< PreviousA s companies evaluate when employees will go back to the office, if at all, one thing has become very clear: Most employees prefer a hybrid — or completely remote — work sce- nario. Therefore, office layouts need to be adapted into hybrid workspaces for maxi- mum collaboration and performance. A popular buzzword you may hear nowadays is ‘hot desk- ing,’ which means desks or working spaces that can be used by many people at different times. Although this option may present some limitations that could be seen as disadvantages — such as not “owning” your own work area and having to follow a schedule when such desk space is available — hot desking benefits from maximizing space and resources effi- ciency while reducing redundant office real estate. To make these ‘shared’ spaces more collaborative and user-friendly, the installation of USB-docking stations can create a quick plug-in solution for workers, allowing them to switch in and out of different workstations very quickly. These docking stations could connect to multiple moni- tors, keyboard, mouse, printers and other USB peripherals to provide a seamless desktop experience to the employee. On a side note, extra docking stations for the employee to carry with them would facilitate the connectivity from a home office or on-the-go locations. A mini dock or a mul- tiport dock will provide the ability to connect a variety of peripherals, screens and power over a single USB(-C) cable. Another important issue to consider for this new office redesign is the investment in technology that would contrib- ute to a more efficient work environment. Organizations and integrators will look for office equipment that can maximize employee collaboration from anywhere. Some equipment, such as presentation video switches, need to include several video ports, allow a larger number of remote or in-person participants, multiple video stream- ing capabilities and wireless connectivity. They also should include collaborative tools — whiteboards, chat features, video capture, etc. — control capabilities to manage meet- ing room equipment remotely or on-site and compatibility with videoconferencing applications. Video cameras, micro- phones, projectors, data networks and company firewalls may require upgrades to meet the new demands. Another one of the latest trends in the market is USB switches, which enable multiple users to control meeting room equipment. For example, a four-by-four USB switch can allow four users to control four different USB enabled cameras, microphones and devices in one meeting space, enabling remote meeting participants to get a full view of the people in the meeting room. Even locations with fixed devices or computers that must stay on the premises, such as dedicated computers, may modify to workstations with Keyboard, Video, Mouse (KVM) switches, allowing users to access multiple servers from a single workstation. A new trend on “hybrid KVMs” include USB-C ports for easy connectivity to a laptop while being connected to multiple desktop computers. Adding this functionality to a desktop allows workers to be more productive and mobile. Lastly, KVMs over IP can be essential tools for critical remote work. Individuals and organizations have been turn- ing to cloud-based software for hybrid and remote solutions, and these can be helpful, but they also suffer from issues that a hardware-based solution doesn’t. Relying completely on software-based solutions leaves individuals and organiza- tions at the mercy of that platform’s bandwidth and security. System administrators and users who need secure access from home require a different solution than just software. Avoid waiting for your remote worker to come into the office to restore a critical system. KVM over IP means having a direct connection to your PC at your company no matter where you are. With built-in virtual media, these devices also allow for remote file trans- fers, diagnostic testing, and OS and applications updates and PERSPECTIVE // Photo via Zoom Redesign Your Office for Hybrid Work BY CHRISTIAN YOUNG Organizations should look for office equipment that can maximize employee collaboration from anywhere. 10 August/September 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.compatches. In addition, KVMs can be compatible with platforms including Windows, Mac OS, Sun, Linux and serial devices. Besides connection reliability, a single-port KVM over IP may have features such as dual LAN and dual power for power backup to keep your devices running in case of power failure. The new goal of hybrid offices should be to maximize space-saving technology, enable workforce mobility and maximize collaboration. The office will play an important role of enabling collaboration and team alignment. The use of technology and investing into solutions to meet the new needs of the hybrid worker will continue to become more important. Hopefully, this article gave you some ideas for starting points to help envision how your hybrid office will work and how to best enable your workers when in the office and when working remotely. I recommend focusing on enabling collaborative meeting spaces first, as their demand will be greater than before in this hybrid environment. Hybrid Workplace Use Case: Inclusive Conference Room with Advanced Moderator Functions To transition to a hybrid work model, a company decided to revamp its conference room equipment to fully accom- modate remote participants to ensure both their well-being and productivity. To accomplish this, the company required a moderator-enabled A/V distribution and conferencing solution that streamlined accessibility, featured advanced audio functions, and simplified local and remote collabo- ration and video sharing. This allowed remote workers to feel as engaged and empowered as the ones physically present in the room. The challenges: • Content needs to be easily shared between on-site and remote participants • Integrate various sources that use different analog/ digital interfaces • Output displays need to be easily managed for a seamless flow • Need to be able to extract audio and connect