The rise of connected employee-led experiences - and how to deliver them
Becca Shanks, creative services director at Sledge, on crafting events that truly put people front and centre.
UK employees are burnt out, stressed, and ultimately disengaged.
Given peoples’ busier than ever lives, and the many external pressures they face – from the rising cost of living and the challenges that come with this, to global uncertainties – this might not come as a surprise, however various reports also, unfortunately, support this notion.
Mental Health UK’s 2024 Burnout Report reveals that nine out of 10 adults experienced high or extreme levels of stress in 2023, and for 42 per cent of respondents, a supportive network of colleagues has helped to alleviate stress.
Additionally, Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace 2024 Report revealed its financial estimations around low employee engagement, which costs the global economy 8.9 trillion US dollars.
Employers have an important role to play in developing cultures and initiatives that place their people at the forefront and enhance their wellbeing, and given the power of human connection, live events, meetings and conferences can add immense value here.
Becca Shanks
Becca Shanks
Enter the connected employee-led experience
Internal events have enormous potential to remedy many of these issues, however those that are planned and managed with minimal or no input from employees risk missing the mark.
It’s why connected employee-led experiences have become so key. Team members who are connected to their place of work are passionate about their roles, and rather than dread each working day, they relish the opportunity to contribute to something bigger than themselves.
While this will vary on an individual level, it is ultimately reflective of a positive company culture, one that prioritises its peoples’ wellbeing, is purpose-driven, empowers employees to have their say, and provides them with opportunities to grow and progress on an ongoing basis.
At its core, putting this into practice from an event perspective therefore means involving employees in all aspects of the event planning process – from the initial ideation phase, through to delivery and on-the-ground management.
Crafting events that truly put people front and centre
In terms of where to begin, aim to unearth what it is that employees seek from an internal event, by conducting first-hand research and analysis via surveys, face-to-face conversations, and one-to-one catch ups.
Ensure the messaging is reflective of the fact that the organisation genuinely values their input, too, as this will encourage individuals to come forward and share their thoughts and ideas.
Consider also peoples’ passion points, job roles and experience – perhaps, for example, someone has previously demonstrated an interest in a particular topic, or getting involved in a certain company-wide initiative.
Once we have this invaluable information, it’s time to consider how employees can shape the experience as a collective, based on their passion points, as this is key for connecting them not only to the company itself, but to one another.
This may involve brainstorming focus areas for sessions and supporting on their development, drumming up interest internally, hosting roundtables or breakouts, sourcing talent, and so forth.
We eventprofs should encourage clients to take team members’ feedback onboard, and look beyond what has been done before. If previous events or conferences followed the same style and format, for example, ensure variety based on team members’ insights, as this will ensure relevance and resonance.
At the same time, we must explore ways to uphold employees’ wishes, while ensuring the experience ladders up to wider company goals – whether that’s to communicate quarterly updates, launch a new product or service, recognise employees via awards, or other, and it’s where identifying these at the very beginning of the planning process becomes vital.
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
Photo by Sable Flow on Unsplash
Photo by Sable Flow on Unsplash
Engaged employees equates to company growth
At the end of the day, the success of an organisation comes down to its people, and connected employed-led experiences have the potential to engage and ignite previously less or unengaged individuals.
Providing them with opportunities to work alongside their colleagues – including those outside of their own departments, and empowering them to shape the events they attend can boost morale, create a sense of belonging, and in turn, reduce feelings of stress, enhance overall wellbeing, increase productivity, and improve an organisation’s bottom line.
For the benefits of such an approach to be truly felt, however, it’s also vital it becomes ingrained in the very fabric of a company’s not only annual event strategy, but all internal communications, actions, and its overarching culture.
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