The Importance of Meeting in Person After Covid-19
With lockdowns easing and?mask mandates lifting?across the U.S., many businesses are making the transition back to working in the office. While there are benefits from working from home, when it comes to meetings there is no substitute for a face-to-face interaction that isn’t plagued by home life interruptions and technology glitches. We at Innovent are thrilled to be hosting our first in-person meeting, on May 1st in Las Vegas, since the start of the pandemic, with more planned throughout 2022. In light of this upcoming event, we’ve reviewed some of the benefits of in-person meetings for both businesses and people.
Benefits of In-Person Meetings
Businesses are eager to have employees back in person, and large companies like Goldman Sachs, Meta, American Express, and JPMorgan have been asking their employees to return to the office. Outside of work, many people have been longing to hang out with loved ones and friends face-to-face. Socialization and relationships are?a human need, and the consequences of physical distancing on mental health are?well-documented. Meeting in person is important because:
It’s More Productive
A?2016 research study?found that people tend to estimate that requests sent over email are just as effective as in-person requests. However, people making a request face-to-face are?34 times more likely?to be successful. It also usually takes less time and effort to communicate a task correctly in person. The communication issues that arise from misinterpreting written text or a bad call connection are numerous and prevalent, and often we are able to gather more information than we think (potentially even more than through words) from?nonverbal cues and body language.
Meeting face-to-face benefits from fewer distractions. Many working remotely deal with home distractions such as pets, food, family members, significant others, social media, home projects, entertainment devices… the list goes on.?58% of executives?have admitted that they “frequently” surf the web, check their email, and read unrelated materials during video or voice calls. The home is where most people’s lives are centered, and where almost everyone’s lives were centered during the global pandemic. Working from home created a blurry work-life boundary, and it was difficult to strike a balance between the two. When you add a lag in connection and other technology issues, communication breaks down quickly. Meeting in person, whether it be between friends, colleagues, or family, brings your focus to the subject at hand and the person right in front of you.
It’s More Profitable
At?Innovent, we know how important events are to growing your business. But don’t just take our word for it. Oxford Economics released an?Economic Significance Study (ESS)?in 2018 on meetings and found that the meetings and events sector result in $845 billion of output (business sales) and contribute $446 billion to the U.S. GDP. And face-to-face meetings are not just good for the economy: connections and meetings can easily lead to careers and business opportunities. It’s estimated that?over 70% of jobs?are not published publicly, and around 80% of jobs are filled by personal connections. Over 80% of senior executives agree that?“down” time at in-person conferences?builds stronger client bonds (81%), and?meetings?in particular help them grow professionally (88%), network (90%), and their ability to close deals (93%). In the world of business, it’s about who you know, and meeting new people and leaving an impression can go a long way. Networking is incredibly important for building careers and closing deals, and having great social skills is a major asset in the business world.
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It’s Preferred?
A?study by Forbes Insights?which surveyed more than 750 business executives found that more than?8 out of 10 executives said they prefer face-to-face meetings?over technology-enabled ones. When asked why, over 75% of executives polled cited building stronger, more meaningful business relationships (85%) the ability to read body language and facial expressions (77%), and the increased social interaction and ability to bond with co-workers and clients (75%). And the preference of in-person meetings is not limited by sector. Leaders of large companies such as Yahoo, IBM, Best Buy, and Bank of America, known for having limited their work-from-home programs even before the pandemic, cited an increased effort to?improve teamwork, collaboration, and communication?as reasons for the transition.
We hope that some of these insights and statistics can assist in some way as you look to moving your annual meetings back to in-person gatherings. We’re here and ready to start that planning process with you as you look forward to a successful year.
Fred Kersting | President + Founder | Innovent
Innovent is a client-driven, brand engagement agency that makes things happen. Through unique creative and compelling stories, we build connections between you and your audience.