Report
Navigating a distracted economy
Catie Owen heard from Mark Taylor , chief executive of The QEII Centre in London , about the venue ’ s recent report on distracted delegates
Why did QEII launch the Distracted Economy report ? As the events industry really started to pick up again post Covid-19 , we wanted to understand the biggest challenges for event organisers in this new world where hybrid had suddenly become such an integral part of working life . From our discussions with our clients and stakeholders in the industry , we found that distraction was a significant issue . We wanted to investigate this in more depth to understand the challenges as well as potential solutions to support organisers in overcoming these new hurdles .
Distraction impacts how successful the events we organise can be . While face-to-face meetings were cited in the report as being the most productive , even they are not immune to distraction . We hope that this comprehensive report will shine a light on the issue and persuade the industry to challenge conventions when it comes to how events can and should be run .
What are the key findings , and do they differ from what QEII was expecting ? Our report highlights several
Above : Mark Taylor , chief executive , The QEII Centre , London startling statistics . Perhaps the most shocking was that scrolling on social media , checking messages , daydreaming , and other distractions are costing the UK economy a staggering £ 19.9bn ( USD $ 25.3bn ) each year .
When it comes to meeting formats – 83 % of people admit to being distracted during in-person meetings , while the number rises to 85 % during online meetings . Senior management is not immune to distractions either , with 40 % of them admitting to being distracted for a third of the meeting . In addition , over a third of people ( 38 %) are concerned about their ability to be fully focused and fully concentrating during business meetings or events . More than half of the respondents agreed that productivity is higher when everyone attends in-person meetings compared to online meetings , which is good news for our industry .
From our preliminary research and conversations with clients , we were expecting people to report struggling with distractions during meetings , but we weren ’ t expecting the numbers to be quite so high , which illustrates that this is an issue that needs our industry-wide attention .
How are you expecting the results to change over 2024 ? While the trend for remote working and online meetings is likely to remain a fixture in our working lives , the need to meet up face-to-face will remain stronger than ever . We are social animals , and the benefits of meeting in person are enormous and well-proven . Checking in with your peers , spending time with extended teams , and meeting people in the flesh that you ’ ve only ever seen on a screen remain crucial drivers to boost both productivity and morale .
As digital technology advances
28 Issue 1 2024 www . exhibitionworld . co . uk