Whether it’s a long-haul, once-in-a-lifetime, incentive trip or a local large-scale conference there is one thing that gets overlooked far too often - and the irony is, it has the highest value.
The answer to this riddle? Time. More specifically, downtime. Too often companies put all their focus on getting the most out of the time allotted. Whether this is a conference with back-to-back content sessions, an hour ‘turnaround’ and then evening dinners and drinks. Or an incentive trip that has an agenda so jam-packed that it leaves reward winners exhausted and in need of a holiday.
It’s an understandable mistake to make, and many will say the attendees “are there for work” but the value of giving people time to relax shouldn’t be underestimated.
Conference clarity
Global conferences can be overwhelming. They often take place in a different time zone and require the delegate to be present, which means the ‘day job’ is continuing without them - and so is their home life. This puts further pressure on an individual’s time as they desperately try to catch up on emails or call loved ones in their short breaks.
Conferences are also exhausting as a concept. Even the most extroverted delegates can quickly feel their social battery draining after two-days of non-stop networking with people they have to constantly be in ‘work mode’ with.
And when you then factor in all the content these attendees are absorbing in such a short space of time, chances are they will only remember a quarter of what they have listened to - if that.
Enjoyable incentives
Then you have incentive travel. A reward and recognition trip designed to engage staff so that they want to stay with their employer and are motivated to work hard enough to qualify.
But if attendees are returning from an incentive trip exhausted - mentally or physically - then something has gone wrong.
Whether or not incentive trips should include partners is often debated. But if they do, those couples will appreciate some alone time away from colleagues, and if they don’t, then (as mentioned) people will want time to check-in with their families. Work-life balance is arguably even more important with an incentive given the likelihood that qualifiers will have probably worked harder and longer in order to earn the experience.
And so whatever event is being put together, it’s critical to see the value in real downtime - not just an hour on an agenda that is likely to get absorbed by delays and overruns.
We at Black Book recognise that every client, event and delegate is unique and therefore appreciate that the management of any experience - be it conference or incentive - should be bespoke. We prioritise a company’s strategic goals in tandem with the delegate experience to ensure that stakeholders and attendees aren’t just satisfied - they are overjoyed.
Using our extensive knowledge of global destinations, venues and hotels as well as a vast international network of partners that can help on-the-ground, we are confident we can help you to plan strategic large-scale gatherings and continue to reward your employees with once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Get in touch if you’d like to find out more.