A new survey from Hilton Hotels of more than 3,100 corporate employees who attend business events provides some interesting takeaways for meeting planners.
“For attendees, anxiety starts creeping in before welcome drinks are served,” the report noted. The proof: The vast majority of respondents believe they will struggle to navigate a busy itinerary, with 74% worried about there not being enough time between sessions and having to rush between meetings. More than 75% are concerned that Wi-Fi connection will be bad or nonexistent, while fluctuating room temperatures are stressful to 71% of people, who worry about feeling physically uncomfortable in spaces that are too warm or not well ventilated.
In addition, 67% of respondents said they feel less engaged during events if they don’t get downtime, with 55% skipping event sessions to decompress if there are no planned breaks. However, the generational differences are striking: Boomers are far less likely to skip sessions to decompress (39%) compared to 61% of Gen Z and Millennials. Yet when they do take breaks, Boomers feel less guilty about stepping away, with only 48% reporting guilt, versus 68% of Gen Z and 62% of Millennials.
For 60% of respondents, breaks are what they look forward to most during meetings. With this in mind, it’s no surprise many are carving out those precious moments by taking breathers on their own terms. In fact, 80% say they look forward to enjoying specialty coffee or tea beverages during these breaks – a simple pleasure that helps attendees recharge and savor the experience.
When it comes to technology, attendees are not anxious about AI usage for meetings. In fact, “today’s smartest events use [AI] to take care of the details, so attendees can focus on what matters: being present, making memories and connecting with others,” the report said. “From personalized schedules to frictionless check-ins and smart networking tools, technology is there to smooth the experience, not steal the spotlight.
“Increasingly, artificial intelligence is powering these behind-the-scenes solutions, making it easier for guests to navigate busy agendas, discover tailored content and connect with like-minded people,” the report added.
More than 65% of respondents want an AI assistant to help them prepare for meetings and work events.
Fully two-thirds of respondents agree that AI helps them personalize their event experience, such as tailored content and networking suggestions. And the same percentage of respondents agreed that AI assistance during work events helps them to maximize the event experience by saving them time and effort that can be spent doing other things that are more important to them.
And again, 67% agreed that AI-powered networking helps them connect with like-minded professionals more easily, curating the right people to follow and meet onsite to generate richer in-person moments.
Lastly, 64% of U.S. respondents and 56% of UK respondents said that AI-generated post-event resources (i.e., top takeaways, top emerging themes) give them new insights.
The full research report from Hilton can be found here.
