By Wendy Spivak - The Castle Group | September 8 2017
Internal conferences and meetings play an integral role in a company’s ability to develop business strategy, discover new industry trends, and connect employees in a way that facilitates discussion and promotes a shared vision for success. To ensure participation, it’s important to find a central location to host these events – especially if your company has multiple office locations.
1. Networking
One of the top “unifiers” at conferences and meetings is networking. Providing teambuilding and networking opportunities is essential. Giving your employees the opportunity to get to know one another on a personal level and understand their roles within the team is very important to the overall “big picture.” Offering ample time for socialization and networking during company meetings will help you build company culture. This extends to your executive team, who should make every effort to mix and mingle with the rest of the company. Also, be sure to incorporate social media and other digital communication platforms, such as Slack, to encourage other ways for employees to connect on site.
2. Mission
Reaffirming your company’s mission will help get your employees on the same page and steering in the same direction. How can you do this? Through influential industry leaders and motivational speakers who can communicate your message and its importance. And don’t discount the importance of giving a “state of the business” address that hints at what’s to come in the following months.
3. Leadership
Events that bring companies together provide ample opportunities to observe leadership in action. Whether in the form of a speech, training program or round table talk, giving your employees and leaders the opportunity to connect with top executives and management is a great way to stay aware of what is happening. Hearing customer stories – either successful or not – from other employees and managers will also help validate what has and hasn’t worked.
4. Recognition
Regional and/or company-wide awards ceremonies present a fantastic forum to “publicly” recognize individual and team accomplishments. This type of acknowledgement can sometimes be lost on remote or satellite office personnel. Whether there is an incentive prize or awards to take home and display, providing employees with actual gratification of their work is a physical way to keep them motivated.
5. Unveiling
Meetings and conferences are perfect for launching and unveiling new products or strategies with everyone in one place. This gives you the opportunity to educate and arrange training programs where your employees can learn first-hand what it is they are offering. These events are also a great place to introduce and incorporate new or existing vendors and partners.
6. Collaboration
Hearing and learning from other departments increases business success rates. This may seem obvious, but employees will work better when they know what colleagues are doing. Sometimes employees are stuck in the bubble of their departments and rarely venture out to explore their colleagues’ roles. Meetings and conferences provide access and leverage for group thinking power. Breakout brainstorms present new and fresh ideas.
7. Excitement and Perks
Employers can use these meetings to motivate and energize their employees. Developing a central theme that drives your message creates a rallying point that helps get everyone excited. Here are examples of tactics that can draw everyone in to make the most out of this type of event:
• Contests/friendly competitions
• Keynote and motivational speakers
• Wellness and fitness classes
• Vendor showcase
Regardless of your business, it is important to know your brand so that you can produce a successful event that contributes to the long-term health of your company. How will you engage your company at your next meeting or conference?
