Shownotes
In episode 4 we talk about the human experience at events and the need for better event design.
We also touch on the topic of EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) in events and how it is often treated as a tick-box exercise and emphasise the importance of creating inclusive events that prioritise the human element.
TAKEAWAYS
* Events should prioritise the needs and preferences of attendees
* Consider different learning styles and accessibility needs
* Basic comfort, such as comfortable seating and good acoustics, is important
* EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) in events should go beyond a tick-box exercise The events industry still has work to do in addressing EDI issues
* Inclusivity should be considered in all aspects of event planning, not just as a compliance measure
* Inclusive events attract a wider audience and create a positive brand story
* Considering the needs of all humans, including those who are neurodiverse or have disabilities, shows a commitment to diversity and social responsibility
* Design a variety of session formats, including breakout spaces, quiet zones, and comfy seating areas.
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Transcripts
Welcome back to Not the Same as Last Year. I'm Clare Forestier, a professional business event emcee and today we're looking at the human experience at events. I'm talking about every single attendee, their needs, their preferences, and how to make every ticket truly valuable. I'm calling this episode The Human Ticket, Events Where Every Attendee Counts. As an emcee who is all about engaging audiences and putting them first,
I hit a wall recently. I attended several events as a guest, not an emcee, and I left feeling, well, frustrated. They were basically the default business events, you know, blue lights glaring, so much noise, acoustics that just shout 'Give me a migraine,' not enough places to sit down outside of the lecture rooms, long queues for the toilets.
and for the kiosks serving expensive and pretty substandard food and coffee plus a real schlep to get to the lifts and guess what queues there too. Now of course we could ask questions there but the place was really noisy we had to use apps to do so which meant that actually most of the attendees were just staring at their phones more than the speakers if they wanted to ask a question. Now the topics were interesting and the speakers were knowledgeable.
but the event itself felt really like a one size fits all box that us attendees were forced into. Where was the consideration for different learning styles, accessibility needs, or really even basic comfort? And here's the thing, it's not just bad event design, it's actually bad business. We'll come to that in a minute. Now, as the EDI or the DE&I panel is ubiquitous,
pretty much every meeting I host in any industry, you will have been living under a rock if you don't know the term. I'll use EDI here, equality or equity, the jury is still out on the best E word to use, plus diversity and inclusion.
But as I'm learning from pre-meetings I'm having with speakers ahead of a big HR event that I'm hosting this month, EDI is very much still a tick box exercise for many organizations. And I'd say that's pretty much the case in the events industry too. I mean, that's hardly surprising because like most industries, the resolution of EDI issues is still being grappled with inside the events management field, let alone by the events its people organize.
or as a report into the subject I found charmingly puts it: "The field of events management has been critiqued for being overly focused on operational and managerial concerns to the detriment of the critical analysis of power and representation of which equality, diversity and inclusion is an important aspect." Anyway, I digress.
My message for this podcast is not trying to solve EDI in the industry. I mean, who do I even think I am? But it's to say to you, don't just think about inclusivity when you are doing your tick box EDI stuff, because let me tell
reality is when you're looking at it as an acronym of compliance measures, you are totally missing the point. It makes me think of one occasion and a particular event I attended where a speaker was a wheelchair user.
And the organisers had ensured a rather ostentatious grand ramp was in place, tick one,
accessibility
issues at least considered. There were accessible toilets, tick two, accessibility issue considered. But they were located at the far end of the vast hotel complex where this event was happening. And the entire floor to get there was covered in very thick, plush carpet, which wheelchairs don't like.
So it turned a simple bathroom break for this speaker into a serious odyssey. And that's not all. That accessible lift, the only one in the venue, was situated at the complete opposite end of the building from the toilets. That meant that not only did the thick carpets triple the speaker's journey time, but she had to schlep all the way back and forth across the entire venue from the event space just to access the lift to reach the restrooms, then take the lift downstairs to the toilets.
and then do the whole journey back again. And then all the way back again to the speaker hall. Imagine that frustration, needing a bathroom break and having to embark on a mini expedition within the venue itself. And of course, it added delays into the session she was involved in. And this is a prime example of why box ticking ain't cutting it. We've got to think about the humans in the event design and the reality of being any kind of human at your event.
