We saw a recent global poll by PCMA of 4,500 members of Generation Z that got our attention. They were asked if they could change one thing about business events, what would it be. The top answer was more engaging activities.

While this was a poll put out to a younger crowd, I think we can all agree that no matter what age we are, we want to be fully engaged and participate in the events we attend. This is particularly true for company meetings. Man those things can be dull!

Yes, team meetings are essential. But it’s also incredibly important that event planners figure out how to make them less boring and more productive, worthwhile, and fun to attend.

How to Be More Engaging! The Most Critical Aspect of Your Next Event

Begin with a Bang

Get your team engaged right out of the gate. Consider telling an interesting story, asking for a show of hands, or having people take part in a quick poll or quiz. Our clients have had a lot of success by having meeting participants jot down a question they’d love to have answered by the end of the meeting.

Learning is Still Fun

Most of us crave learning new things. So be sure to set time aside so your team can learn something new. You could have one of your team members who took a course, say a sales course, teach the rest of the group some of the key trainings.

You could also have learning materials and laptops set up on tables and allow “free learning time” when groups or individuals can review the materials.

Get Them Up and Moving

What happens when people eat platters of free bagels and danish and then sit in the same position for 4 hours? They fall into a peaceful slumber.

Set up your rooms in a way that allows seating areas, but also have some stand up time where people are up and active on their feet. If there is nice outdoor space, you may want to have the group take a brief walk outside to get some fresh air and move their muscles (weather providing). You can also take quizzes throughout the day and have people stand up instead of raising their hand. Get creative and find fun ways and reasons to have people get up and move around.

Invite Everyone to Share

There is a silent belief among many employees that meetings are for the higher ups to speak and the employees to sit there and listen. The best meetings are the ones that have been set up as an open group discussion.

Having said that, not everyone is great about speaking up. Some people are confident and can easily share their opinions in front of others and some can’t. Help facilitate the discussion by inviting everyone to share. You may want to break down one large group into smaller groups throughout the day to help ensure everyone has a voice and can share their ideas and insights.

Get Emotional

Logic and reasoning are critical in business. But let’s not forget, most businesses were built on passion and a desire for change. Without emotion, most great ideas would never get off the ground.

Invite team members to bring their emotions to the meeting. No, you’re not trying to inspire crying or shouting, but you are trying to gauge how people are feeling about their job and the companies’ goals. Invite team members to share anything they feel is good, bad, frustrating etc. about the current goings-on. Be sure to keep topics on work-focused themes and not stray into personal beefs or gossip!

The Wrap

Going to a meeting is akin to going to the dentist: It’s necessary, but you don’t necessarily have a great time while you’re there. This is the year to change that! By following these tips you can make sure your meetings are more engaging in 2022 and beyond!

And if you need any help planning your next company meeting, give us a shout. We help organizations engage, empower and inspire their teams.