The Big Re-think - an Exclusive Collection white paper

THE BIG RE-THINK

Autumn 23

Forward The migration to hybrid working and the new-look working week has had ramifications on events that have now become normal practice. Partnering with micebook, we’ve been looking into what the future holds for events and most importantly what the next generation of delegates expects.

At a time when the employee voice and DEI are core elements of the business environment, we’ve looked at what’s working and how event organisers can plan for the upcoming generations as they make their mark on the workplace.

There are already very different life experiences, soft skills and perspectives between a 24-year-old and a 50-year-old.

And with Generation Alpha (those born from 2010-2020) set to arrive into the workspace in around 5 years’ time; generational diversity is a pressing factor for consideration.

We are all guilty of criticising the time Generation Alpha spend concentrating on screens. In the workplace, this kind of concentration would be considered good professional behaviour.

Given that 30% of our survey respondents see key outcomes of events as networking and building social skills; understanding the flares in generational diversity of delegates can enable companies to achieve heightened productivity, creativity, and teamwork.

Diversity of thought is recognised for encouraging imagination and innovation. In having a BIG RE-THINK around how we harness the voices and ideals of different generations it isn’t just good for business: it’s good for employee and delegate experience and performance.

New Norms Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mark days in the office and time spent with colleagues connecting, while Mondays and Fridays are for analysing, thinking, and actioning.

For in-person events, Wednesday, followed by Thursday and Tuesday are optimal for hosting business events as there is already an expectation that travel is required. Mondays and Fridays are ring-fenced for home working and will be harder to fill unless there is a hybrid element.

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Index 05

09

11

12

15

18

23

24

Background

Expert Eye

Conversation & Collaboration

Mind The (Generation) Gap

Culture & Connection

Change The Conference Narrative

A New Generation Of Thoughts

Summary

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Background Exclusive Collection x micebook insight paper, THE BIG RE-THINK, is the culmination of quantitative research carried out in autumn 2023. The survey’s respondents are recognised as leading corporates and event agencies across banking and finance, professional services, tech, and pharmaceutical industries and draw on an annual buying power for business events in excess of £150m.

Exclusive Collection is known for bringing its legacy country house hotels to life through exceptional experiences that reflect today’s tastes and want for wellbeing. With ESG a key driver for the business, the hotels are regular award winners in business & events and for leisure guests too. micebook is the definitive inspiration hub for event planners; alongside a digital resource hub, it blends content publishing with a calendar of impactful live events to connect and inspire an engaged global community of over 24K eventprofs.

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Professional services

The Big Re-Think insights are from representative sectors

24%

9%

8%

5% 3%

2%

Respondent age group Traditionalists

1928 - 1945

Baby boomers

1946 - 1964

13.8%

Generation X

1965 - 1979

37.6%

Millennials

1980 - 1994

44.8%

Generation Z

1995 - 2009

3.8%

Generation A

2010 - 2020

Retail

Pharma

Fashion

Construction

Arts and entertainment

Advertising

1%

15% Manufacturing

Education

12%

4%

Tech

Event agency

Banking and finance

15%

2%

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delegates Delegate / audience age group

8%

55 - 64

2%

18 - 24

14%

25 - 34

39%

35 - 44

37%

45 - 54

A futurist doesn’t have a crystal ball, but she does know what is coming, by studying future generations.

Chloe Combi, author, global speaker, futurist and generation expert.

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Culture And Connection What outcomes do you seek to achieve from events?

18.4%

14% 12.5%

10.3% 9.6% 8.8%

8.8%

8.1%

5.9%

2.2% 1.5%

Employee networking is the most significant outcome that event organisers are looking to achieve. With hybrid working the norm, it’s crucial to develop experiences that connect and engage employees. After all, creating a strong culture of connection to engage and retain the team saves organisations from losing valued employees at a time when recruitment is costly and competitive. Whilst employees seek to work remotely, they also want a sense of community and belonging.

