The findings show that delegates see meetings as an opportunity for creative and innovative thinking yet feedback suggests they don’t always get this, that facilitators could be paying more attention to creative thought and any meeting they attend needs to be linked to what they want to achieve, not the organisation.
Imago Venue’s research “Is the meetings industry of today doing enough to inspire the business leaders of tomorrow” has been well received by the meetings sector since its launch last month.
The research was conducted in conjunction with Loughborough University and The Right Solution and the results revealed the reality of life in the workplace compared to students’ expectations as they embark on their career. The findings show that delegates see meetings as an opportunity for creative and innovative thinking yet feedback suggests they don’t always get this, that facilitators could be paying more attention to creative thought and any meeting they attend needs to be linked to what they want to achieve, not the organisation.
Sally Greenhill of The Right Solution commented: “This valuable research really focuses the minds of all of us in the meetings industry to make sure that all the time and money put into meetings is used wisely. We need to listen to what the attendees want if we are to gain maximum ROI and ensure that messages and actions communicated at meetings are acted on effectively, for the benefit of all businesses.”
Jonathan Bradshaw, Founder of The Meetology Lab, comments: “Neuroscience research suggests that, as humans, we are social creatures and wired to want to connect, interact and communicate with one another. This important report highlights how, in a business meeting scenario, preferences on the best environment can differ hugely between those organising and those attending the event. Understanding these preferences is paramount in making business meetings more effective and I encourage those charged with designing and delivering them to learn from the valuable insights it delivers.”
Emma Boynton, Head of Sales and Marketing at Imago Venues, comments: “Our research serves as a reminder to the industry – whether you are a venue, organiser or supplier – that we need to work harder to meet the needs of meetings attendees, especially millennials. Since conducting the research we have had a lot of positive feedback, and the results have been fed into our business strategy so we can shape the way we deal with business enquiries and work alongside clients. We want to provide them with all the tools they need for a successful event, not just sell them a meeting space.”
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
