Take care of the teams with internal events and think, in general, of more “therapeutic” events, perhaps with lighter programs and more activities in nature that allow you to disconnect, with a lot of networking and part of human connection, giving weight to everything wellness . This year you better get your act together in this sense if you want to be a better event organizer because “emotional fragility” is not a passing fad. By the year 2030, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that mental health problems will be the main cause of disability in the world. Still haven’t figured out that it’s one of the 10 trends to watch out for? Here are some ideas for a physically and mentally healthy 2023: wellness hubs, activities…
The 2022 market study already said it (which you can download here): wellness and everything slow rose to the top 3 of the elements to take more into account in events. We are already preparing the results of the 2023 market study but we have no doubt that this trend, closely linked to mental health, will be greatly reinforced.
We have talked a lot about the importance of the well-being of event attendees, a trend that has already been going on and that mainly means that when people are physically and mentally well, they are more receptive and proactive, two important objectives in events.
Well-being deserves its own international summit to talk about all these issues. It was in Bilbao from June 1 to 3 and was organized by Acciona Cultura, as you can see in the video.
Internationally, the English agency Agiito has become the first to carry Eventwell Wellness Hubs to your events. They consist of “quiet sensory spaces designed to provide an escape from the (often) overwhelming environment of a conference or event”.
In the hubs we find dim lights, noise canceling headphones, breathing books, meditation, diffusers and other tools to combat sensory overload as part of their “10-minute break” concept during the event.
Many of the hubs also have trained “Mental Health First Responders” to provide support.
There are all kinds of healthy activities for your event, you just have to find the one that best suits the profile of your attendees, both in terms of the type of activity and the duration available. From Saludando they explain to us that, although it seems like a short time, activities of 4-5 minutes during the event can be very beneficial to recover energy and attention: guided stretching with music, squats…
If you want to dedicate a little more time: “yoga or Pilates classes, going for a run near the venue, meditation… These are activities that allow colleagues to interact in environments other than corporate and that generate very interesting connections. Little material is needed, they can even be carried out in the event rooms, in about 20-40 minutes”, explains Antonio López, CEO Saludando y Saludando Empresas.
In Saludando they also offer what they call blender bikes. By pedaling the bike (which can be customized to suit the company) it creates a smoothie. The interesting thing is that it can work as an incentive to give more prizes to the participants.
In Kansas, the new sensory room of the Overland Park Convention Center It has been created by medical professionals with reduced lighting and noise. Open since January 2022, it offers bean bags, visual light panels, bubble walls, noise canceling headphones, anti-stress tools, weighted lap pads… There are also activity panels and a custom tactile artwork created by an autistic artist. The room was created by KultureCity, a non-profit organization that focuses on creating sensory accessibility and inclusion, and its team of doctors and therapists.
In Paris, Galeries Lafayette Haussman has created the Wellness Galerie, a space of 3,000 m2 for the world of care, holistic beauty and sports. A brand experience that offers its users the opportunity to enjoy different services, while finding an offer from more than 200 brands. There are even two bubble rooms that can be privatized. You can read more here.
In Madrid, the new Comet Meetings in front of the Retiro stands out because it offers wellness sessions within the event pack. “The sessions are designed to relax, restore energy and the nervous system, and direct our attention throughout the body. They include breathing and stretching exercises, yoga, meditation…”. Comet divides the day of the event into 4 parts: “Concentrate before a meeting”, “Relax before a meeting”, “Remobilize energy at noon” and “End the day in peace”.
IMEX America has had a room dedicated to meditation for several years. During breaks from the busy three-day conferenceattendees can drop in for regular yoga, mindfulness, and meditation sessions led by Lee Papa, a speaker and trainer in mindfulness and meditation.
The 1,200 Oriflame consultants arrived in Madrid to spend five intense days that began with the welcome party, continued with the work sessions and closed with a gala dinner. To get to know the city in a different way, beon organized a ‘wellness city tour’, which would take them to discover the most emblematic corners of the capital in a healthy way. The attendees put on ‘Silent Disco’ headphones to escape the chaos and noise by listening to a flamenco fusion melody while practicing healthy activities. Along the way, they met actors dressed in period costumes interpreting classic characters from literature, painting, or the Spanish aristocracy.
Aspects such as self-management of stress, creativity, productivity and one’s own well-being can be significantly improved with teambuilding activities, routes and workshops. A clear example of this was the healthy convention that Es.Cultura Eventos, together with its new WellBeen line, created on a beach in Punta Umbría (Huelva) for 400 attendees from an energy company.
The assistants They were divided into teams that rotated in each of the stands arranged in the arena. and who specialized in different subjects: stress control (with dynamics based on balance techniques from surfing), emotional unblocking (with a laughter therapy workshop)… At sunset, facing the horizon, a yoga teacher taught a final session to concentrate energy and assimilate everything they had practiced.
