Interview |
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Forty-two per cent reveal that another cause of stress is unrealistic deadlines , which is perhaps due to a lack of understanding on the client ’ s part as to what is involved .
However , 44 % of respondents revealed that office politics was a leading cause of stress .
People power
What sort of person does it take to
“ So , time moved on and after eight years I left Sledge and retrained as a coach . Yet the more people I coached the more it became clear I was trying to fix everyone ’ s stress levels ; this is not a good way to work . We couldn ’ t ‘ fix ’ people individually , we needed to do something culturally across the wider industry because , frankly , we are not looking after our people .”
The 2019 Stress Matters survey revealed to Capell-Abra that the situation was indeed an industry-wide concern , with 47 % of respondents saying long hours are the main cause their stress at work , with the same percentage citing demanding clients as their the primary cause of stress .
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be an event manager , and is the idea that the role can be done without stress a myth ? “ I used to assume it might be the case that it took a certain ‘ type ’ of person to be an event manager , but these days I ’ m not so sure ,” she adds . “ It takes someone who can put boundaries up by themselves and can push themselves to a certain limit , but if you ’ re after a straightforward eight-hour day where you clock off at 5pm then maybe it isn ’ t for you .” |
“ The background of stress is based on our level of control . In one sense we are totally in control because we ’ re running an event , but the reality is that often it isn ’ t true . There are so many moving parts .” |
Most event managers demonstrate great resolve , but Capell-Abra alludes to the fact that , in a sense , an event is as stressful as you make it .
“ You need to be tough to a point . But I don ’ t think the industry is inevitably stressful . It ’ s deadline driven and often high pressured , and we are never going to remove that , there ’ s always going to be a deadline . But the deadlines don ’ t have to be stressful . It ’ s the expectations on the individuals ahead of that deadline that causes the problems . It ’ s high pressure but doesn ’ t have to be overly stressful .”
Capell-Abra says client expectation is something that event managers will always have on their minds . “ We aim to please , but everyone must always keep the client at the front of their minds . The deadlines and high demands are the two biggest drivers of stress ,” she says .
“ Of course , a client is paying for your services , so they have the right to demand to ensure their investment in you yields the desired results .
“ The background of stress is based on our level of control . In one sense we are totally in control because we ’ re running an event , but the reality is that often it isn ’ t true . There are so many moving parts in every event , and so many people supporting it , that you can ’ t really control it all . In a sense you ’ re hoping and praying they do the job they are supposed to do .
“ You have all this going on , on top of the client expectation , and the deadlines . It can inhibit the sense of control .”
Capell-Abra has been helping event managers get a handle on their stress levels for a number of years , but while there is no cure for demanding clients and tight deadlines , it is time to at least be open about how we can support each other as an industry . CN
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