You don't need a technical background to lead AI transformation! This is change, OD and culture work!" one of her slides proclaimed.
In other words, AI adoption isn't simply a technology initiative. It's an organizational transformation that requires thoughtful leadership, communication and cultural alignment.
Dennis Richter, Chief Business Officer at Fullscript, reinforced that perspective in "AI-Powered Culture: Redefining How We Work, Who We Hire, and What We Stand For."
One of his slides offered a memorable analogy: "AI is the engine. Leadership is the steering wheel."
Together, Satu and Dennis emphasized that while AI can dramatically expand organizational capabilities, leaders remain responsible for determining how those capabilities are used and ensuring they align with the organization's values.
This conversation took on additional significance during the presentation of our latest WorkPossible research, "Faster. Smarter. Lonelier?"
Presented by Hattie Roche, Founder and Strategy Chief at Fauna, the research examined workplace loneliness and the relationship between human connection and emerging technologies.
Drawing on responses from 3,006 people across seven countries, the study identified fear of being replaced by AI as the factor most strongly associated with workplace loneliness among those examined.
Hattie offered a particularly important reminder for leaders navigating this uncertainty:
"Tell people the truth about their job before the fear does."
The findings underscored a critical challenge: Even as organizations become more technologically capable, employees may feel increasingly disconnected or uncertain about their place in the future of work.
Rebecca Alimorong of Robert Half extended the conversation in "From Pressure to Possibility: Rethinking Upskilling for the Future of Work."
Her presentation highlighted a familiar contradiction employees face: Organizations encourage people to develop new skills while simultaneously expecting them to maintain their existing workloads.
The challenge for leaders is not simply identifying the skills employees will need tomorrow. It's creating the time, resources and support necessary to develop those skills today.
Across these conversations, one idea stood out: AI transformation is also culture transformation.
Key takeaway: The organizations best positioned for an AI-powered future will be those that invest in their people as intentionally as they invest in technology. Innovation should expand human potential while strengthening the connections that make work meaningful.
4. Culture Is What You Consistently Do
Organizations spend considerable time defining their values, articulating their purpose and communicating the importance of workplace culture.
But how do those aspirations translate into the everyday behaviors and experiences that employees actually encounter?
At CultureCon West 2026, several speakers demonstrated that building a meaningful culture requires moving beyond statements of intent and into consistent action.
Whitney Russ, EVP of People & Culture at the ATP Tour, shared her experience rebuilding organizational culture in "Rebuilding Culture from the Ground Up: How to Earn Trust, Influence Leaders, and Lead Lasting Change."
When Whitney joined the organization in 2022, one of her first priorities was meeting with approximately 125 employees to better understand their experiences.
Her guiding principle was simple: "Do not fix anything until you have listened to everyone."
It's a powerful reminder that meaningful culture change begins with understanding the people who experience that culture every day.
Dr. DeRetta Rhodes, EVP and Chief People & Culture Officer of the Atlanta Braves, offered another perspective in "Demystifying Culture: Building a Winning Corporate Culture."
Her six-part framework explored the interconnected elements of Vision, Values, Practices, People, Narrative and Place, demonstrating how culture can be translated into a deliberate organizational strategy.
Meanwhile, Daniel Raffield and Kate Zappitelli of Karrikins Group explored the difference between agreement and alignment in "Make HOW Matter: The Seven Signs of Misalignment as You Build a Meaningful Culture."
Their distinction was especially memorable:
"Agreement happens when leaders like an idea but do nothing about it. Alignment happens when leaders redirect time, energy, and resources to deliver it."
This concept connected naturally to Ben Robbins of Corporate Traditions, who stepped in to present "Recognition That Actually Works."
Ben outlined three principles of meaningful employee recognition: timely, personal and scalable.
His session reinforced how consistent recognition can turn organizational values into visible behaviors, helping employees understand not only what matters to their organization, but how those values show up in practice.
And in "Don't Just Talk About Culture—Build It," Baylee El-Bakri of Generus and Emily Grace Tucker brought this philosophy to life through a hands-on volunteer experience.
Attendees worked together to build BEST to INVEST financial literacy board games for young people, demonstrating how shared purpose can translate into meaningful action.
