How do you measure the ROI of an internal event? How do you get employees to actually show up? And once they’re there, how do you create real engagement without forcing the fun?
These were a few of the questions that came up during our latest Virtual Networking Event for Workplace Experience Leaders, where we brought together a small group of workplace experience and internal event professionals to compare notes, share challenges, and talk about what’s actually working.
Here are a few ideas worth stealing.
Pick a few metrics and measure them consistently
Internal event ROI is tricky, especially when the goal is connection, culture, or employee engagement.
Instead of trying to capture everything, choose a few metrics you can track consistently from event to event. Attendance, attrition, registration experience, catering satisfaction, and activation engagement are all good places to start.
The real value comes from watching those metrics over time. Are scores improving? Are more people registering and actually attending? Are the changes you’re making having an impact?
Takeaway: You don’t need a perfect ROI formula to start gathering useful data.
Make feedback easy
The longer the survey, the easier it is to ignore.
Think five-question post-event surveys, a one-question poll during the event or simply asking attendees what they think while you have them in the room.
And don’t forget the follow-through.
If employees tell you something, find opportunities to create visible “we heard you” moments at future events. It shows people their feedback actually went somewhere and gives them a reason to keep sharing it.
Takeaway: Show your attendees that their feedback matters.
Get leadership in on the fun
Enthusiastic leadership can be one of your best tools for driving attendance and participation.
When employees see their leaders making time for an event, participating and genuinely enjoying themselves, it sends a signal that they can do the same.
Help your leaders help you. Give them a quick preview of what to expect, where you’d like them to participate and a few easy ways to engage with attendees. A little preparation can go a long way toward setting the tone for the room.
Takeaway: Event participation is influenced from the top down.
Give people something to do
Not everyone loves walking into a room and networking face-to-face.
One idea we loved from our conversation: give people something to do with their hands.
Crafting, creating, tasting, or making something together gives attendees a natural gathering point and takes some of the pressure off starting a conversation. The activity doesn’t need to be elaborate. Sometimes having a shared experience is all it takes to get people talking.
For more ideas, the Incentive Research Foundation has some great research on participant preferences and the event design elements that can influence engagement.
Takeaway: Help attendees break the ice.
The big takeaway?
Sometimes the best solution comes from hearing how someone else is tackling the same challenge.
That’s exactly why we started these conversations: to create a space for event professionals to compare notes, share what’s working, and learn from each other.
Because when you get the right people in the room, you always find a few ideas worth stealing.
Want in on the next conversation?
B Line hosts small virtual and in-person networking events throughout the year, bringing together event professionals across industries to swap ideas, make connections, and talk about the challenges we’re all navigating.
Want an invite to an upcoming event? Let us know.