Other

Employee networking

Drive media (print and broadcast) awareness

Drive social media awareness

Incentivise and reward

Company product knowledge

Lead generation / sales

Develop supplier relations

Client entertainment

Launch a new product or service

Build teams’ social emotional intelligence and soft skills

Developing a robust corporate culture is vital for commercial success and team connection. The greater the alignment with the culture, the deeper an employee’s emotional connection will be to the company, their colleagues, and their work.

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Events must bridge the gap between generations. By intergenerational interaction and diversity, we’ll create more connected and collaborative event experiences.

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What outcomes do you seek to achieve from events?

18.4% - employee networking There is a marked call for networking by our Millennial respondent (25–34-year-olds), as well as those in Generation X (55–64-year-olds).

• Millennials relish remote working and don’t want to be forced to sit at a desk for eight hours.

They prefer to work the hours they feel are needed to get their work completed and as the survey underlines are keen to get together for business or social activities that facilitate networking.

• Generation X are well versed in networking; their personal brand equity isn’t built online it’s through their black book and network. They network face-to-face and build their relationships in person with likeminded professionals, companies and bodies.

12.5% - build soft skills and emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence is increasingly defining the workplace. Whereas career success was once driven by degrees and qualifications, now it’s about self-awareness and regulation, motivation, and empathy: social skills. In a world where Generation Z is increasingly prevalent, social and emotional intelligence and soft skills are informing the business meeting agenda.

Generation Z, who by 2025 will make up 27% of the workforce, came of age with mobile phones, social media and rapidly devour new technologies. Due to the pandemic, many in this generation began jobs and completed their education remotely. As businesses embrace people and culture as a strategy and differentiator there’s a big move to helping employees develop the nuance of human interaction, emotion, and intuition.

Network to unify Networking and face-to-face can bridge generational gaps in the workplace by enabling each age group to share unique insights and skills. Baby boomers can offer industry knowledge, while Generation Z can lead the way in inclusivity and diversity. Promote cross-generational learning by having team members lead sessions in their areas of expertise, showing the value of every generation’s contribution.

Embrace diverse communication styles Understanding each team member’s preferred communication method is key. Whether it’s emails, group chats, or face-to-face meetings, adapting to various styles prevents misunderstandings and ensures everyone’s input is valued.

Maintain an open mind Respect the diverse experiences and viewpoints each generation brings. Active listening and networking helps overcome biases and promotes collaborative work across a growing age of delegates.

Embracing generational diversity A multi-generational workforce encourages openness and understanding, combining diverse perspectives and skills. However, overcoming implicit biases and communication differences is crucial. Fostering clear communication and empathy is essential in bridging generational divides.

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Expert Eye Chloe Combi

Author, global speaker, futurist and generation expert

As remote as Generation Alpha (2010-2020) being in the workplace might seem now, what they are already exhibiting in terms of work values, in common with the youngest of Generation Z is a need for improved and revolutionised pipelines into every industry, a kind of new school to work pipeline if possible.

The biggest transformation in the last five years has been the explosion of the demand for more apprenticeship-style degrees (even in highly white-collar industries) and increasingly side-stepping higher education and all its costs and going straight into the workplace. Companies often support school to work pipelines, as there is a complaint in lots of industries that education and higher education doesn’t make young people work-ready, so in the coming decade, management must be prepared with excellent and engaging training that will prepare and excite new generations for their future roles.

Evidence suggests that the wisdom of getting closely aligned generations (for example Millennials training Generation Z) is a mistake and fosters resentment and competitiveness. Generation Z seem to be gaining huge benefits from being trained by older generations – specifically in their case Generation X – who share their values, might have parents/ children of a similar age and so will have more empathy and have similar needs. For example, Generation X came of age enjoying and benefiting from a face-to-face office culture with lots of networking events. Generation Z are extremely keen to cultivate their own work and office culture and all the benefits this brought older generations in the coming decade and draw a lot of inspiration from Generation X. Boomers are often the most maligned generation at work, being seen as people who benefitted from free higher education, cheap housing and promotions in an era when ‘promotions’ really meant something, but this perception can be reset.