From listening to employees and aligning leadership to recognizing contributions and giving back, these sessions demonstrated that culture is something organizations continuously create through their decisions and actions.
Key takeaway: Culture is strengthened through consistent action. Leaders must move beyond statements of intent and build systems, behaviors and experiences that make organizational values visible in everyday work.
5. Resilient Workplaces Start with Resilient People
As organizations navigate constant change, conversations about resilience often focus on how employees can become more adaptable, productive and effective.
But CultureCon West speakers challenged attendees to think more deeply about what people need in order to thrive.
In "Energy Engineering for Culture: The Missing Infrastructure Behind Resilience, Engagement & Change Capacity," MJ Reiners, Founder and CEO of Summerland Education, explored the relationship between energy, resilience and organizational performance.
One of her slides offered a thought-provoking reframing:
"Don't Ask: Why won't culture change? Ask: What are we energizing?"
Rather than viewing resilience solely as an individual responsibility, MJ encouraged leaders to examine the environments and systems that influence how people show up at work.
Dr. Kyle Elliott, an executive coach and ACI Certified Confidence Coach, approached the human side of performance from another perspective in "Tame Your Imposter Syndrome: Unlock Real, Lasting Confidence."
His message challenged the assumption that professional success alone is enough to overcome self-doubt.
"You can't outwork a belief. Instead, you have to internalize it," he told attendees.
The importance of creating meaningful experiences also emerged in Darryl Bosshardt's presentation, "Worth Your Salt: A Failing Farm, a Fishing Lodge, and a Thermos of Coffee."
Darryl, of Redmond Incorporated, shared the story of a housekeeper at the company's Alaska fishing lodge who overheard a guest wishing coffee were available closer to his cabin.
Rather than waiting for instructions or treating the request as someone else's responsibility, the housekeeper left a thermos of coffee on the guest's porch.
Darryl described the gesture as a "$500,000 thermos of coffee."
The story illustrated how empowering people to act with care and initiative can create extraordinary value through seemingly ordinary moments.
Together, these presentations reinforced an important idea: Supporting people isn't separate from building a successful organization. It's fundamental to it.
Key takeaway: Sustainable performance depends on sustainable people practices. Organizations that invest in employee well-being, confidence and supportive environments create stronger foundations for engagement and long-term success.
Innovation in Action: Ideas Shaping the Future of Work
The learning at CultureCon West 2026 began before the main conference sessions even started.
During Tuesday evening's Innovation Showcase, four organizations took the stage to demonstrate creative approaches to some of today's most pressing workplace challenges.
Each organization had just ten minutes to introduce its solution and engage attendees in thinking differently about what's possible.
TheMotif, represented by Erin M. Talbot, Regina Sanders and Beth Shurtleff, introduced an innovative personality assessment that uses images to help people better understand themselves and one another.
Bonusly's Katie McCormick demonstrated Bizy, an AI-powered agent designed to make employee recognition easier and more intentional.
Rema Lolas of Grozaic challenged attendees to rethink accountability, exploring how what appears to be a single organizational challenge can actually reflect several different underlying conditions.
And Mohit Midha of Hoogly introduced an AI-powered approach to employee listening, demonstrating how conversational technology can help organizations better understand the experiences of their people.
Together, these demonstrations reinforced the conference's broader message:
Innovation is most powerful when it helps organizations create better experiences for the people who make their success possible.
Beyond the Stage: Where Connection Came to Life
While the presentations offered plenty of inspiration, some of the most memorable moments at CultureCon West 2026 happened when attendees stepped away from the traditional conference experience.
Throughout the event, we intentionally created opportunities for people to connect in ways that went beyond exchanging business cards or making small talk.
Our conference facilitator, Michelle Spehr, helped bring this commitment to life through four interactive connection experiences: From Spotlight to Shared Insight, Connect to Purpose, Creator's Choice and From Insight to Impact.
Each experience encouraged attendees to reflect, collaborate and turn shared learning into meaningful relationships.
The Connection Crew by Covve also played an instrumental role in creating a welcoming and engaging environment throughout the conference.
