The events industry has been among the sectors most disrupted by COVID-19. With countless conferences, meetings, and gatherings canceled or postponed worldwide, event professionals face the urgent task of rethinking how events are planned and run to protect health while preserving value.
Prioritizing safety and wellbeing
Organizers must redesign events with safety and wellbeing as the primary criteria. That means coordinated action among organizers, venues, public health authorities, staff, vendors, speakers, and attendees. Key considerations include clear health protocols, physical distancing, safer food service, contactless and remote registration through event apps, and contingency plans for rapid changes in local guidance.
Essential steps to stage safer events
Even as uncertainty continues, event teams can take concrete steps to restart operations while reducing risk. The most important measures are practical, transparent, and repeatable.
1) Build a preparedness plan
A written, publicly available plan builds confidence and makes decision-making faster during promotion and on-site execution. Include:
– Coordination channels with local health departments and emergency services.
– Communication agreements with the venue and all suppliers.
– Procedures for identifying, isolating, and safely assisting attendees who become ill.
– Posted prevention guidance and signage throughout the venue.
– Stock and placement of hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, masks, and cleaning supplies.
2) Communicate proactively and frequently
Keep attendees, partners, and staff informed through email, social media, and push notifications in your event app. Key updates should:
– Explain the current event status and any changes.
– Share authoritative guidance from local health officials.
– Reiterate the preparedness plan and behavioral expectations.
– Point people to reliable resources for testing, symptoms, and local rules.
3) Set clear health and safety rules
Publish unambiguous policies before ticket purchase and again before arrival. Important elements:
– Advance notice of health rules, mask expectations, and social distancing measures.
– A transparent refund, postponement, and registration-transfer policy for those who can’t attend or must be excluded.
– Specific guidance on allowed, restricted, and recommended behaviors.
4) Make hygiene visible and enforced
Sanitation must be practical and obvious to reassure attendees:
– Position multiple sanitization stations with ample supplies.
– Clean shared equipment (microphones, demo devices) between uses.
– Increase cleaning frequency for high-touch surfaces and restrooms.
– Train staff to enforce rules politely and consistently.
5) Use technology and flexibility
Adopt hybrid formats, staggered schedules, and contactless tools to lower density. Use event apps for registration, check-in, session limits, wayfinding, and automated updates. Consider screening procedures and mechanisms for contact tracing consistent with local regulations.
By following these steps—planning thoroughly, communicating clearly, enforcing sensible rules, improving sanitation, and using technology—organizers can reduce risk and rebuild attendee confidence. Stay adaptable, follow public health guidance, and prioritize people’s safety as events evolve.
