With events coming back online, it’s time to capitalise on the talent mountain seeking new roles.
Autumn it seems is the optimal time for business events to be back on the agenda. With employees vaccinated and back in a new regime of work, corporates will be looking to rebuild their market share, reward their teams and thank their clients.
Engaging and exchanging is what events are all about. While digital has been the go-to way of organisations communicating, face-to-face will be back like a flash and it’s up to each venue to show their credentials on the new big ticks for winning event business: sanitisation and sustainability.
But, with meeting and event spaces darkened and gathering dust across the nation, who is going to manage and run the events when they arrive on property? Research by Meeting Allstars highlights there’s already been a mass exodus of meetings and events planners. It’s hardly surprising after 12-18 months of being furloughed, forgotten and frustrated at the lack of government support for our sector.
Meeting Allstars’ research mirrors the broader situation within the hospitality sector with recruitment stagnant, many businesses being propped up by furlough, headcount minimised to meet the limited demand levels and lack of clarity on when events can return. Add in our current low consumer confidence and, with businesses stalled since lockdown, it’s not surprising that:
• 21 per cent of employees are furloughed either in a part-time or full-time capacity
• up to one third of event personnel have been made redundant
• 40 per cent of the sector are looking for roles outside the events industry underlining a major migration of talent.
Seeking new roles
Those currently working and those awaiting to come back off furlough are anticipating big change in their roles in the coming months and foresee significant additions to their job descriptions when they are fully back. Respondents anticipate that their current positions will be merged meaning they will be given additional responsibilities.
The big people exit from the sector could increase the recovery period of live events through the reduction of the sector specialism – just at the time when we should be gearing up for the boon in live events and face-to-face marketing.
Now is the time to start planning for the return of corporate events and now is the time to capitalise on the talent mountain that’s seeking a new role.
Even with the vaccine rollout it’s unlikely we will go back to the office full-time and future proofing the team means a hybrid model for the workplace, and hospitality businesses too.
As Covid underlined to us all in our sector no one wants to risk hiring full-time employees to meet work that may cancel at a moment’s notice. A freelance and flexible workforce is a trend that will grow throughout 2021 and beyond and will help businesses acquire an agile, on-demand workforce which can help with their wider business goals without affecting their cash flow.
To flex your headcount and win business events, check out Meeting Allstars and Delegate Wranglers.
More Information
Meeting Allstars www.meetingallstars.com
The Delegate Wranglers www.thedelegatewranglers.com
About the Author
Andrew White is MD of Triggerfish Communications, a specialist in helping heritage venues and leisure attractions build awareness and market share in the business of events. www.triggerfish.co.uk
