Q. Tell me about One10 and what you do there?
A. One10 is a brand loyalty company headquartered out of Toronto, with branches worldwide. In my position as Event Manager, I work with our clients developing and managing internal project incentives, programs and events for their employees. We do everything from websites to incentive travel programs, to meetings and conferences.
Q. Virtual meetings have become increasingly popular. However, is there something lost when we meet virtually instead of face-to-face?
A. Studies indicate that the most effective and valued method for adults to learn something is by doing. As such, it is especially true that if a meeting or conference has a learning component, face-to-face is preferable to virtual. With a face-to-face meeting, participants have the opportunity to touch, hear and engage. Without that, the connection is lost. Also, in a virtual environment, participants aren’t meeting people; they’re not interacting or broadening their overall experience. When there’s interaction, participants can help one another, while also networking with potential vendors and suppliers. Face-to-face allows for managing connections in the moment.
Q. What is gained by meeting virtually?
A. Virtual meetings allow participants the ability to multi-task, so that they can, for example, listen on one screen while working on a spreadsheet, email or document on another screen. It’s a time saver, eliminating the need for lengthy and expensive travel. In a hybrid meeting, virtual attendees can still watch what face-to-face attendees are doing and still get something out of it. Virtual meetings also allow planners to reach their goals with attendance. Finally, the technology isn’t going away. It’s becoming more prevalent. Working with it to enhance meetings is the best way to utilize it.
Q. Is one meeting type superior to the other?
A. A combination of the two works best because the younger generation want tech and often prefer to remain anonymous. With more and more mobile apps and interactive websites, people are engaging on their own, keeping to themselves, while still having some contact with the organizer. With an interactive platform, at the very least, they still have a way to ask questions and be engaged. In the end, a combination works best, because as I said earlier, adults learn most effectively by doing, which is why virtual should never completely replace face-to-face meetings.
