WELLBEING WITHIN EVENTS
The exhibitions and events industry is a special one – bringing people together – whether in a work or lifestyle capacity. This live environment offers a truly unique opportunity for people to meet, learn, be inspired as well as build lasting relationships. POINT3 co-founder Sarah Mayo, recently contributed an article to Exhibition News – a trade publication for the exhibitions and events industry. The theme of the article is around wellbeing within events – specifically of the people that work within the industry, as well as those that the industry comes into contact with through the events that it organises. Having worked in the industry herself this was an opportunity to recognise the pressures of the industry, raise awareness of mental health and wellbeing, and to offer some solutions to help manage the effects of stress better.
STRESS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY
The role of events professional is consistently ranked (in Career Cast’s annual US jobs rated report) as the fifth most stressful job behind the military and emergency services. Strict and regular deadlines are cited as the major contributing factor, not to mention the pressures of working long hours and the unpredictable nature of events.
And with World Mental Health Day taking place this Wednesday (10th October) this is a chance to shine a spotlight on mental health in the industry; to encourage people to talk more openly about mental health, to remove some of the stigma surrounding it, and to share solutions to help people manage their mental health better.
Read the full article ‘The right tools’ on page 51 of the October issue of Exhibition News here. A summary of the article can be read below.
THE ROLE OF EVENTS
The article goes on to discuss the role of the events industry to help educate and motivate people. The UK events industry (valued at £42.3 billion in the 2018 Pulse Report) arguably has a responsibility to help raise awareness of mental health in the UK. For its own people, but also for the people it comes into contact with through the exhibitions, meetings and conferences it puts on.
Events are one of the most effective ways to help educate people around mental health, and to motivate them to take positive action to manage their wellbeing better. There’s a real opportunity to use the platform of events, exhibitions and conferences to lead by example and give visitors and audiences the chance to reflect and consider their wellbeing more.
There are many ways to promote wellbeing within events – through the food that is served, to mindfulness sessions, energising workouts and wellbeing workshops. The research around movement and mindfulness as a means of improving overall physical and mental health, not to mention productivity, focus and creativity, is compelling.
Organisations and the events industry need to consider building this into their culture and ethos to help ensure that people that work within the industry, and beyond have the best possible chance of being “happy, healthy and thriving”. Let’s support ourselves and our people better by providing the tools and permission to focus on holistic health and wellbeing.