Education & Inspiration

Safe Meetings Resource Guide

Over the course of the last year we hosted several face-to-face and hybrid events in cities across the U.S., during this time we shared numerous protocols, case stories, industry updates, and event planning tips to help you through the safe meetings process. Now, we have gathered these here as our Safe Meetings Resource Guide in order to help you quickly find the information you need.

Guidelines and Protocols

As always, it is of the utmost importance that we are all up-to-date in regards to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, and that we design events that take these guidelines and protocols into account. We also sourced the diligent work of the Events Industry Council (EIC) APEX COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force.

Resources:
CDC Announces New Guidelines for Vaccinated Americans
Health & Safety Protocols in Hotels
How Meeting Planners Can Leverage Contact Tracing for Safer Meeting Environments

Hybrid Event Production

Hybrid events are here to stay. Planning hybrid events takes more than just setting up a camera and live streaming content. We have all had to learn to pivot and rethink our conferences. How do you engage your attendees? How do you connect virtual and face-to-face audiences? We have compiled the learnings from our hybrid events in hope they will help you confidently host your own hybrid events in 2021.

Resources:
4 Hybrid Event Experts Share Their Resources
8 Things We've Learned About Hybrid Event Production

Socially Distanced Set Ups

Reducing capacities, keeping six feet apart and plexiglass for registration tables. It takes more than that when planning your arrival experience and flow of the event. As meeting planners, we need to craft experiences that allow not only meeting in a socially distanced environment, but also ensure attendees feel safe throughout. We talk about registration onsite, socially distanced general sessions, breakouts, and onsite production under safe guidelines.

Resources:
Socially Distanced Meeting Design Ideas
Event Set Up Examples

Pre-Event Communication

Detailed communication and full transparency are key to setting up a successful event. As an industry, we know that timely and thorough communication fosters attendee confidence and understanding. Shared accountability for the meeting protocols put into place are essential as we increase the number of face-to-face meetings. We tackle pre and post event communication and the importance of the code of conduct.

Resource:
Proactive Event Communications

Transportation

Safety in the meetings experience equals safety across the entire travel journey. Keeping up on what airlines, rental car agencies and ride share companies are doing to keep your event attendees safe is vital.

Resources:
Health & Safety Protocols from Airlines & TSA
Safety Practices in Rental Cars & Ride Shares

Food and Beverage

Food and beverage are an integral part of events. Not only are they terrific ways to network, but also to relax after a day filled with meetings. How do you approach food and beverage service when planning your face-to-face meetings? What do buffets and receptions look like in 2021? Learn how to take your food and beverage service to the next level, taking health and safety requirements into consideration.

Resource:
Individualized Food Service & Receptions

Executive Planning Summaries

Having organized ten face-to-face programs in 2020, ranging in size and format we have compiled our executive planning summaries, including COVID 19 considerations and post conference learnings, for you utilize as inspiration and for guidance.

Resources:
Executive Women in Leadership 2020
Annual 3-day event, invitation-only event with 50 attendees (reduced to comply with restrictions). Agenda included general sessions, recreation, peer to peer discussion groups and networking.

ALHI Leadership Summit 2020
Annual 3-day event, invitation-only event with 50 attendees. Agenda included networking, general sessions, recreation/golf and smaller peer to peer discussion groups.

Back to Business Experiential Forum 2020
125 in-person attendees, over 500 virtual attendees for this one-day hybrid event and showcase for new meeting protocols. Content was driven by subject matter experts sharing how to get back to business. Intentionally designed as a learning lab to showcase for a reimagined meeting landscape.