Why do the best company events pay particular attention to the wellbeing of the delegates? The reason is simple: whether it’s a team bonding session, an awayday, annual conference, creative brainstorm or wellbeing programme, for any event to be a success, the people attending need to be able to
Absorb information well
Share their thoughts and ideas
Remain alert and focused
I asked a number of people what their most recent experience was at a company event, here are a few common replies
“The first hour was a bit of a blur, new place, new people, I felt a bit on edge.”
“Fantastic morning but I was so tired after lunch.”
“With that many speakers and sessions, I found it hard to take it all in.”
“By the afternoon I was struggling to keep awake – no amount of coffee helped!”
“Several times during the day I didn’t feel on the ball and able to contribute enough.”
It’s normal that an event will have the company objectives at the heart of its planning, but more enlightened companies now include delegate wellbeing as a key element. They understand that we are all strongly affected by circadian rhythms, our internal body clock. They determine our levels of alertness and energy throughout the day.
Whether online or onsite, delegates with higher levels of energy, concentration, creativity and mood, will contribute more to the success of any event.
In recent years I have seen a significant shift in this area and have illustrated it below using the example of a traditional corporate event.
The same principle of interspersing short wellbeing sessions around the core agenda applies to all events. Below are a few examples:
REN COSMETICS – a brand and product immersion day for a group of online influencers: information was shared by the brand team and individual treatments were enjoyed by the influencers. Then a mat yoga and gong bath meditation session brought the group together for a shared experience. (Partner: A Balanced Life)
MICROBIOLOGY SOCIETY – at their annual conference, after two hours and six presentations, delegates took a mid morning break that included mindful movement, breath and meditation exercises. Then on to the next six presentations before the lunch break!
BEARINGPOINT BUSINESS CONSULTANTS – staff came from different regions for a company awayday. Between a senior management presentation and brainstorm session, delegates could choose to take part in new experiences to get their creative juices flowing. One option was a session of chair yoga, meditation and gong bath.
AIIMI INSIGHT SOFTWARE – curated a two day festival style event where staff could have fun, get to know eachother and enjoy themselves away from the pressure of the office and the job. Activities included Tai Chi, archery, massage and mat yoga. To close the first day, everyone met up for a gong bath. (Partner: Soul Sanity)
To find out more or to discuss an upcoming event, please call Nick on 0787 966 6921 or nick@nickyogameditation.co.uk
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