How this Pandemic Will Change Events and Event Planning

Best Practices : Article

Event managers by nature are both planners and flexible. Though historically this has been demonstrated through an incredibly detailed Complete Meeting Plan and handling last-minute speaker cancellations, event planners now face the daunting challenge of managing events in a time of a global pandemic. For many, events scheduled through mid-year have either been postponed or canceled completely.

With the world just starting to consider a post-COVID reopening, we are months from largescale, in-person conferences and events. The world of events will be very different when we return, but it is never too soon to start planning.

No one knows for sure what the future of events will hold, but below are a few things that we recommend integrating into your events plan as future face-to-face events come to fruition.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Throughout the planning and promotion stages of future events, communication and expectation setting is more important than ever. Plan to communicate frequently with any potential sponsors, attendees, exhibitors, staff, etc., about the measures you are taking to keep everyone safe and healthy. Here are some questions to address:

  • Will you implement any social distancing measures? (changing meeting room setups, onsite registration, food, and beverage execution, etc.)
  • Will you distribute protective items, such as hand sanitizer, masks, and/or gloves?
  • Will you limit the number of groups in each breakout session or ballroom?
  • Will you include screening questions in registration? (e.g. if someone has traveled in a country with an outbreak over the last 30 days)

Communications with attendees about safety measures that will be implemented on-site will be critical. Clear, visible signage throughout the venue is a must as it is not going to be easy for people to remember that shaking hands is now considered poor form. Push notifications on event apps are another way to keep attendees mindful of safety measures that they can take.

Rethink Your Venue

As the White House guidelines note, a return to events of all kinds will come in conjunction with strict social distancing guidelines. This will mean increasing the space needed within a venue for an event. This pandemic will put us in a place where we will need to limit the number of attendees to allow for adequate social distancing.. Implementing effective distancing guidelines will require significantly more space—the 6-foot table that you used to squeeze three chairs behind is flying solo now. Networking receptions will need to be entirely reimagined. Crowding hundreds of people into a hotel ballroom with food stations and passed canapes will be a no-go for a while, so re-imagining ways to give attendees a sense of connection and community will be a post-COVID-19 necessity.

Other Considerations for Planning a (safe) Event

In the “old days,” event contracts included sections around force majeure – but few included global pandemics. Now, event cancellation insurance has exclusions for COVID-19. As you plan your next event, it is going to be important to examine venue and hotel policies more closely to understand your options in case you need to cancel, especially due to an outbreak in the vicinity.

Moving forward, it is not a question of whether an event will be online or face to face, it’s more likely that events will need to be hybrid for the foreseeable future. Travel restrictions and decreased budgets will necessitate more remote attendees than ever before. That means optimizing staging, lighting, and, most critically, bandwidth for remote attendees.

A preparedness plan will now be a standard part of an overall event plan. This includes advanced coordination with local health officials and medical facilities. They could have more reliable community health data by which decisions about the event should be made. Having medical staff on-site for screenings as needed will likely be standard practice. The CDC has issued helpful guidance for planning mass gatherings.

Lastly, don’t forget about your front-line event staff. Not only could the return to formerly beloved events now be anxiety-inducing but for some could truly be a health risk. Have open discussions with them, give them options to help them feel comfortable, and make sure that you provide adequate protective equipment for those that wish to use it.

Things sure changed fast in the world of events. And the changes aren’t over yet. Stay flexible, have contingency plans, and be ready for things to change at the last minute. Amidst upheaval and uncertainty, find opportunities and creative ideas to unite people together, even if we can’t be face to face. Rest assured; the day will come when we look back on this as “remember when…”

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