There’s no going back to how things were. And that’s a good thing.

While it is no secret that the pandemic has disrupted everything in the event industry, it also has provided some unintended benefits along the way.

Before COVID-19 became a daily headline, think about what made the event industry unique in the minds of outsiders:

• • Event organizers was ranked one of the most stressful professions, up there with firefighters and other first responders.
  • “Boring meetings” and “boondoggle events” were corporate punchlines.
  • The event and event venue industry were considered the second-most wasteful industry, next to construction.
  • What should you, as an event organizer, do now?

Resist the urge to “get back to normal.” Instead, look for ways that you can contribute to building our industry back in a stronger and better fashion.

Stop wearing stress as a badge of honor

Stress is a killer. It shortens your life, makes you cranky, and is not good for your health. So, as Lee Papa would say, stop being proud of being stressed out. All it’s going to do is burn you out. Instead, here are some tips on how to avoid burnout:

1. Prioritize mental, physical, intellectual, and spiritual health. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of anyone else.
2. Carve space out of your day to meditate, exercise or just do nothing.
3. Create boundaries for when you can and can’t be reached and start enjoying more of your evenings and weekends.

Feeling overwhelmed and dealing with stress exhaustion can feel never-ending. Fortunately, it’s not a long-term condition and there are ways of managing burnouts. Follow these 3-steps to help you create a more positive, and energetic work environment to make you and those around you feel excited about working with you.

Encore offers event solutions such as event management, from design to venue and logistics. Don’t handle the stress of events all on your own, hire us to help you manage your next event no matter the size.

Make meetings matter and create experiences that transform

People should look forward to your events, not dread them. But too often, companies manage events the way they’ve always done because they’ve lost sight of the why and what they’re trying to achieve. Here’s how you, as the event organizer, can do to help.

1. Work with your stakeholders to define why this event exists and what you want its participants to feel, say and do afterward. Create an experience where attendees feel like they can connect in events, such as hosting pre-event networking solutions with Encore’s platform Chime Live. Encourage conversations with virtual networking.
2. Partner with suppliers, like Encore, who are willing to co-create experiences and push boundaries with you. Create ultime live, virtual, or hybrid events with our event experts.
3. Become customer-centric so you really understand the problems you’re trying to solve for your participants. Stay curious about what’s going on outside the event industry for ideas on how to do things differently.

Encore can help you create memorable experiences accessible to all your attendees. Learn more about accessible event planning with one of our latest blog post on how to create more accessible hybrid and virtual events.

Reduce waste and use resources wisely

You know what’s better than recycling? Not generating waste to begin with. Here are three things you can do to reduce the carbon footprint of your in-person events and some eco-friendly ideas for events.

1. Reduce the distance participants and materials need to travel by planning regional, virtual events,and/or hybrid events, and buying local. The biggest event-related carbon-footprint generators are air travel and shipping. Consider the sustainable impact your event may have on the environment. Are you hosting an indoor event or finding an outdoor event venue? Energy, transportation and waste management are some factors to consider when choosing your location.
2. Reuse resources whenever possible and avoid single-use of anything.
3. Ask your event venues and vendors about their sustainability initiatives and make use of them.

Encore has entered into an agreement with Altus Power to build a solar power farm and contribute to more sustainable practices for future events. Learn more about how Encore can help you plan hybrid and virtual events for internal meetings, seminars, virtual expos and so much more. Start your eco event planning with us!

Hungry for more? Check out these resources from the Environmental Protection Agency.

Don’t forget to share your successes! Use #WeMetThere to tell the story of how you’re rebuilding the industry better than it was before.

What else do you think the industry needs to stop or start doing? Tag @encore on social and share your thoughts with us.

Source: Triple Pundit, Green Meetings: International Sustainability Standards for the Convention and Exhibition Industry, By Thomas Schueneman, Dec. 20, 2012