In Europe’s crowded HR tech sector—where AI headlines dominate and SaaS tools multiply by the week—it’s easy for companies to fall into a predictable trap: automate more, scale faster, promise bigger. But the best brands don’t follow that path. They go smaller, deeper, more human.
Two standout companies—Workhuman, headquartered in Dublin, and Kaatch, an emerging HR platform from Madrid—are quietly rewriting the playbook. Rather than pitching tech as the hero, they put people at the center of their public relations strategy. And in doing so, they’ve created not just media buzz, but durable trust.
This is HR tech PR done right in Europe. Not loud. Not exaggerated. Just smart, intentional storytelling rooted in empathy and purpose.
Workhuman: Recognition Powered by Emotion (and Smart PR)
Workhuman didn’t invent employee appreciation. But it made it strategic.
What began as a simple recognition tool has evolved into a full-scale platform trusted by global giants like LinkedIn, Cisco, and Procter & Gamble. What sets Workhuman apart isn’t just its product—it’s how it communicates the why behind it.
1. Reframing Recognition as ROI
Workhuman’s early PR messaging centered around a provocative question: What if kindness had a business case? The company then backed it up with hard numbers—case studies showing how regular recognition reduces turnover, improves engagement, and enhances productivity.
By publishing its own research and partnering with analysts from IBM and Gallup, Workhuman flipped the narrative. Recognition was no longer a “soft perk” for feel-good HR teams—it was a retention strategy. That insight earned headlines in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and Financial Times, expanding Workhuman’s appeal from HR managers to CEOs.
2. Launching AI the Human Way
In 2024, Workhuman released “Human Intelligence,” a generative AI assistant that helps employees write more thoughtful, inclusive praise. The tool offers tone suggestions, avoids cliché, and encourages specificity.
Rather than spinning this as another AI breakthrough, the PR team took a grounded approach. They positioned the tool as a co-pilot—helping people say what they mean, not replacing their voice. The messaging was nuanced and responsible: AI as a way to deepen authenticity, not automate it.
Critically, they anticipated public skepticism. Their press kits included FAQs about data ethics, statements on human-in-the-loop design, and early testing insights. The result? Earned media coverage from Financial Times and Tech.EU without the backlash that typically dogs AI rollouts.
3. Creating Cultural Capital
Workhuman doesn’t just launch features—they create conversations. Their annual event, Workhuman Live, has become one of Europe’s premier HR conferences, bringing together thought leaders, sociologists, and DEI advocates alongside customers and partners.
Keynotes address topics like psychological safety, social impact, and the emotional cost of leadership—not product features. This gives Workhuman a halo of thoughtfulness that reinforces its brand at every turn. PR isn’t an add-on here—it’s embedded into the very architecture of how the company grows.
Kaatch: Freelance HR as a Force for Equity
At the other end of the size spectrum is Kaatch, a rising Madrid-based platform that connects early-stage companies with senior freelance HR professionals. It’s a humble idea: small startups deserve great HR too. But in a market where good HR is often unaffordable for new ventures, it’s a revolutionary proposition.
Kaatch doesn’t pitch itself as disruptive. Instead, it leads with access and equality—ideas often missing from the startup ecosystem’s slick PR decks.
1. Telling a Story of Talent Justice
Kaatch’s founder, Aina Català, speaks often about “talent inequality.” Her core message? Startups can’t build sustainable companies if their first 20 hires are mishandled. Yet few founders can afford a CHRO. Kaatch’s platform fixes that by giving small businesses project-based access to vetted HR experts.
In media interviews, Català doesn’t focus on product specs or growth metrics. She talks about emotional burnout, culture collapse, and founder stress. That storytelling choice matters—it humanizes the brand and invites empathy from the very people it serves.
Their PR positioning? Kaatch is a movement, not a marketplace. That’s why local press like El País Profesional and RRHH Digital embraced their story. It wasn’t about tech innovation. It was about what work could look like if HR were a shared resource, not a luxury.
2. Letting Recognition Fuel Narrative
In 2025, Kaatch was named “Most Innovative HR Project in Spain” by RRHH Digital. Rather than just announcing the win, they used it to springboard a wider conversation about the freelance HR economy.
Their press release didn’t crow about being the best. It advocated for legal protections for contract-based HR professionals. It explained how Kaatch helps reduce economic precarity for mid-career women. It even included testimonials from freelancers who used Kaatch to re-enter the workforce after maternity leave.
This values-forward framing made the story stick. Not just a trophy moment—but a narrative of advocacy.
3. PR by Partnership
Instead of hiring an expensive agency to “place them in TechCrunch,” Kaatch invested in ecosystem credibility. They hosted webinars with local startup accelerators, partnered with HR legal forums in Madrid and Valencia, and offered onboarding bootcamps for non-HR founders.
Each event generated its own organic buzz—LinkedIn posts, Medium blogs, and newsletter features. Slowly, they built a groundswell of trust that larger competitors couldn’t fake.
Kaatch’s PR strategy isn’t fast, and it isn’t global. But it’s real, targeted, and believable—which is what matters in HR, where reputation is everything.
Lessons from Two Playbooks: What HR Tech in Europe Can Learn
Workhuman and Kaatch are vastly different in size and market share. But their PR strategies share some crucial principles—ones that any HR tech startup in Europe can emulate:
1. Empathy Is the Differentiator
Both brands use emotion strategically. Workhuman leads with gratitude; Kaatch with access. Their success shows that being human-centered isn’t a liability in tech PR—it’s a strength.
2. Lead with Social Utility
Instead of starting with the product, they start with the problem they solve and the people they serve. They earn attention not because they shout—but because they matter.
3. Anticipate Scrutiny
Both companies roll out sensitive features (AI, freelancing, cross-border labor) with transparency and humility. That’s not just good ethics—it’s smart media strategy.
4. Thought Leadership Beats Advertising
PR shouldn’t just announce your product. It should extend your mission. Thought pieces, events, and community partnerships go further than clickbait campaigns.
Conclusion: The Future of HR Tech PR Is Human
In the next decade, Europe’s HR tech space will face unprecedented challenges—AI regulation, demographic shifts, remote workforce fragmentation. The companies that win won’t just have the best algorithms or the sleekest UI. They’ll have stories that resonate, founders who connect, and PR that builds trust rather than demands attention. HR Tech PR will be in increased demand!
Workhuman and Kaatch are already showing what that looks like. Their example isn’t just instructive—it’s inspiring.
Because in HR, people remember how you made them feel. And in tech, that’s the hardest advantage to replicate.