to an existing audio system • Be able to overlay microphone input on top of other audio sources for collaboration The solution: Offer bidirectional multistreaming that enables content to be shared to and from participants remotely, while the moderator can discretely access any output display to switch content or change settings. Support audio embedding/de-embedding in addition to mixing microphone input with an external analog or digital audio source for seamless interactions between all participants, no matter where they are. Solutions Considerations and Challenges for Implementers For vendors that supply hybrid office solutions, they need ways to provide solutions that not only increase workforce mobility and collaboration, but enable workers to be produc- tive when working both in the office and remotely. With these in mind, those in charge of implementing office equipment for hybrid workplaces face a variety of considerations and challenges, including: • Meeting spaces must be extremely compatible, accom- modating for remote workers • Remote workers must feel as engaged and empowered as those in the office • Remote workers must be able to access tools as easily as those in the office • Desktop workstations must provide agility and ergo- nomics for hot desking • Hybrid workers must have proper connectivity to stay productive while mobile Workplaces looking to make the shift to a hybrid envi- ronment should seek a vendor that provides a full range of KVM, USB and video switches for hybrid office use. Look for companies that specifically focus on providing enhanced collaboration for remote meeting participants, direct con- nections for efficient remote working and video up to True 4K for the best visual experience. C&IT CHRISTIAN YOUNG Christian Young is a Pro A/V product manager at ATEN Technology Inc., a global manufacturer of KVM and AV/IT connectivity and management solutions. For more information, visit aten.com/us/en/ and follow @ATENConnect on Twitter. “ The new goal of HYBRID offices should be to maximize space-saving technology, enable workforce MOBILITY and maximize collaboration. ” TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | August/September 2022 11G lobal DMC Partners (GDP), the lead- ing global network of independently owned destination management com- panies (DMCs) and creative event experts, recently shared the results of its Q2 Meetings & Events Pulse Sur- vey. With results collected from May 31 to June 30, the report covers trending topics, including salaries, hiring, work/life balance, sustainability and what’s driving deci- sions throughout the global MICE industry. The survey polled 237 meeting and event professionals, the major- ity of whom are U.S.-based. Participants were primarily full-time employees (85%), and 97% hold a mid-level role or higher. Respondents were third-party/indepen- dent planners (48%), followed closely by corporate/ direct planners (44%) and a small percentage of associa- tion planners (8%). Key insights from the responses included: • Meeting and event planner salaries are higher in the U.S. and Canada than elsewhere in the world. • Companies are reporting more open positions, and fewer candidates. • Working from home helps planners achieve good work/life balance. • Sustainability is a higher focus for organizations outside of the U.S. • High costs are affecting program budgets and travel. Salaries and Bonuses Salaries were analyzed based on the respondents’ reported role level, with most in entry-level positions having an annual salary of less than $50,000. Most respondents who have a mid-level or senior-level posi- tion have a salary between $75,000 and $99,000; however, senior-level, leadership/management and owner/founder respondents reported a variety of ranges in salary. Fifty-five percent of total respondents reported being eligible for financial bonuses, with the majority of each level reporting that they are eligible for a bonus. While more than a quarter of respondents were not PERSPECTIVE // DepositPhotos.com Global DMC Partners Releases Results and Key Findings of Q2 Meetings & Events Survey 12 August/September 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comcomfortable sharing their salaries, there was a difference in reported salaries when reviewing the U.S./Canada ver- sus the international respondent pool. Of the international respondents, 42% reported annual salaries less than $50,000, versus only 4% of the US/Canada respondents. Nearly half of U.S./Canada respondents reported having salaries between $75,000 and $124,000, while more than half of international respondents reported having salaries $74,000 or less. Hiring Sixty-five percent of all respondents said their organiza- tions are hiring or recently hired, with more international respondents (75%) reporting that they are hiring, as com- pared to 61% of U.S./Canada respondents. More interna- tional respondents (69%) are hiring for entry-level posi- tions, while more U.S./Can- ada respondents (69%) are hiring for mid-level positions. Most organizations (82%) are hiring for salary-based roles, and the majority (71%) of organizations offer roles that allow candidates to work from home either full-time or part-time (hybrid). Many organizations have also had to increase their com- pensation packages to attract the right candidates, espe- cially internationally. Forty- five percent of international respondents reported having to increase their compensation packages as compared to 30% of the U.S./Canadian respon- dents. On average, most respondents report that it takes between one and three months to fill an open position, with 17% reporting that it takes longer than three months. Forty percent of respondents have found success in hiring candi- dates from other industries. As face-to-face events and meetings are making a come- back, on-site event management is the most desired skill for new hires (75%), with event technology and registration platform knowledge (61%), customer service (57%), budget management (57%), vendor management (46%) and con- tract negotiation/compliance (44%) falling close behind. Work/Life