Understanding the Events Landscape in the New Normal.

​I recently, along with some of my colleagues, attended and presented at the MICE Asia show here in Singapore. An unmissable event for the events industry in APAC, the MICE Show Asia is where the incentive travel, meetings and events industries come together to connect and build the future of MICE. I spoke to multiple businesses to discuss the recruiter's perspective on where the industry finds itself in 2022 and what the future holds when it comes to hiring.

This was my third large industry event in the past month so I am glad to see that we are moving on from the impact that the pandemic played on the events industry. The events industry was perhaps one of those worst hit by Covid-19 with an estimated loss of $935 billion with cancellations affecting the entire ecosystem. Postponements and cancellations sadly led to business downsizing and in some cases closures. One of the very few positives, however, was the forced adoption of new delivery models, digitizing conferences increasing the reach to more than those within a geographical commute.

With the return of marquee international events to Asia, we have a lot of light at the end of the Covid tunnel. With a strong, but slow, expected recovery over the next two to three years what are the factors that events businesses in APAC need to be conscious of when it comes to recruitment?

​We must first consider the factors from the old that affect events staff and businesses. The combination of long hours and little to no work-life balance means that organizations will experience high staff turnover as the expectation of the candidate has changed since 2019. Adaptations need to be made especially focussing on the key points below;

• Flexible Working Arrangements – jobs that allow for work-from-home arrangements are the most in-demand

• Mental Wellness – while it may not seem like a top priority, many are starting to rank this higher in their list of priorities when considering new roles

• Health Benefits – this is more sought after than ever; many choose health and safety over a bigger paycheck

• Work-Life Balance – it is your responsibility to protect your team/staff from overload and burnout!

• Continuous Development – higher overall job satisfaction, increased morale, productivity and performance.​

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In amending your job roles, alongside your HR departments, to be mindful of these key factors you are creating a more productive workforce. Extra hours do not mean extra work, it means a workforce who are burnt out and not operating to their potential. While the industry and your business are recovering from the effects of the pandemic, now is the time to cement yourself as a great place to work.

We have seen a talent drain as those who found alternative careers when events shut down are not flocking back in sufficient numbers so making our events jobs attractive again will plug the gap in great candidates. Now is the time for organizations to rethink their hiring practices, diversify their talent pools, and prepare for the future. With this in mind, you must also be open when it comes to recruitment. The right hire does not necessarily have the background and training that you may be expecting. Or even may have little to no events experience. This does not mean that they will not be a great hire and an asset to your organization. Lean on your recruiter’s knowledge and guidance to make the right choice based on fit regardless of what is on the resume.

The events industry can once again become a flourishing, viable career path attracting great graduate talent who spend decades as events specialists. The road to recovery may still be ongoing, but if changes are made, the future may be brighter than ever.

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If you want to hear more about the trends we are currently seeing within the events industry or want to discuss a requirement you have for hiring, then reach out to one of our team - Talk to Aspire​