9 Agency focus |
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the key challenges facing agencies include short lead times , slow payments , and cancelled pitches .
“ Companies are also having to navigate questions around resources ; should they increase headcount or widen their freelance pool ? In a new normal of hybrid working , agencies are also having to think differently about company culture , and how to build that remotely .
“ With deadlines tight and clients becoming more demanding , the elements that took centre stage during the pandemic , such as sustainability and especially mental health and wellbeing , are sometimes falling off the radar . Stress levels are on the rise again .”
On what
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” Sustainability and mental health and wellbeing are sometimes falling off the radar . Stress levels are on the rise again .” |
is needed to address these challenges , Fennelow adds : “ We are still recovering from the pandemic , but addressing the increased pressure of client demands and timelines would allow space for a renewed focus on wellbeing , company culture and sustainability . The question lies in how we can band together to get clients to work differently , to allow the sector to be supported and sustained in the long-term .”
On the issue of stress levels , TRO ’ s head of talent , Kirsty Finding , reminds us that event organising is listed among the top 10 most stressful jobs ( as identified in the CareersCast survey several years in a row ). “ There ’ s no getting away from it ,” she says . “ The need to deliver on time , to perfection , juggling multiple tasks at once and overcoming inevitable curveballs – but it ’ s what the events industry thrives off . However , it can also lead to burn out if we don ’ t take care .
“ Therefore , it ’ s so important to understand what your stress triggers are and what helps you deal with stress . There are many great tools and partners out there to help ( like the Stress Bucket Tool , Thrives Mental Wellbeing App and POINT3 Wellbeing , which offer a great selection of interactive training sessions delivered by ex-events industry experts ). Employers just need to invest in them .
“ Good management of stress is good for everyone , it leads to a happier , healthier and high performing workforce , that wants to deliver exceptional work , not just for themselves but for their agencies .”
Greater attraction Julie Shorrock , chair of trade body BEAM , notes further challenges faced by venue-finding and booking agencies : “ While recruitment is a major challenge , we really have an attraction issue . We need to make
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people starting their careers realise that this is a great industry to work in : fun , sociable , and offering fantastic prospects . We must solve this if we are to continue to deliver first-class customer service and events .”
Shorrock adds that technology is available to help agencies refine their processes to make them more efficient , as time and resource challenges have shifted to a new normal . “ There is a vast range of technology available that would help agencies with arranging venues and running events and , at the same time , help overcome recruitment challenges . However , for many , particularly smaller ones , the costs are a prohibitive risk .”
She adds : “ Several BEAM members have suggested that , on the topic of recruitment , we need to attract younger talent at the beginning of their careers . Building more partnerships between industry organisations and educational institutions can help to address this .
“ On technology , AI can improve efficiencies in repetitive tasks in different areas of our business , with one key area being proposal writing . However , BEAM recognises the danger of appearing to be overly automated and risks around losing the identity of the agency in using it . We provided insight and advice from AI experts at our members meeting in April .”
The industry , like other sectors , is no stranger to evolution . Now is not the time for fear of change but rather to embrace a new era . There is no denying that the human touch is as important as ever but with increased demands from clients , married with shorter lead times and tighter budgets , agencies are going to have to be creative in how they navigate the new look industry . Simply doing what the industry has always done may not be enough . CN
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