Balance The majority (79%) of all respondents report being sat- isfied with their overall work/life balance. U.S./Canadian respondents report that they are slightly less satisfied with their work/life balance with 77% reporting they are satisfied as compared to 86% of international respondents. Having the option to work from home is the No. 1 reported factor that contributes to a good sense of work/life balance. “While we do see some improvements in the quality of work-life balance, we notice more and more that it is sliding back very quickly due to the fast-paced demand for in-person events,” says Catherine Chaulet, Global DMC Partners president & CEO. “More than ever, planners’ roles as masters of all trades — negotiators, HR team builders, and creative gurus — are tested.” Sustainability Overall, the international response to incorporating sus- tainability is more positive than their U.S./Canadian counter- parts. Forty-five percent of international respondents report that their clients or companies have sustainability goals in place for travel, meetings, events or incentives, as compared to only 31% of U.S./Canadian respondents. Sixty percent of international respondents report that sustainability goals are a driving factor in choosing a destination for programs versus 25% of U.S./ Canadian respondents. The majority of all respondents do not require that vendors or suppliers have a sustain- ability certification, but 32% of international respondents and 11% of U.S./Canadian respondents do. Of those who report hav- ing sustainability goals in place at their organization, 91% report that reducing plastic usage and waste is part of their sustainability goals, 70% report including locally sourced food options, and 54% report that carbon tracking and offsetting are part of their sustainability goals. Budgets & Costs: What’s Driving Decisions Right Now It is clear from the data that meeting and incentive bud- gets are not likely to decrease for the vast majority of orga- nizations and their clients. Most respondents say their bud- gets for meetings have increased from 2021 to 2022 (52%) and are increasing from 2022 to 2023 (41%). While not as many planners report their incentive budgets increas- ing, 86% say they are either staying the same or increas- ing from 2021 to 2022 and 59% report the same from 2022 to 2023. Nearly 70% report that budgets are increasing due to inflation. In addition, rising airfare costs are affecting the chosen destinations for the majority of planners (60%), and some noted that their organizations or clients are choosing loca- tions based on where the majority of their attendees are located, or locations that are closer and/or less expensive to help offset the rise in airfare costs. Likely to offset cost increases, 47% are reporting that their organizations are increasing their pricing for services and/or events, with the majority of those being U.S. or Canada-based. C&IT Many organizations have also had to increase their COMPENSATION packages to attract the RIGHT candidates, especially internationally. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | August/September 2022 13Two Years Ago, Food & Beverage Offerings Changed BY MAURA KELLER INDUSTRY TRENDS // A s meeting and event attendees become food savvy, crave variety and demand a wider range of flavors, unique food and beverage options are now viewed as an easy avenue to please attendees and keep them coming back for more. And as the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, new trends in food and beverage offerings are proving to be a great way to offer unique dining options that make lasting impressions. Packed lunches and outdoor receptions are two of the big- gest trends Heather Odendaal, co-founder, CEO and event planner at WNORTH and Bluebird Strategy, is seeing right now in the conferences and events space. The idea of having packed lunches available helps support those who are not comfortable with sitting down for a meal with other attend- ees. Meeting and event planners also need to be prepared with options for their guests interested in “take away” food and beverages, if requested. “When I attended IMEX in Las Vegas [last] fall, it was the first 5,000+ attendee conference that I had been to since before the pandemic,” Odendaal says. “All of the receptions that I attended were held outside, in large spacious pool areas around the Mandalay Bay property. Serving food and beverages in this type of environment definitely meant that attendees felt more at ease and resulted in better attendance than those held inside.” The COVID-19 Effect Jeff Grass, chairman & CEO of HUNGRY Marketplace Inc., which connects companies with local chefs to provide event catering, says individually packaged meals are cur- rently much more common than pre-COVID. “We believe this will wane as COVID becomes less of an issue and we regain our focus on environmental sustainability,” Grass says. “Individually packaged meals have limited COVID safety benefits, but are terrible for the environment, and typically provide lower levels of guest satisfaction. These two factors will mean the shift to individually packaged meals won’t last long after COVID.” Jon Chir, Pechanga Resort Casino’s director of sales and the F & B challenge 14 August/September 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.comcatering, says the demand for booking meetings and events is as high as ever. They’re seeing groups and planners want- ing to book events into 2023 at Pechanga Resort Casino. Chir says when it comes to food being served, groups have largely stopped asking for everything being individually wrapped and prepared. “There’s been this shift in looking at how much waste all the packaging creates, and we see groups wanting to go back to our normal selection of menus. They’re wanting to get back to the comfort that our chefs’ food pro- vides,” Chir says. Desserts always prove popular with meetings and events. Chir has seen a shift this past year with groups requesting individual, hand-held and bite-sized desserts. “I don’t think I saw one whole pie or cake, except for at weddings, on