How to Prepare for the Return to In-Person Events
Lights, camera, action! Most of us are eager to draw the curtains and get back to in-person events. 83% of Americans currently working from home reported they miss attending in-person meetings and conventions. 78% of the same group say they plan to attend as many or more live events when it is safe to do so.
Demand for in-person events is indeed high. Planning for them in the wake of a work landscape shake-up is still a challenge. In this article, we’ll explore the current state of the event industry and how to plan and staff for the return to in-person events.
Settling in the Great Reshuffle
We’re all experiencing some level of continuous adjustment to the changing work landscape. Whether you now work fully remote, have a hybrid workplace, or are fully back in person with a new perspective on your best work style, the dust is still settling. What does this mean for in-person events?
The pandemic has shown us that the unpredictable can happen at any time, and many companies are still feeling that fear as they work to plan for future events. Companies are "hurrying up to wait", staffing for live events in preparation for when the world gets the green light to fully return in person, but also waiting to see if the other shoe will drop.
In other words, the event industry is straddling the line between virtual and in-person, planning for the worst but hoping for the best (being back together again!).
The developing work landscape will continue to change as the event industry embraces a return to live events. The best way companies can navigate these changes is by investing in agile talent solutions.
The Demand for Agile Talent Solutions
Agile staffing solutions offer companies a flexible framework in an uncertain industry. An agile staffing model gives companies access to unique talent to fill missing roles and/or complement in-house talent and resources. It also allows companies to augment their services, as freelancers are experts in specific, often niche, skills.
Read about the benefits of agile staffing solutions here.
The advantage of hiring agile talent is that you get access to expertise to run all types of events. Freelance event professionals are experts in how to run, plan, and execute in-person, virtual, and hybrid events, taking the guesswork out for you.
The beauty of the gig economy is that you can tap into this expert talent for exactly what you need, without the commitment or overhead of a traditional full-time employee. This flexibility allows companies to prepare for in-person events while also preparing for virtual or hybrid events. Agile staffing solutions essentially permit businesses to “plug and play”–hiring freelancers only when and where they need them.
How to Hire Agile Talent
The gig economy continues to increase in popularity and businesses are taking note. The Randstad Sourceright’s 2022 Talent Trends Report found that, of the surveyed C-suite leaders in 18 markets, 71% said they planned to shift more roles to “contingent, project or contract to get work done – the highest percentage in the report’s history and a 15-point increase from last year.”
The growth in the gig economy has consequently created new compliance classifications and laws for hiring agile talent. This matters because the government is cracking down on worker classifications, saying that in many cases even if workers and companies want to work together on a contract basis, they are employees and need to be held to the same taxation, benefit, and payment standards. There are huge impacts to how companies can operate their businesses with the overhead costs that could be incurred based on worker vs. contractor classifications.
The good news is you don’t have to figure out the compliance yourself! Soundings has you covered so you can focus on what’s most important–your business. We not only help you find the agile talent you need from our network of 1300+ event professionals, but we also do the hard work of classifying them for you.
The Soundings team makes sure every agreement is in compliance with the current standards, leaving clients free to partner with talent in the agile manner they desire. Our clients get the benefit of a contractor relationship with an hourly “as worked” fee structure, no HR overhead costs for labor, and the freedom to continue indefinitely with this model as it serves their needs.
Learn more about how Soundings can help you optimize your team.
Virtual Events Still Have Value
While most people are ready to embrace in-person experiences again, there is value in maintaining virtual events moving forward, and freelance virtual event professionals are a valuable tool to utilize. In a 2021 study, 58% of businesses said they’re planning for a mix of virtual and in-person events. The Bizzabo’s Post-Covid-19 Outlook Report found that 93% of event professionals plan to invest in virtual events in the future.
There are benefits for both hosts and attendees of virtual events. One advantage is the ability to reach a wider audience. For companies, this means people who could be limited to attending in-person can join from wherever they are. For attendees, this opens more possibilities to attend and the opportunity to connect with people they wouldn’t usually meet. Virtual events also allow more chances for companies to provide education and networking, which is equally desirable for attendees. Additional potential for lead generation is another advantage for companies.
No matter what type of event(s) you plan to run now, and in the future, agile staffing is an effective solution to set you up for success.
Interested in working with Soundings?
Soundings Connect helps our customers create agile staffing models by leveraging our talent community of independent professionals to serve your needs–when you need them. We offer on-demand staffing, staff augmentation, full-time placements, and recruiting. Get in touch to tell us how we can help you meet your talent needs.