Deciding whether the benefits of off-site meetings add an extra dimension to a company’s new strategy launch or training delivery can be challenging for event planners.
Inevitable questions arise about the impact of a different setting on employees, how this might effect, engagement and how the services at the chosen venue will amplify the overall experience of attendees.
Considering internal training versus external training is a little like choosing whether to eat in or go out to a restaurant. If you cook for yourself, you know what you’re going to get. But if you go out, selecting somewhere that has great food and excellent service that suits everyone can be tricky.
Inspire, prioritise and engage
One of the key benefits of off-site meetings is a change of scene. Nearly two-thirds of meeting planners believe that off-site meetings are more productive than those held in the office.
The difference between internal and external training is that the latter breaks the norm for employees. A new creative environment can generate heightened engagement from delegates and puts an emphasis on event planners to make sure off-site meetings are well structured and meet their intended goals.
Being at an external venue often improves productivity by reducing the likelihood of workplace interruptions. A major benefit of off-site meetings is that it communicates a sense of importance and priority to employees, meaning they are less likely to allow themselves to be distracted by phone calls, emails or other colleagues.
Embrace the collective
It is common for big company decisions to be taken solely by senior management. With employee engagement increasingly vital to running a business, embracing your workforce’s collective knowledge and experience can prove fruitful.
Working with staff on strategic initiatives can help make staff feel valued, improving morale and making them feel like their opinions are heard, which in turn tends to contribute to higher levels of staff engagement and retention. A perceived dictatorial leadership style often leads to employee disengagement and lower productivity.
Some event planners might worry about delegates getting distracted by the excitement of being in a new venue. However, a Forbes survey found that more than half of workers admit not being engaged in their standard office environment, while almost one-fifth (17%) were actively disengaged.
Furthermore, being in a different environment often helps promote communication between workers as well as improve professional relationships by providing an opportunity for people to learn more about the people they work with in a relaxed, different environment.
A bold presentation
When weighing up external training advantages and disadvantages, another important consideration is how to deliver your company’s message.
Employees expect at least the same level of technology to be applied during their off-site meeting as in the standard work environment. Technology should be a friction-free aid to communication, and stress-free for event organisers.
Opt for a venue providing high-tech meeting rooms as standard and a dedicated technology team over-seeing them and on-hand to ensure your meeting runs smoothly. Audio-visual reliability – making for glitch-free multi-media ‘reveal’ slides in presentations – and high-speed internet connectivity is also crucial.
(Read about the Møller Institute’s hosting and live-streaming of a global conference featuring the late Professor Stephen Hawking: Click here)
The benefits of off-site meetings are manifold and with an esteemed, high-quality venue partner such as the Møller Centre, you can guarantee a more impactful, engaging and (dare we say it) enjoyable meeting experience for you and your team.
For more information about what the Møller Institute can offer you, click here.