Generation A, Generation Z, and to a slightly lesser extent, Millennials are hugely affected by the cost of living crisis, astronomically expensive housing and pay rises making minimal impact, so exhibiting not much motivation.

A question older workers need to think about when the issue of training, motivation and retention comes up (as it does frequently), is how they can pass on the benefits and motivations they enjoyed as younger workers?

Unfortunately, free fruit and pizza Fridays are a nice little bonus, but make little material difference, so the questions we all must grapple with for every generation in the coming decades are: what does a real living wage look like?

How can companies solve the housing crisis – are we in an age of companies providing on-site, subsidised housing for workers (hugely popular with younger generations!)

Are your training/apprenticeship schemes Generation A and Z ready?

Are your generational skill-sharing facilities up to scratch – NB. It’s NOT just older generations teaching younger workers skills and knowledge – what can younger generations teach older workers. Companies that have intergenerational skill-sharing tend to be very successful – is your company and industry doing this?

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Changing The Conference Narrative When the age groups are interpreted - there are clearly differing needs - of particular note is the employee networking and building soft skills which is key outcome for 55 upwards and conversely the demographic starting their careers.

29.2%

What outcomes do you seek to achieve from events?

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

12.5%

20.8% 13.3% 20% 4.2% 8.3%

20%

12.5%

13.6%

4.2% 3.3%

6.7%

6.7%

10%

15.9% 13.3%

9.1%

8.3%

13.6%

13.6% 21.1%

11.4%

11.4%

3.3% 13.2% 10.5%

4.5%

4.5%

10.5%

10.5%

7.9%

7.9%

5.3%

15.9%

3.3%

2.3%

5.3%

5.3%

2.6% Other

Employee networking

Drive media

(print and broadcast awareness)

Drive social media awareness

Incentivies and reward

Company product knowledge

Lead generation / sales

Develop supplier relations

Client entertainment

Launch a new product or service

Build teams’ social emotional intelligence and soft skills

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18.8% 7.7%

7.7% 10.3%

11% 11% 6.4% 11%

18% 10%

5% 10%

14.1% 5.2%

Event Attendee Agency Event Organiser Corporate Event Manager

15% 30%

15%

18% 5%

5% 10.3%

14.1%

12.5%

9.4%

1.3%

4.7%

Other

Employee networking

Drive media

(print and broadcast awareness)

Drive social media awareness

Build teams’ social emotional intelligence and soft skills

Launch a new product or service

Client entertainment

Develop supplier relations

Lead generation / sales

Company product knowledge

Incentivies and reward

3.1%

3.3%

1.3%

1.6%

15.9%

5%

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How do you currently engage and promote learning and interaction?

38.22%

10.97%

Group / individual conversation and collaboration

One way lecture based learning

29.75%

20.06%

Scenario and experience based learning

Reliance on technology for learning

1% Other

With the voice of the delegate more and more prevalent at events; one way learning is waning in favour of conversation and experience-based practices that shape understanding and deepen knowledge.

68%: For event planners it’s important to consider that - if learning is to be achieved through conversation (38.2%) and collaboration and scenario (29.7%) based learning – then the setting needs to be correct. After all, traditional theatre style set up only encourages interaction to a delegate’s left or right. And more importantly, no organisation wants their people talking through the back of their heads!

Since ‘learning through others’ and ‘collaboration’ are the big ticks for how Generation Alpha will interact at future business events, organisers need to ensure they are creating the right environment.

Open-floor, communal, shared, and cross-functional engagement are the watchwords for the future. By breaking down physical barriers and promoting community, these layouts align with Generation Z’s and A’s social nature and will

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Conversation And Collaboration Immersive learning and gamification are at the fore, and for university students who took part in the research, gamification is a non-negotiable followed by learning by app and immersive learning.

Which tech formats do you use in events or learning sessions?

tech formats

24.42%

Immersive learning

22.95%

Games & gamification

17.13%

Blended learning

19.99%

Animation & video

1.90% Other

13.61%

Company specific app for learning

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Which tech formats do you use in events or learning sessions?