Now we've imagined a crappy event in this podcast and the awkward situation of a wheelchair user at another event. Now I want you to imagine something very different, something rather fabulous. This would be an event that truly embraces inclusivity, a space where everyone feels welcome, feels comfortable and empowered to participate. Picture attendees of all backgrounds and all abilities able to move around easily, energised,
by thoughtful presentations, wonderful conversations, and soaking up knowledge in a way that resonates with them. Great for your business, right? That kind of event. And when you prioritise the human ticket, everyone wins. Here's what I mean. You're going to get more engagement because when attendees feel included and comfortable, they are more likely to participate. They are more likely to ask questions and contribute to the conversation. And that means...
Really, it's going to be so much more dynamic. The experience will be so much more enriching for everybody when they feel heard and considered. What else does it do? Well, it increases attendance because a reputation for inclusivity will go a long way. People are drawn to events that make them feel valued, like their individuality matters. This means bigger audiences and a wider reach for the message.
And of course, it's going to mean boosted brand reputation because if you prioritise inclusivity, you're really going to be showing a proper, true commitment to diversity and social responsibility that goes far beyond box ticking. And this, of course, will translate into a really positive brand story and actually will attract partnerships and all kinds of things.
Now, I mean beyond basic consideration of those who describe themselves as neurodiverse or having a disability, I think that we need to think for a start just the needs of all humans who are going to want to have a break, enjoy fresh air, a quiet space, a less awkward way to network at events. So you may have heard of the term the curb cut effect, how if you address disadvantages or exclusions experienced by a group of people, you will actually be creating
a better environment for everyone. And that's what I'm trying to get at here. So it's about stop thinking, oh yes, we'll organize event as we've always done. And then of course we'll look at and make sure that we're meeting the EDI guidelines as best as we can. And it's not okay at this event, we've got to resolve all the issues with race, gender, sexual orientation and religion, obviously, but please don't just think we've got lifts, we've got a quiet room with some dark lights and we've got the rainbow flags up, we're doing the EDI thing. You've got to think more.
Does our event make the human attendee, every kind of human attendee, feel like we thought about them? Now hold on, you might be thinking, Clare, I can only do the tick box basics. Anything else is going to be too complicated and really too expansive. Well, actually, no. It's about starting with intentional planning. It's ditch that one size fits all mentality and consider the needs of a huge diverse audience. My top tip,
is to use your pre -event communications wisely. That is going to reap dividends and really help you. Here are a few examples. Make sure you ask about
accessibility
preferences and needs of all your attendees in pre -registration forms. And it's not just going tick this box if you have an accessibility issue. It's about open communication. It's actually frustrating to always have to go, well, that doesn't really fit me. I'm going to have to contact them and tell them that actually...
I can't use this kind of toilet, I need that kind of toilet and heavy pile is a problem for my wheelchair and so on. If you've given them the opportunity and you've actually said, do you have anything else that we could do for you that would make this better for you? How lovely to be asked that. It's gonna really encourage your attendees to share if they've got any needs. And it really makes a world of difference if someone asks you that question.
Now
in an ideal world,
The dates of religious days in the calendar should always be considered when planning your events in the first place. But even if, say, that was out of your hands, don't forget on the pre-forms that you send out to ask people about religion, cultural differences in, say, their dietary requirements, those kind of questions, because certain foods may be against religious law to eat at the time of your event.
Again, if you're just asking attendees to tick gluten or dairy -free or vegetarian, it's not enough. And also don't be afraid of technology to help you be more inclusive because even at its simplest, tech can mean just, you know, you're recording key sessions. So you're allowing some access to attendees who weren't able to attend or who just couldn't be at every session that day.
And as well, live captions at in-person events are so good. They're incredibly valuable for anyone hard of hearing. And also, all your content is then available in text form for you to use for post-event stuff and marketing. I think as well, the other thing you've got to do is provide a variety of different session formats. So you're including breakout spaces, quiet zones, comfy seating areas, enough toilets and cloakrooms, and easy access.
to free water, that is a basic that gets missed too often. Of course, there are so many ways to make your events more inclusive, but today's podcast, my point was to get you to think on a more human scale, beyond legal compliance, for example, so that inclusivity isn't something you just cross off your long event list of things to do. It's a journey that you embark on from the beginning with every attendee. It is about really basic human kindness,
and basic human compassion, creating a space where everybody who comes is going to feel like they belong, whether you even know what EDI means. So until next time, don't settle for the same old tired event formula, make your events human -centered and really just watch the engagement and the impact saw as a result. Event planning is about people, not programs or plenary sessions. So let's really create experiences that empower all your attendees to...
learn to connect and thrive. Right, that's it for today. Hopefully I've inspired you to consider the human element of events and how easy that is to apply to your design. Tune in next time for my first guest of the series, Liz Lathan, as we talk about the magic of community in events.