During their Joyful Connection Masterclass, Crew members facilitated interactive activities designed to help attendees build deeper connections while discovering exercises they could bring back to their own teams.
From True For Me with Hansen Hunt and The Place That Shapes You with Stephen Morris to an iceberg exercise with Vanya Boardman and Bring the Hype with Charley "Sparkle" Lapomardo, the experiences invited participants to move beyond surface-level conversations.
Heather Monson, Katya Davydova, Christy Tonge and Jessper Maquindang rounded out the Connection Crew, helping attendees connect throughout the event.
And the results were remarkable.
According to Covve, attendees generated 2,623 connections across 165 companies, with the median attendee leaving with 13 new connections to follow up with.
Those numbers represent something much more meaningful than networking activity. They represent new relationships, fresh perspectives and opportunities for future collaboration.
Two experiences, in particular, captured the spirit of CultureCon West.
Longer Tables: Bringing People Together, One Conversation at a Time
One of the standout experiences at CultureCon West 2026 was our Longer Tables lunch, created in partnership with Tim Jones and Longer Tables, with support from the Connection Crew by Covve.
Rather than approaching lunch as simply another break between presentations, we transformed it into an opportunity for community.
More than 300 attendees gathered around long communal tables, where volunteer co-hosts helped welcome participants and encourage meaningful conversations.
The experience reflected the mission of Longer Tables: bringing people together through the simple, powerful act of sharing a meal.
In a world where so many professional interactions happen through screens, there was something refreshing about sitting shoulder to shoulder, sharing food and making space to genuinely get to know one another.
Throughout the conference, we talked about the importance of belonging, trust and human connection. During Longer Tables, attendees had the opportunity to experience those ideas firsthand.
It was a reminder that building community doesn't always require complicated solutions.
Sometimes, it begins with an invitation to pull up a chair.
The Mystery Trip: An Unexpected Adventure in Las Vegas
Of course, it wouldn't be CultureCon West without a little adventure!
On Wednesday evening, attendees stepped outside the traditional conference environment for a special Mystery Trip, an interactive scavenger hunt through Las Vegas.
Organized in partnership with Dave Green and the Mystery Trip team, the experience brought together curiosity, teamwork and a healthy dose of spontaneity.
And that was part of the magic.
When people step outside their routines and experience something unexpected together, conversations become more spontaneous, relationships develop naturally and strangers can quickly become friends.
The Mystery Trip created opportunities for attendees to build connections in a completely different setting, sharing laughs, solving challenges and making memories along the way.
It was another reminder that some of the most meaningful conference moments aren't found in a presentation deck.
They're found in the shared experiences that bring people together.
CultureCon West 2026 Recap: What Attendees Said
One of the greatest rewards of organizing CultureCon is hearing how the experience resonates with the people who attend.
Following CultureCon West 2026, attendees and partners took to LinkedIn to share their reflections.
Mohit Midha of Hoogly described the event as:
"This was, hands down, the WARMEST conference I've ever attended... anywhere around the world."
Jackie Whitson of ATB Financial reflected on the feeling of being part of a community that shares a common passion:
"For a few days, I was surrounded by fellow culture geeks who just get it."
And Tonalla Balestreri of the Central Coast Human Resource Association captured an idea that resonated throughout the conference:
"My biggest takeaway? We aren't meant to do this work alone."
These reflections mean a great deal to us because they capture something we've always hoped CultureCon would be.
Not simply a place to learn about workplace culture, but a place to experience the very things we advocate for: belonging, meaningful relationships and the power of community.
Creating a Positive Impact Beyond the Conference
As a Certified B Corporation, we believe business can be a powerful force for good.
That belief extends beyond the content of our conferences to the ways we engage with our communities, support nonprofit organizations and work to reduce our environmental impact.
At CultureCon West 2026, we continued that commitment through partnerships with organizations that share our values.
We were proud to recognize our nonprofit partners, including FreeFrom, Food Bank of Alaska, NAMI and Longer Tables, and celebrate the important work they do to strengthen communities and improve lives.
Our partnership with Covve also helped turn attendee connections into opportunities for giving back, with badge connections generating contributions to our nonprofit partners.
