Looking forward: In the wake of COVID-19, what’s best for meeting professionals?
The impact of the coronavirus has caused unexpected and considerable changes in our industry in a short period of time. Recent shifts in how we do business have greatly affected the talent in our workforce, leaving many meeting professionals uncertain about the future.
In just six months, the meeting landscape has transformed, and furloughs and layoffs continue to rise. There are daily headlines about travel industry leaders pushing for government relief for millions of travel industry workers. At the same time, virtual event attendance is projected to increase to a record high of 87%, according to MPI’s Meetings Outlook 2020 Summer Edition.
Thousands of our colleagues, from entry-level personnel to seasoned industry veterans, are facing difficult choices about their careers and businesses. The rapid and massive growth of virtual events has increased the demand for professionals with specialized skills and new areas of expertise. Remote work, Zoom meetings and a distributed workforce seem like they’re here to stay. It’s all a lot to digest.
One of the greatest threats we face as an industry is the potential for a massive loss of experienced talent from our industry. Perhaps the best way we can guide meeting professionals through this transitional time is to provide support and resources to help them to decide about the future.
Here, we will explore the different options meeting professionals have to choose from as they weather the storm, build professional resilience and decide which path forward is right for them.
Whether you’re currently a freelancer, a small business owner, or deciding what is next for you—innovation is important to your survival. We’re going to break down the questions and concerns meeting professionals should consider before they take their next steps.
Read the rest of this article in The Meeting Professional magazine here.