3 Ways to Rethink Employee Engagement with Virtual Event Technology

October 25, 2021

Change cannot be put on people. The best way to instill change is to do it with them. Create it with them. – Lisa Bodell


Employee engagement was once just a good-to-have goal and used to involve tactics to make the employees "feel an emotional connect" around special occasions and conventional team-building activities.


The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing organizations to throw away playbooks that they had become comfortable with. Employee engagement is now a mission-critical strategy, which can make or break the growth story of the company in both, short and long term.


Before the pandemic, most employees were working in usually the same office building. The projects they worked on and the people they interacted with, would more or less define the culture. Managers and leaders could focus on few, well-defined levers of motivation to improve performance.

In the new normal, everyone is feeling the need to embrace and adapt to hybrid work. From the perspective of the leadership, they need to figure out the optimal employee engagement strategy that serves the needs of employees whose workspaces and schedules can differ widely. Though the challenge is daunting, fast-evolving technology is here to help.

Here are 3 ways to rethink employee engagement that inspires and aligns everyone towards a common goal:

  1. Organize regular virtual town halls: Interactive townhalls inspire a sense of community among your employees. A transparent, “all-hands” discussion format enables them to be heard. Virtual town halls can be used to give context to company goals and inspire accountability and ownership.
     
  2. Go beyond traditional sales kick offs (SKOs): Imagine a sales kickoff that wasn’t motivation squeezed into a 3-day jaunt, but an evergreen team connection with more impactful training and inspiration. A virtual SKO format allows you to feature outside speakers, and top sales leaders to show that you are investing in their growth.
     
  3. Iterate and experiment by learning from data: With every virtual event, you have the ability to derive insights from a sea of data to track employees’ engagement levels. What they looked at, who they spoke to and what led to greater participation. With such insights, you can then personalize future events for greater impact.

Did these ideas pique your interest? Want to explore how to put these ideas into action? Join us at Submerge - a series of deep-dive events featuring the latest trends and actionable advice from experts to deliver immersive virtual experiences.

Submerge: A Virtual Event Series

Increasing employee engagement
in a hybrid world
Nov. 17, 2021 | 11:00 AM PT

Register for free

PS: Hubilo recently raised $125 million in an oversubscribed Series B funding led by Alkeon Capital. Read how it will be deployed to enable events that foster meaningful human connections amongst employees, customers, and the greater community.

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Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact