Empowering YOU to Plan Your Best Meeting Yet
Being tasked with planning your company's next off-site meeting can be a daunting task, especially amidst a pandemic. Admittedly, there are a lot of details to think through to ensure a successful and seamless meeting experience. From finding the correct location, choosing layouts, providing beverages, meals, snacks (“how many people are gluten free?”), creating an agenda - the list goes on, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed or be left with the ever-dreadful question of: “what am I missing?”
We’ve created this guide to help empower you to plan your best meeting yet!
Define Your ‘Why’
The first step in planning a successful meeting is understanding your ‘why’. Why is this meeting being held? What will make this meeting successful? Thoroughly understanding the purpose of the meeting will help guide you in every decision you make.
Know Your Audience
Once you have determined the purpose of your meeting, it is important to then gain a deep knowledge of who will be attending your meeting and their expectations. Will the room be full of C-Level Executives or new hires? Is it a team who has worked together for years or a business development team trying to impress a potential client? Are the meeting attendees corporate traditionalists or energetic creatives?
You cannot best serve an audience you know nothing about.
Pick the Perfect Space
Once you understand your purpose and your audience, you can begin making educated decisions in planning your meeting - the biggest decision being location!
Choosing the right venue and location plays a vital role in whether or not your meeting will be successful. Our Worklab Meeting Experts strongly recommend considering off-site locations - especially those specializing in hosted meetings. Off-site meetings are shown to increase productivity, creativity, and communication; in addition to avoiding common in-office distractions and interruptions. By selecting a venue that offers hosted meetings and on-site concierge services, you get the reassurance that everything will be set and ready when you arrive so you can get to work without a worry.
When searching for a meeting venue, our Meeting Experts suggest that you tour a few. Make sure to pay attention to the atmosphere, décor, amenities, technology and seating options. Keep front of mind your meeting’s purpose and audience and choose the venue which best fits your needs. Want to tour Worklab? Click here!
Choose the Right Room & Layout
Once your venue has been selected, it’s then time to select the right room and layout.
First take into consideration your guest count and choose a room which will comfortably fit your group size, while allowing for social distancing. You want a room which allows for attendees to move comfortably throughout the space and easily access the coffee station and door so as to not disturb the group every time someone needs a restroom break or refill.
In determining the best layout for your meeting, we suggest asking your on-site meeting host what they would suggest based on group size and type of meeting. Meeting hosts know their space best and have likely seen it all, they’ll be able to point you in the right direction.
Food is Fuel
Providing your attendees with the right meals, snacks and beverages throughout the day can make the difference between a midday slump or afternoon power-through.
Start your meeting by providing guests with a protein rich breakfast, avoiding carbs and sugar which can lead to energy crashes.
For lunch, Worklab Meeting Experts suggest that in addition to selecting healthy, protein packed options, lunch is served outside of the meeting room and attendees are given at least 45 minutes; allowing them a mental break, time to eat and a different atmosphere. In doing this, your attendees will return from lunch with energy and productivity to last throughout the rest of the day.
For full day meetings, consider adding on an in-room snack bar or mid-day treat. At Worklab, our snack bars consist of a variety of nuts, granola bars and individually bagged snacks; additionally, we offer power smoothies and mid-day sweet treats add-ons, ensuring that meeting attendees are fueled to power through whatever the day ahead holds.
Ready to Plan Your Best Meeting Yet?
Again, we understand that a lot goes into planning a successful meeting. Deeply understanding your audience and the “why” behind your meeting will benefit and aid you in every decision you make. Choosing a venue, such as Worklab by Custer, with a meeting host and on-site concierge is the easiest way to ensure a smooth and stress-free planning experience.
We hope that this guide will help you in planning your best meeting yet - if that meeting is with us, all the better!
Reference this post during booking to receive one complimentary meeting add-on of your choice from the following options: power smoothies, mid-day sweet treat or mini in-room snack bar.