3 minute read
IAPCO Impact Dialogue: Talent Acquisition, Retention & Development of Meeting Professionals
Concerns from the attendees:
36% - Talent retention
45% - Staff recruitment
18% - Future of the workplace
How can we introduce education and skill sets before people enter the industry as a hook?
Key way IAPCO can come in, work with institutions
Foster passion show what happens
Think about Nobel prizes that have been won because people met at conferences
We’re not scientists, but we can bring scientists together to share their learning
How important are education investment and flexibility in staff retention?
We’re not scientists, but we can bring scientists together to share their learning
Listen to your staff, find out what is important to them
What does job satisfaction mean to them?
Flexibility starts with leadership. Find out what flexibility means
Teams should be educated constantly on new trends and industry changes
What’s the best way to attract new talent?
More flexible HR
Focus more on the human side of the employee
Education to emphasise the value of the meetings industry on a national level
Environment with a good work-life balance
Encouraging well-being activities within daily routine
As an employer, can the meetings industry compete with the tech industry?
The tech industry might not be stimulating for someone suited to events, and if you’re bored, how long can money sustain you in your work?
“Find something you’re passionate about and you’ll never work a day in your life”
Some of us may have forgotten the buzz and rush from running in-person events
We need to communicate how vibrant the industry is, but we’re too busy to communicate the benefits because we’re busy doing the job
Do you think employers should have a different perspective when approaching recruitment?
It’s an industry with very high number of transferable skills,z so we can grab people from other industries. The PCO part of the job can be taught
Provide training
Gen Z & Y interested in career progression base progression based on merit not availability
Reword position descriptions in terms of
What does flexibility mean and how much do we need to accommodate as an employer?
There are no limits on flexibility
We’ve learned we can adapt to difficult circumstances and survive
Flexibility starts with leaders ‘Servant leaders’ establish boundaries between life and work
The power of listening
Show appreciation Kindness and flexibility can return 10 fold
Are there ways besides KPIs to do evaluations?
Open communication
Consider reverse evaluation staff-manager
Keep progression in mind for the individual
Ask if you’re fostering the right environment to get the best from people? Are you helping them grow?
Encourage cross department skill sets
Creating a positive culture
It’s always cheaper to retain staff than hire new people
Celebrate successes together
Skills can be trained, personality, ethics, and ethos people are born with, capture that
Have people on board that you would share a glass of wine with at the end of the day
Hybrid working, should there be a policy or case-by-case?
Keep a flexible hybrid environment depending on the situation
Consider the benefits of the osmosis of conversation and in-person knowledge
Base it on the individual and how they are most productive
Closer to an event, in-person creates a better team
