Trend B: New working patterns

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in a more flexible working life, particularly for employees within the sectors and professions that are inclined to take part in a larger corporate event or congress. Working from home has become more widespread, even though a number of companies and organisations have recently begun to revisit these arrangements. Despite a reduction in the opportunity to work from home, more flexibility in the way we work is here to stay.

The rise in the number of employees working from home means a more geographically dispersed workforce, which could potentially become an advantage for business and meeting tourism. Several reports indicate that in the future there will be a greater need to bring employees together for events, which can help strengthen the internal organisational culture and general employee satisfaction. However, it may prove difficult to gather people in person, because they are used to being able to work from home. It therefore now takes more to get them out of the house, especially on the days when they are used to working from home. It must therefore be ensured that the event is perceived as attractive as possible, and there may be a need to factor these new working patterns into the planning.