Managing Mental Health While Creating Event Experiences

Managing event experience is one of the most stressful jobs, which may have become more so in the post-pandemic era. Here, Vaibhav Jain, CEO and co-founder, Hubilo, shares vital tips on how marketers can take certain steps and use technology to reduce their mental stress while organizing events.

August 12, 2022

We are managing more than ever, it seems, in our post-pandemic reality. Your event platform should take tasks off your plate and not add to them. Event professionals had one of the most challenging times as our industry came to a screeching halt in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it necessary for everyone to make an overnight shift to virtual tools. The pandemic’s effects are a lot for each of us, and we must ensure we take care of our own and each other’s mental health while ensuring we deliver seamless event experiences.

With easy event replication, in-platform data and analytics, and tech stack plug-ins, event tech now has the ability to be a hard-working member of the team instead of a blunt virtual tool, thus relieving some of our pressure.

See More: Marketers, Don’t Ditch Your Event Strategy: 5 Tips to Improve Digital Experiences

Right Tools for the Right Job

Events in the best of times are stressful — even the smallest event can bring challenges that may make you feel overwhelmed. The digital transformation we have seen over the last two years has caused its share of consternation, but it also provides a path to alleviating some of the difficulties that come with events. 

Event tech can provide relief to event professionals and marketers by allowing you to automate the details and reporting of KPIs through templates and replication. Your virtual or hybrid events platform should also plug into the rest of your tech stack for seamless integration of marketing efforts. You should reach out to your vendors so they can show you how to get the most out of the platforms you choose for your events and outreach.

As an event planner, customer service (CS) should also be a crucial part of your strategy to reduce your mental toll. Event technology must come with experts who can help marketers navigate the technology, its implementation, and the event itself. The customer experience (CX) and CS teams are the mavericks; they have all the technical know-how about working on a series of events day in and day out. They add knowledge and expertise not just of their platform but also of the industry and tactics in the lead-up to and after the event. Your team should be able to lean on your customer experience team as if that member was actually a part of your business. Having more support and team members can help relieve any additional stress you may feel, especially when worrying about the tech tool of which you may not be an expert.

Opening up the Conversation

Everyone is feeling the pressure, even if they are hiding it well. Hence, it helps to talk about it. The more leaders in events and event tech acknowledge the challenges we are facing with our mental health, the less pressure there is to hide what we are going through, especially because we are all going through it. No one is perfect, and we should not feel a need to present ourselves as such. In fact, pressuring ourselves or our team members to put on a mask and hide the stress can reduce productivity and success. Regarding events especially, we often find the next innovative thing through taking risks, and if we have to be perfect, we will not take those risks.

When event tech works with event professionals, we can acknowledge the shared stress that comes with putting on an event experience. Knowing where you are feeling the strain can help your CX reps recognize where they can best support you. And, you can work together to find solutions that will help relieve the pressure and enable you to focus on what you do best.

See More: In a (Still) Virtual World, How To Perfect Online Events

Adding Structural Support

Putting your attendees first is what every good marketer does — they are the reason we strive for exceptional events, after all. However, that does not mean putting yourself last. Event professionals are some of the most creative and innovative people who take care of every last detail. They should not have to be technical wizards on top of everything they already do. Using technology that comes with excellent support frees them up to focus on their strengths and not worry about adding another hat to their day-of-event outfit. Allowing your event pros to do what they do best can alleviate stress and mental strain. If your event pros are at their best, the event is sure to be a success.

Business leaders have a significant role to play in event professionals’ mental health as well. For example, leaders should have access to information on managing their own mental health and ways to help their teams cultivate healthy coping strategies. Respecting and encouraging their reportees to establish strong work/life boundaries and take steps to stay healthy is an approach managers can use to prevent burnout in event professionals. Respecting office hours, turning off email notifications, and providing mental health days are all important ways to keep a healthy work environment in the organization.

Supporting event professionals’ mental health is rooted in empathy. The more we can be open about what we feel and how we are dealing with it, the more we can support each other, our teams, and our clients. Preventing burnout and keeping ourselves resilient is more than just an individual effort. Use your technology and your robust customer experience teams, and reach out to experts when the stress levels start to rise, and you will keep your teams and your events strong and going.

What steps have you taken to ensure mental wellbeing while creating event experiences? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window . 

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Vaibhav Jain
Vaibhav is the CEO and Founder of the leading global virtual, live, and hybrid event technology company, Hubilo. Under Vaibhav’s leadership, Hubilo has raised over a $153M - a Seed round of US$4.5 million, a Series ‘A’ round of US$23.5 million, and a Series ‘B’ round of US$125 million in less than a year from a leading Hedge fund, and Venture Capital firms globally, and the company continues to grow exponentially, internally and geographically. Vaibhav’s vision is to create a solution that works for every possible industry where content and community can come together beyond the business world.
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