London Inc. September 2021 - 42
S PECIA L EDIT ORIA L SEC T I ON MEET I NGS & EV ENT S
Make sure you have a clear understanding of the
Covid-prevention plans and measures that each of
your supplier partners have in place. Also remember
to ask your suppliers about their cancellation
policies in case you need to call off or postpone
your event at short notice. This is particularly
important in the prevailing environment where
regulations and requirements can change from one
day to the next.
4. USE HYBRID MEETINGS TO YOUR
ADVANTAGE. The concept of hybrid meetings
and events, which combine both in-person and
virtual elements, is hardly new, but it's suddenly in
the spotlight and generating a lot of interest from
corporate meeting planners.
It's likely hybrid meetings will form a key
component of corporate meeting programs in the
long-term, even after restrictions have been lifted,
as they can offer planners the best
of both worlds. You can achieve
higher levels of engagement
and create valuable networking
opportunities that are only possible
through face-to-face interactions.
Meanwhile, having some attendees
join virtually could mean lower
costs, a smaller carbon footprint
and compliance with health-andsafety
requirements.
That said, managing hybrid
meetings can become complicated
as you are essentially organizing
two meetings simultaneously -
one for the in-person attendees
and another for those joining
virtually. For a handy list of dos and
don'ts for hybrid meetings, see the
following article on page 44.
3. GET A HANDLE ON SMALL MEETINGS. As
restrictions are gradually eased, we can expect to
see small, local meetings (i.e., with attendees who
are all based in the same city or region) restart
standardized processes or solutions to manage
small meetings the way they do for large events or
transient business travel. When it comes to small
meetings, employees are often left to their own
devices to book venues and make arrangements.
Companies should use online booking tools
for small meetings that make it easy for their
employees to instantly search and book venues
and ancillaries, such as food and beverage and AV
equipment, from an approved list of suppliers. At
the same time, companies should establish a clear
approval process for arranging small meetings.
Not only will this create a better experience for
employees, but it will also help the organization
consolidate crucial information about their meetings
spend and activities, which will enable better
cost control and risk management.
42 | londonincmagazine.ca | SEPTEMBER 2021
5. DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF SUSTAINABILITY.
While ensuring the safety and wellbeing of attendees
is by far the top priority for event planners at
the moment, creating more sustainable meetings
and events should remain high on the agenda.
The shift towards virtual and hybrid meetings as
a result of the pandemic will certainly play a role in
creating more green corporate meeting programs
as there will be fewer carbon emissions generated
from travel. Companies can use data to better
understand the ROI that different types of meetings
generate for their business and then calibrate their
programs to achieve the right mix between in-person
and virtual engagement.
There are also other steps that businesses can
take to reduce the impact of their meetings on the
environment. For example, consider using seasonal,
local produce for food and beverage and working
with hotels, venues and other suppliers who have
strong eco-credentials.
http://www.londonincmagazine.ca
London Inc. September 2021
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