Not everything in life goes as planned. In some cases, a single unplanned event can change the entire trajectory of your life in an instant. In case you haven’t noticed, COVID-19 is one of those unplanned events. And it didn’t just change the trajectory of a few lives, or even millions of lives. This virus changed the trajectory of everybody’s life. Industries had to shut down. States had to shut down. Countries had to shut down.
Social distancing. Face masks. Routine hand-washing. Zoom fatigue. Temperature checks. Contract tracing. Toilet paper shortages. These are our current realities. But as the spread of the virus slows and the curve begins to flatten, the world is working to figure out how to restart again. What will the new norm look like? And more importantly for those of us who make a living planning events, what will corporate event planning look like in the post-COVID era? After all, we’re talking about an industry that relies on packing crowds of people into closed spaces for hours…sometimes even days!
Will more events be virtual moving forward? Are people afraid to gather at large events? What safety and health measures can event planners take for social distancing? What can event planners do to plan for the post-COVID era now?
While virtual conferences are likely to gain popularity and support as a viable option, a recent article in Event Marketer offered some insight into what we can expect when we finally resume doing things the old-fashioned way, and how we can mitigate the fear while ensuring the health and safety of event-goers.
Among the simplest strategies that event planners can employ is adequate signage with healthy reminders: washing hands for twenty seconds, covering your mouth with your elbow when you cough, and excusing yourself from the conference if you’re not feeling well. Daily temperature checks and an ample supply of hand-sanitizer stations will also help maintain a safe environment for attendees.
And contrary to what you might think, face masks aren’t necessarily going to be required for everyone. Cloth masks are only useful to keep the sick person wearing it from infecting others. And if sick people are discouraged from attending in the first place, no masks are needed. Although it will be wise for event planners to have them on hand should attendees request them.
Which leads to a final point: the greatest obstacle we’ll all be facing in the months and years ahead is fear. That’s why constant communication with your attendees before and during the event— sharing your company’s health and safety policies and guidelines—will go a long way in building that sense of security we’re all looking for right now.
Life will go on. In-person events will resume. By utilizing a few simple strategies now, you are sure to be prepped for success when the time comes!
Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are suffering from and have lost loved ones due to COVID-19.