5 Things to Look Forward at Corporate Events in the Post Covid-19 Era
To state that the last one year and a half has been challenging is the understatement of the year. The pandemic has affected everyone from individuals to large corporations. The most hit sector is undoubtedly the hospitality and event industry. The sector came to a complete standstill as the pandemic broke out. With vaccinations speeding up, we’re finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. But, there’s a long way to go before we return to normality and corporate events come back with a big bang as before.
As they say, “uncertain times lead to new behaviours,” corporate event planning and food catering services have evolved to adapt to the new normal. No one knows, when we’ll get back to normal, but the new changes we’re seeing in the space give us hope. In this post, we share the top five trends that will trend in the corporate event in the post Covid-19 era.
#1: Nothing but the Best Hygienic Practices
Everyone in the industry from event suppliers to food catering companies will have to demonstrate their safety and hygiene standards to win the trust and confidence of event attendees. Event planners will have to focus on how to organise the event in a hygienic and safe manner.
Simple activities like passing a microphone among event delegates will no longer be possible. Instead, creative alternatives have to planned.
The venue must take all measures to ensure the safety of event organisers and attendees. Setting up hand sanitizing stations, and frequent wiping and cleaning has to be done regularly. Additionally, event planners will look for corporate caterers for parties who will ensure hygienic food preparation and serving.
#2: Social Distancing
Event organisers will ensure that social distancing is maintained at all spots in the venue. But, enforcing social distancing will become a challenge. Potential congestion points like toilets, buffets, registration desks, conference halls, meeting rooms, walkways, and corridors will have to be rethought. Organiser can move to digital registration, and use one-in and one-out system for toilets and so on. Self-service check-in kiosks can also be used to minimise contact and reduce queuing.
#3: Innovative Catering Services
Food serving points are the biggest congestions at any event. To ensure social distancing while serving delicious food, party food catering companies have to rethink their services.
Here are some of the expected changes in the catering scene:
- Buffets are no longer feasible at least for a few years. Communal tables are another casualty of the pandemic.
- Individually packed meal boxes, disposable plates and cutlery will be the norm.
#4: Contactless Events
The pandemic has ushered in the era of contactless events. A vast majority of corporate events have gone virtual over Zoom and Teams. For real events, the point of interaction between delegates have been cut down significantly. Expect more of touch screens, facial recognition systems, sensor beacons, event apps and other digital technologies in place of human contact. Printed materials like event badges, lanyards, printed programme sheet will all be replaced by digital apps.
#5: Smaller Numbers of Attendees
The mega carnival like corporate events will not be making a comeback in the near future. Even if all lockdowns are lifted and everyone has been vaccinated, event organisers and planners will err on the side of caution. They will work on keeping the number of attendees minimal.
But smaller events don’t mean you have to restrict the number of attendees. Instead, events will become a hybrid of physical and virtual. Some key delegates will attend the event physically, while others will join in virtually.
Smaller events will give rise to curated networking. Using technology tools, event organisers will be able to assign delegates with similar interests/similar roles in a group. This way, networking will happen only among the members of the group, thereby reducing contact and chances of catching the infection.
Curated networking is highly effective and can help planners facilitate meaningful conversions and build vital connections.
Embrace the Changes & Race Ahead
Noone likes everything to change. But the pandemic has shown us that faster we adapt to the new changes, the better it is for us, both personally and professionally. Corporate events will no longer be the same. The era of clubbing and networking with thousands of other delegates in large party halls and hotels will likely not come back.
It may feel challenging to organise a socially-distant corporate event while maintaining the best safety and hygienic practices. It's human nature to take time to adopt a new behaviour. With the right event organisers and planners, your corporate events in the new normal can be better and more productive than ever before.
If you’re searching for the best catering near me, you’ve come to the right place. Captain Joe, the no.1 party caterers in Gurgaon are here to help you organise a safe corporate event. Our team of professional staff will help you step by step of the way in enforcing all safety practices, while impressing your guests with delicious food.Get in touch with our team to know more.