Corporate Event Manager

Agency Event Organiser

Event Attendee

Student

Animation and Video 26.6%

28.4%

25%

Immersive learning 15.6%

27.1%

30%

25%

Games and gamification 15.6%

16.2%

10%

50%

Blended learning 21.9%

21.6%

25%

Company specific app for learning 14.1%

5.4% 10%

25%

Other 6.3%

1.4%

The rise of microlearning: In education and in the workplace, there is a significant move towards microlearning. The approach aligns with the decreasing attention spans associated with the digital age, where information overload and the need for quick content consumption are prevalent.

Gamification, video, and animation exemplify microlearning where employees seek instant gratification in their learning. This shift impacts how people perceive their time and learning with expectation to now acquire knowledge instantly, anytime, and anywhere.

There is a growing preference for learning resources that are available on-demand, reflecting the broader societal trend towards instant gratification.

Microlearning modules are being used to train employees on new software, compliance policies, or customer service protocols. These short learning sessions can be integrated into the workday, allowing employees to learn without significant disruption to their workflow.

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room set ups Which of these room set ups do you think work best for differing delegate age groups?

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

1.9% 2.3% 1.9%

2.2% 24.4%

3.2%

15.9%

7.9%

6.6%

9.2%

12.3%

3.8%

47.7%

22.9%

21.7%

10.7% 42.4%

34.1%

18.3%

21.5%

71.2% 42.1%

63%

61.6%

Augmented reality

4.9%

23.4%

Stimulated activity

10.7%

25%

Cabaret

4.9%

Theatre style

Boardroom

17.8%

Hybrid

36.4%

Informal / lounge style

26.9%

Just as workplace design has evolved to provide agile lifestyle environments so too must events. While employees love the flexibility offered by remote and hybrid, but they also miss the companionship offered by working together in a place-based office.

Event organisers need to be prepared for new dichotomies in how event spaces will be required: • f ostering collaboration while also enabling privacy • social areas that also double up as focus areas The needs of the different generations are apparent: with Generation-Z driven by agility, informality and technology and Generation-X by the traditions of the conference table with cabaret and boardroom set-ups most popular.

next 15 years 18

A New Generation Of Thoughts In the next 15 years how will the format of events evolve?

More

Same

Less

In Person

Online

Hybrid

55.9%

30.9%

50.9%

35.4%

30.1%

31.3%

8.8%

39.1%

17.9%

With work-from-home and hybrid routines impairing the development of workplace friendships, companies are heightening their focus on re-building relationships which can also help with employee, client, and supplier retention.

The expected move to more in-person events and, as a backup, hybrid too looks set to increase as technologies and online communities develop and blur. Generation Alpha’s digital fluency and expectations around gamification of events and learning is contrasted with lower impact soft skills. For today’s business leaders, upskilling Generation Alpha’s leadership and interpersonal skills with in-person events will be a necessity.

In today’s digital-dominated world, the importance of face-to-face interaction is increasingly critical: • Social media algorithms and the influence of bots create an environment where polarising content is prevalent, manipulating public opinion and behaviour.

• Misinformation is a significant concern along with AI implementations into businesses. The concern may be around bias due to the AI systems evolving and the perception that algorithms may polarise or discriminate. Conversely, AI is proven to create quality event content, from marketing collateral and websites to welcome speeches.

• Copyright and permissions are also creeping on to considerations.

• AI can enable adaptive learning based around delegates learning skills and style. By monitoring keystrokes and responses, learning can be modified and built around each delegate’s profile.

• Deepfake technology to mimic business leaders and keynotes speaker and even presentation by Siri and Alexa are also an area of concern.

2.39% 6.36%

10.35% 7.98% 13.06%

9.77%

6.03% 5.73%

18.17% 20.17%

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In the next 15 years what advancements do you consider as the biggest threat to your events?

