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Successful corporate planners understand that the best business events happen when there is a solid plan of execution in place. This is even more important during the challenging era of COVID-19. Here are a few ways that you can plan a successful business event during the ongoing pandemic.
Understand Local Health Protocols
It is important to understand that the health crisis is a fluid situation. What may be permissible today may not be advised a few weeks down the road. In order to pull off a successful business event in this dynamic climate, you need to continually stay on top of the latest developments of the pandemic. This means staying in close contact with your local health department and state government so that you follow all of the recommended guidelines. Ignorance is no excuse for not following the rules put in place by your local jurisdictions. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the health protocols and actively stay on top of any changes so that you can pivot if necessary.
Leave it to the Professionals
With so many other elements of the event to juggle during this time, it is more important than ever to lean on the professionals. By contracting some parts of the event out to the professionals, you will free up more time to focus on how to pull this off during a global pandemic. For example, a Brooklyn party rentals company can help you to find tables, chairs, decor, serving ware, glassware, tents, and more. A professional rental company will also deliver all of these items to your event site and take care of the setup and tear down. This will free you up to handle all of the little details.
Consider Food and Drink Carefully
One of the trickiest parts of planning a business event during this pandemic is deciding how to approach the food and drink options. Self-service buffets are primarily off the table for now, making event planners turn to other types of catering options. Depending on the health regulations in your area as well as the current level of spread of the virus, you may want to scale back your offerings and choose to go with pre-packaged goods. Catered box lunches are also a good idea for corporate events that fall over the lunch hour. A professional catering company should also be equipped to instill the proper hygiene protocols to ensure a safe dining experience for all of your attendees.
Provide Options for Attendees
While it is great if you want to hold a safe in-person event, it is also important to recognize not that not everyone may feel comfortable participating in this manner. Good business leaders will provide alternatives for those guests who cannot attend the event in person because of health or other reasons. This could mean that you may need to offer a virtual component to your event for those who do not feel comfortable attending in person. In today’s increasingly digital world, it may be easier than you think to provide this alternative. If the goal is to increase participation, having an online alternative will help you to reach more people.
Communicate with Attendees
It has never been more important to maintain a solid line of communication between the event organizers and the attendees. It is understandable if people may feel anxious during this uncertain time. Keeping in contact with the attendees to let them know what to expect can go a long way in making people feel more secure in attending. This is especially important if you plan on putting additional protections in place. For example, perhaps you want to institute a no-handshake policy. This is a policy that you will want to be sure to communicate to attendees prior to the event. Other elements that you will want to communicate include if you will be requiring masks, if attendees should expect to get their temperatures taken, and if social distancing will be enforced.
Conclusion
The good news is that it is still possible to bring your team together even during this unprecedented time in history. By following these tips, you will put yourself in a better position to pull off a successful and safe business event.
