HR Bootcamp — A Professional Summer Camp for 100 Participants
The Estonian HR Society organized a summer camp at the Kloogaranna Puhkeküla from June 10–12, 2026 called HR Bootcamp. The goal of the camp was to share exciting insights into the challenges of human resources management, offer a vacation-like experience before the start of summer, and foster a sense of community that would last long after the camp ended.
A total of 100 people participated in the three-day event, and the entire Kloogaranna Puhkeküla was reserved exclusively for the HR Society during that time.
Why a summer camp and not a conference in the city?
“Our goal is to bring together HR enthusiasts and friends in a setting close to nature and with a more relaxed atmosphere, where there are various opportunities for networking and which provides inspiration to put the ideas gained into practice once we return to our professional lives,” says Merilin Aug, Vice President of the Estonian HR Society.
“We see that this format offers more opportunities for genuine conversations than a traditional conference, and the evening gathering provides an excellent opportunity to make new contacts,” she adds.
We don't want the price to be the reason for not coming
When we were discussing the details in our first meeting, the organizers of HR Bootcamp emphasized their goal of keeping the ticket price at 70€. This was to include two nights of lodging, seminar rooms, the opportunity to participate in workshops, evening entertainment, and 5–6 meals.
“The goal of the HR Society is to bring together as many HR professionals in Estonia as possible to share knowledge and best practices, and to network. We have our own social media channels, website, and news portal, where we also share information free of charge precisely so that it reaches as many people as possible. That’s why we also want to make our events accessible to everyone who is interested in these topics and who wants to gain new ideas and insights in their field,” explains Merilin.
“In order to offer such affordable ticket prices, we always have great partners and sponsors who lend their support to the event. Partners are also interested in sharing their knowledge in the HR field, and thanks to them, we’re able to welcome participants at a truly affordable price.”
A three-day program in one location
The HR Bootcamp format included a variety of activities over the course of three days: morning workouts, three meals a day, concurrent workshops, a panel discussion on employee retention, evening events, and free time.
Since the entire program took place within a single area, participants did not have to travel anywhere during the day or navigate between different locations. In their free time or in the evening, participants could take a walk on the beach to process the information they had received in a more peaceful setting or take a break from socializing.
At the overnight event, participants had the opportunity to connect with colleagues in their field who were sharing the house with them, or to take an evening stroll on the beach with new acquaintances and reflect on what they had seen that day.
The resort is located 40 minutes from Tallinn by car and 46 minutes by train from Baltic Station. There is a free parking lot on site, which was large enough to accommodate all the vehicles of the participants who arrived by car.
Two rooms, two different work formats
The main program took place in the two of our largest seminar rooms, with the tables and chairs arranged according to the needs of the workshops.
In the catering hall seminar room, the tableswere arranged in a U-shape. This layout is suitable for sessions where both participants and the presenter can see each other, and the group functions as a whole rather than separate groups. The U-shape works well for strategy games, panel discussions, and group reflection, where the conversation flows around the entire room.
In the large hall of the seminar building,the tables were arranged in groups, with participants seated around several tables. This layout is suitable for workshops where small groups work independently in analyzing case studies, completing written exercises, discussing questions as a group, and then reporting back to the larger group.
On the second day, parallel workshops were held in these two rooms. Two 1.5-hour workshops took place simultaneously three times a day. There were breaks and lunch between sessions. Topics included artificial intelligence, psychosocial risk assessment, personal data crisis management, and more.
The smaller hall in the seminar building was used by the partners to showcase their solutions. A separate room kept the partner program distinct from the main program's workshops.
Photo by Rasmus SelgeBuffet-style dining
All meals—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—were prepared and served by the caterer of Kloogaranna Puhkeküla.
Catering was served buffet-style in the catering hall, which is very practical for a group of 100: people could move at their own pace and take exactly the food they wanted and as much as they wanted. The food was home-style and nutritious.
According to the organizer, the catering received praise—participants rated the food as good or very good in the feedback survey.
In addition, the Foodtruck Wild Mess was on site, which was used primarily for snacks and drinks during the evening social program.
The participants enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the beach
Merilin Aug, Vice President of the HR Society: “We chose Kloogaranna Puhkeküla to host this year’s HR Bootcamp because it’s conveniently close to Tallinn and participants can also get there by train. As an organizer, it made my life easier that Piret, the resort manager, was always nearby and easily reachable. We were able to resolve any issues with her on the fly, and thanks to that, the event ran smoothly.”
What was the feedback from participants?
Merilin: “The participants thought the location was excellent; they especially liked the beautiful natural surroundings and Kloogaranna Beach. It was also convenient for those coming from southern Estonia to get here. The catering also received praise; people thought it was very good.”
If you’re organizing a similar event for 50–170 people and need a venue where you can hold group sessions, parallel workshops, provide accommodations and catering, and host an evening program—all on the same premises—please contact us at info@rannalaager.ee.
