NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Top Banana put a hybrid twist on care provider Home Instead ’ s 2021 event : New Horizons
ver the past 25 years , Home Instead has grown into one of the most forward-thinking care providers in the world and with innovation at the core of its business .
The force of the global pandemic meant that care providers were faced with added challenges in looking after the most vulnerable . Home Instead was able to adopt new and innovative ways of working to ensure the continued safety of both its clients and caregivers . It was this message of resilience that drove Home Instead to arrive at its 2021 conference theme of ‘ New Horizons ’.
The two-day virtual event focused on moving forward , taking stock of learnings from the pandemic and , more importantly , focusing on the future to continue to be leaders in the home care industry .
Live from a bespoke built set and stage in a TV studio , the conference opted for a more relaxed ‘ on the sofa ’ magazine programme approach led by Sky News presenter Sarah-Jane Mee . Special guest sessions from astronaut Tim Peake and Paralympic medallist and 7 / 7 bombing survivor Martine Wright went down a storm , focusing on the power of a positive mindset and how to adapt to change . Live link-ups were made to the company ’ s global
HQ in the US for seamless interaction with colleagues across the pond .
In-house tech
The live elements were broadcast to the 1,400 remote delegates via Top Banana ’ s digital event platform Event Arena . It was important to keep the event as interactive and engaging as possible , so the platform included on-demand content , a celebration wall , live Q & A , breakout sessions and a networking area , which received over 2,000 messages over the two days .
A core element of the event was a supplier exhibition which allowed delegates to view their ‘ stand ’, request 1-2-1 meetings , live chat and download content . The format worked really well , and the suppliers fed back that they had more engagement than the live counterpart in 2019 .
With employees at the heart of everything , the evening celebration was all about recognition and reward , and the company chose TV icon Alexander Armstrong as the evening host , which saw him giving out more than 100 awards . Instead of the usual gala dinner , delegates received a cocktail celebration pack including all the ingredients to make their own signature cocktail ‘ Hi Impact ’.
With extended reach to the global HQ , more key players accessing the event than ever before and some of the best delegate feedback to date , the virtual event hit the right note and Home Instead is said to be eager to transition its annual conference to the hybrid model in the future . www . conference-news . co . uk