Running Successful Corporate Events In A Post COVID-19 World

By Ross | 1 Entertainment on May 25 2020

Our ideas and thoughts on what will make a successful corporate event after COVID-19...

The COVID-19 pandemic has already had a dramatic impact on our lives. The government sanctioned social distancing and social isolation rules put in place to slow the spread of the virus have completely changed how we work and socialise.

Although it is currently very difficult for companies to run real-world corporate events, this will change in the coming months as restrictions are gradually eased. But what will the post COVID-19 world look like for businesses running corporate events? Here are a few key ways in which corporate events will change.

Staying Informed

Businesses and event planners will need to stay up-to-date with the information being released by the World Health Organization and the UK government. This information will help you plan an event that is safe for all attendees and compliant with current social distancing guidelines. Currently, the best sources of information for businesses and event planners are:

• The World Health Organization website

• UK Government COVID-19 Guidance and Support website

Regularly checking the information released on these websites will be critical for running a successful corporate event which keeps attendees as safe as possible.

Venue Selection Criteria Will Evolve

The way that we choose venues for corporate events will change dramatically as the economy re-opens. Additional criteria will need to be applied when selecting a venue, including:

• Room for social distancing measures
The capacity of venues will change as they will need to provide additional room for social distancing tools like cordons and plastic barriers. There will also need to be additional room between tables and chairs, along with safe travel pathways throughout the venue.

• Sanitisation policies
Venues will need to have strict sanitisation policies in place and a high level of accountability for implementing those policies correctly. High-traffic areas in the venue may need to be sanitised and disinfected several times during an event to reduce the risk of transmission. Venues will also be expected to have sanitisation tools like hand washing stations and hand sanitiser available.

• Policies and procedures for workforce contact tracing
In a post COVID-19 world, venues will need to regularly assess the health of their employees and use contact tracing technology to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading.

• Temperature check
It will become common for venues to perform temperature checks of employees and event attendees.

Event Food And Beverage Handling Will Change

Self-service buffets will not be a viable option for corporate events in a post COVID-19 world. Instead, venues will use staff trained in sanitation and food-handling to distribute food directly to attendees. The way food is packaged may also change to reduce the risk of food contamination, with pre-packed meals becoming more common.

Improved Communication To Reinforce Social Distancing Rules

Event planners will need to communicate requirements to event attendees in a very clear and consistent manner. The precautions that need to be taken must be simple for attendees to understand. Attendees will also need to be informed how to find hand washing stations and what to do if they feel unwell.

Corporate Events Will Combine Real And Virtual Worlds

COVID-19 will make it much more difficult to run large-scale corporate events with hundreds of attendees. As a result, more corporate events will begin to combine real-world events with the online world.

We will see more corporate events being live streamed to an Internet audience. Events will also use technologies that allow real world attendees to communicate directly with online attendees. This will involve the use of platforms like Zoom, Skype, YouTube, and Discord.

Corporate Event Meetings Will Change

Corporate events are a wonderful opportunity for attendees to have small-scale networking sessions and business meetings. The way these kinds of get-togethers operate will change in a post COVID-19 world.

Meeting rooms will need to be set up with furniture and floor markers that make social distancingeasy to understand for attendees. If small-scale lectures are going to be available, the seating will also be designed to enforce social distancing. There will be smaller caps on the number of attendees in a small room, which may change the event’s itinerary.

We’re In This Together

At 1Entertainment, we are committed to keeping our corporate events safe for staff and attendees. We are an experienced event management company with the knowledge and skills necessary to plan successful corporate events in the post COVID-19 world. If you have any questions, please contact our friendly team on 0207 193 8029or via info@1entertainment.co.uk.