We continued our sustainability efforts through our partnership with fellow B Corp TripZero, helping offset the carbon footprint associated with travel to Las Vegas.
Onsite, we took additional steps to reduce our environmental impact through fewer single-use plastics, compostable materials, water refill stations, more plant-forward meal options and FSC-certified print materials.
A special thank you to our print partners, PrintForest and Posty Cards, for helping bring those efforts to life.
We know sustainability is an ongoing journey, and we're committed to making meaningful progress with each event.
Thank You to the People Who Made CultureCon West Possible
An event like CultureCon West doesn't happen without an extraordinary community of people working together.
To our speakers, presenters and facilitators, thank you for sharing your expertise, experiences and ideas so generously.
To our sponsors and partners, thank you for believing in our mission and helping us create an experience that extends far beyond the conference stage.
We'd like to extend special recognition to the organizations whose support helped make CultureCon West 2026 possible.
Connection Partner: Covve
Gold Sponsors: Capturely, Corporate Traditions, joyful, LightPoint Advisors, Mystery Trip and Robertson Marketing.
Silver Sponsors: Bonusly, Evergreen, Fauna, Posty Cards, PrintForest and Redmond, Incorporated.
Bronze Sponsors: CultureShape, Generus and Grozaic.
Supporting Sponsors: The Center for Respectful Leadership, Hoogly, Living Giving Enterprises, MichelleSpehr.com, Mobrium, TheMotif, PeopleForward Network, The Perk, Signal & Strand and Tito.
To our facilitators, volunteers and everyone who contributed behind the scenes, thank you for bringing your energy, creativity and care to every detail.
And to our attendees, thank you for showing up with open minds, open hearts and a willingness to connect with one another.
You are the reason CultureCon has always been more than a conference.
The End of an Era
When we started CultureCon nearly ten years ago, we had a simple belief: Workplace culture matters, and bringing people together to learn from one another can make a meaningful difference.
We couldn't have imagined all the people we would meet, the stories we would hear or the community that would grow around that belief.
Over the years, CultureCon has brought together thousands of people from different industries, backgrounds and corners of the world.
We've celebrated remarkable leaders, explored difficult questions, challenged conventional thinking and witnessed countless connections turn into lasting friendships and collaborations.
But what we'll remember most isn't the stages, the venues or the number of people in attendance.
It's the people.
The people who took a chance on a new conference. The speakers who trusted us with their stories. The partners who believed in our mission. The attendees who returned year after year, bringing colleagues and friends along with them.
And the countless moments when someone reminded us why this work matters.
CultureCon West 2026 was our final event under the CultureCon name.
And while saying goodbye to something we've spent nearly a decade building comes with plenty of emotion, it also fills us with tremendous gratitude.
Because CultureCon was never just a name.
It was a community. A shared belief. A commitment to making work better for everyone.
And that doesn't end here.
We're the same team with the same mission, continuing this work under a new name.
To everyone who has been part of CultureCon, whether you've attended one event or have been with us since the beginning, thank you for believing in what we're building.
Thank you for making CultureCon possible.
Our Next Chapter: WorkPossible
In January 2027, as we celebrate our tenth anniversary, CultureCon officially becomes WorkPossible.
While our name is changing, culture remains the heartbeat of our organization. That's never going to change.
WorkPossible represents our belief that work can be a force for good, and that when people thrive, organizations succeed and businesses can create a meaningful, positive impact on the world.
It's also an opportunity to expand the ways our community can learn, connect and grow together.
As part of this next chapter, we're introducing WorkPossible Membership, a new way to stay connected throughout the year through facilitated member experiences, professional development opportunities, exclusive benefits and access to our conferences.
For those who want to join us from the beginning, Founding Member pricing is available through December 31, 2026.
We're also looking forward to welcoming our community to AI Summit 2027, May 18–20, and WorkPossible 2027 in Madison, Wisconsin.
And for our West Coast community, we'll be returning to Las Vegas November 2–4, 2027, for WorkPossible West 2027, with early bird tickets available now.
Explore everything that's ahead at workpossible.org.
After nearly ten years of CultureCon, one thing has never been clearer:
The best workplaces don't happen by accident. They're made possible by people.
And together, we're just getting started.
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