It’s a common misconception that businesses conferences are simply excuses to get away from home for a few day, stay in a posh hotel, have some fun with colleagues and generally live the high life on the company dime.
That is mostly wishful thinking, and pretty unrealistic.
More often than not business conferences are hard working environments beneficial to both the attendees and the hosting organization.
Here are a couple of reasons:
- In the normal grind of office routines it can be incredibly hard to get a large number of people together in one spot and provide them with the right environment that allows them to get creative. Innovative and ‘out of the box’ problem solving doesn’t happen when employees have the huge pressures of their day to day work load to contend with. They get lost in the routine of it all.
- Despite modern business management theories trying to change the status quo there is still territorial positioning and friction in modern offices. When one department is pitted against another for budget allocations and productivity it doesn’t lead to free thinking and problem solving. Most departments who are justifying their expenses aren’t particularly concerned with how to radically improve business practices.
- The right business conference center with good facilities gives attendees a place to build networks and professional relationships in relaxed atmospheres. During the normal work week it can be hard to do this your staff are bogged down with day to day minutiae.
- Despite how you try and structure your organization, with open door policies and the like, there is still a hierarchical structure in place and it is felt most strongly within the offices. A well designed and professionally facilitated conference is a more relaxed atmosphere and more egalitarian between employees and management. It can help build stronger relationships within the organization as well.
- Being chosen to attend a conference away from the office also offers a psychological benefit to the employee, it indicates the company values them as a contributor. They get to spend time in a different location as a representative of the company and their opinions are valued.
Yes, there is the occasional conference that is simply an excuse to have a party on the organizers dime. However, it’s not uncommon for the conversation to turn to talking shop at some point.
The challenge for the event organizer is to put together a conference that is entertaining and engaging while still meeting the goals of having businesses connect. Selecting the right Calgary Conference Center and setting a full and productive agenda can help ensure that a conference is successful.
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Here is a video showing you how to effectively network at your next business conference: