The cost of safety and wellness at events

Budget planning considerations that may save reputation and achieve peace of mind.

Almost a year on since the meetings and events industry has endured the gruelling effects of Covid-19, event strategists are looking for ways to build a stronger model for the industry. On top of mind is the concern around costs associated with managing events.

In this first of three episodes of Couch Convo by BEAM with Petrina Goh, Commercial Director at CWT Meetings & Events, and Kate Sibbett, a high-performing senior event management professional, we examine the cost of safety and wellness of participants at events, as well as tips and measures that will facilitate successful and safe events.

With the pandemic completely altering how we meet and do business, many companies are uninformed about what it takes to ensure safety and wellness for their customers and employees at physical meetings, while attendees need to feel safe and assured attending them.

Virtual fatigue and stressors brought about by current circumstances can take a toll on anyone’s mental well-being. Kate and Petrina share the same estimate of how much these considerations go into budget planning and why they should be prioritised.

Organising safe events in the new normal go beyond upholding safe distancing and hygiene measures. “In the beginning, many companies think that safety and wellness equal social distancing. But the reality of the situation is that everybody wants to meet face to face, and you don’t get the same amount of return on investment or time as compared to having tea together,” Petrina said.

This need leads to the cost that goes into areas such as the Antigen Rapid Test (ART) and even vaccinations. The question is, who is going to pay for it? And if an attendee contracts the virus, who is responsible?

Event insurance has also changed in the past year, as Petrina explains about the coverage organisations expect with the rise of healthcare cost and range of diseases to be covered.

“You have to get comfortable with uncomfortable discussions. Because if you don’t talk about safety and wellness and the cost implications, the repercussions of having a Covid case at your event is going to take you years to come back from,” Petrina said.

Watch the video for the full conversation and find out what your emergency response plan could be at your next event.

Kate Sibbett is a high-performing Senior Management Professional, offering more than 15 years of operations and high-performing, multicultural team management experience across customer-service focused sectors.

Petrina Goh has over a decade of experience in the meeting & events and hospitality industries. She is responsible for growing CWT M&E’s business in this key market, and creating highly participative, digital and data-driven M&E experiences for clients.

Featured image by Branimir Balogović on Unsplash