Other

The workplace will be fully remote and employees dispersed

Knowledge and learning gained through social media and online platforms

AI prompt engineering (ChatGPT / Chat AI)

Devices enabling information to be found anywhere

Delegate soft skills / emotional intelligence

New keynotes - Siri and Alexa

Cyberthreat

Misinformation

Deepfake speakers

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Undoubtedly direct, face-to-face communication allows for a more nuanced understanding and empathy towards different perspectives, reducing the likelihood of misinterpretation and the potential threat of misinformation currently found on social media.

In the next 15 years will the integration of wellness and mental health at events be:

91.3%

Given greater consideration

4.12%

Less prevalant

4.58%

The same

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Which of these will be most important for ‘Generation Alpha’ in 15 years?

Collaborating with others

Learning through doing

15.6%

Remote learning and testing

9.3%

Group Discussions

6.9%

5.1%

2.6%

0%

Watching and listening

31.9%

28.6%

Asking experts

Solo study zones

Traditional lectures

If ‘experience’ describes today’s events - what will be the hot ticket for Generation Alpha?

Mixed-reality zones blending digital and physical elements

47.8%

Hands-on maker spaces with crafting and building tools

6.8%

Digital galleries showcasing user-generated content

20.4%

Nature-integrated spaces for relaxation and grounding

7.6%

Pop-up zones that change themes daily based on attendee feedback

17.3%

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Mixed reality blurs the line between the real and digital world by creating a new reality where elements from both environments are brought together.

Mixed reality marries virtual and augmented realities to utilise the immersive nature of virtual into a real-world scenario. For example, wearing a headset and haptic gloves, trainee surgeons can interact with a digital object, such as a human heart, that’s placed into the physical environment of a meeting space anywhere in the world.

Hands on experience improves knowledge retention. As mixed reality is interactive it enables delegates to comprehend and retain complex ideas with greater ease and speed and ensures the delegates are focused on the task in hand!

The digitisation of events and content means that experiences are less perishable due to uploading the information for views, re-views and reviews.

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Mind The (Generation) Gap Our internal clock shapes our energy levels throughout the day.

This circadian rhythm is hardwired and can have important implications on how we interact when we are together.

In the past employees were expected to be in the office and to be on top form at all hours of the work day.

The reality is that once the ‘workday’ begins we take a few hours to reach our peaks for alertness and energy, and when we do, it doesn’t last for long. Our levels decline after lunch and pick back up after 3pm until hitting a second peak at approximately 6pm. Our alertness then declines for the rest of the evening and hits its lowest point at approximately 3:30am.

For event organisers, planning around cortisol highs and circadian rhythms can have a distinct impact on events and maximising the delegate experience. Notably organisers need to pay heed to the fact that younger employees – 16-21 (adolescents) have a different circadian rhythm to their ‘adult’ peers.

Energy Levels

Adult - 8.2hrs Circadian rhythm length = 24.3 hours

Adolescent 9.3hrs Circadian rhythm length = 24.2 hours

Wake up

Start of work

Morning routine

Lunch Workday routine

End of work

Dinner

Evening routine

Sleep Evening routine

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Summary When Generation Alpha reach the workplace, it’s anticipated they will lack the interpersonal competencies that we currently perceive are required when attending an event.

What they lack in interaction, emotion, and intuition however they will make up in devouring knowledge, having a strong opinion, and upholding their personal values and beliefs.

Whether it’s 5, 15 or 25 years forward the value of face-to-face communication and live events will remain paramount: • Events serve as an antidote to the manipulative and polarising effects of social media, where misinformation and divisive content can thrive.

• Events establish convention, respect and is participatory.

• Events motivate. Motivation drives attention and attention focuses an audience on what you want to impart to them.

• In person enables brands to bring their values to life to their teams, supplier and clients.

Interactions bring depth, empathy, and authenticity, bridging divides between generations by promoting understanding in ways that digital communication often fails to achieve.

Stephanie Hall

Exclusive Collection

Chetan Shah micebook

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It’s not so much a Big Re-Think about the Where and Why we run and manage events.

It’s a Big Re-Think about Who we run events for and How we manage face-to-face interactions.

Exclusive Collection www.exclusive.co.uk

micebook

www.micebook.com

Chloe Combi

www.chloecombi.net