our orders this past year. And that’s even through the holidays,” Chir says. Pechanga’s pastry chef created miniature gin- gerbread cookie houses that visually are appealing. He also created yule log cheesecakes for one event, and many more single-serving confections planners really loved. “We think they’ll continue to appreciate this dessert style so everyone gets their choice in the part of the meal that carries a lot of importance for most,” Chir says. Bree DiBernardo, senior sales manager at the Gant Aspen in Aspen, Colorado, says healthier food options, more veg- etarian requests and a larger focus on sustainability is tak- ing over the food and beverage segment within the meetings and events industry. People are also looking for more local, farm-to-table options. In addition, people want fresh foods and the ability to support a local company, as opposed to larger corporations. Dilyana White, director of events at Grand Hyatt Vail in Vail, Colorado, agrees that sustainability, with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, is a big trend right now in meetings and events. She is also seeing more requests for “local fare” in their events. Many restaurants and caterers will actually have small gardens where they grow their own Courtesy of Jeff Grass Jeff Grass, chairman & CEO of HUNGRY Marketplace Inc., thinks the trend of serving individually packaged meals will wane as COVID becomes less of an issue. hallenge TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | August/September 2022 15produce to be served on the menu. This also cuts down on costs and enhances the freshness of the meal. “People are being more cognizant of their global footprint, especially with larger gatherings. We are happy to see this trend con- tinuing to gain momentum, as it aligns with our culinary pur- pose at Hyatt, where we do our best to ensure we are limiting as much food waste as possible, supporting local agriculture and purveyors, all while creating a memorable and enjoyable experience for our guests,” White says. And while sustainable menu options are key, meeting planners also are turn- ing their attention to such things as incorporating “green” utensils, which can include bamboo, wood and com- postable options for guests. In general, sustainable or organic meats and produce do cost more than conventional meats and produce, but there are cost-savings benefits to embracing environmentally friendly practices. Event producers and attendees also are asking for more consideration in dietary needs and preferences. In today’s world of various dietary restrictions, today’s food and beverage providers are usually well versed in the unique dietary needs because they serve so many people at various events. Providing vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan options is a com- mon request, and one that can usually be accommodated during the planning pro- cess. It also is helpful to have attendees select a dish or list dietary preferences during the RSVP process of an event, so the food-service provider can best pre- pare to accommodate the needs of guests. As White explains, more people are opting for plant-based meals a few days a week, or eliminating ‘inflammatory ingre- dients’ like gluten and dairy. With this in mind, they have tailored their event food and beverage menus to incorporate all these pieces into every menu offering so that the ‘special request’ is already accommodated within the event menu. “Sustainable and fresh local ingredi- ents were popular before the pandemic, however supporting local suppliers and eating farm to table has become increasingly more popular over the pandemic,” Odendaal says. “Global supply-chain issues and inflation have also pushed up the price of overseas goods and meat. I believe we are going to see a much stronger push for vegetarian options on event and conference meal plans.” The biggest food and beverage trends that Ryan Thomp- son, director of sales and marketing at The Alida in Savannah, Georgia, is seeing is that clients want to see new, fun, interac- tive stations as opposed to a more traditional plated or buffet Courtesy of Heather Odendaal Providing vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan options is a common request, as more people are opting for plant-based meals a few days a week. 16 August/September 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.commeal. This is everything from carving stations to pretzel bars, to grazing tables. A lot of events and meetings that Thompson is seeing are less about the actual meeting and more about interacting as a company and enjoying in-person events again. So, instead of attendees sitting at a single table for an event, the planners want to see attendees mingle around with everyone and interact with each other, as well as the food and beverage options. “Meeting planners and attendees definitely want to see ‘what’s new,’” Thompson says. “They are looking for new items they haven’t seen before that will impress their guests, but also taste delicious. On the food side especially, having that ‘wow factor,’ in addition to great taste, really makes an event in the planner’s eyes.” On the beverage side, Thompson is seeing a lot more requests for local items — such as beers and spirits — or a nod to a local flavor, such as a Georgia Peach Martini. “This also goes back to the fact that events are really starting back up again, and a meeting or reception might be the first-time group attendees have traveled in a couple of years,” Thompson says. Continuing Problems CulinAero by Proof of the Pudding provides catering to the Georgia International Convention Center and the Gate- way Center Arena at College Park. General manager of food services Howard Hickman says COVID is impacting food and beverage in so many ways. “Supply-chain shortages have wreaked havoc. In many instances, we have had to modify Courtesy of Heather Odendaal Instead of attendees sitting at a single table for an event, the planners want to see attendees mingle. TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | August/September 2022 17 Sustainable and fresh local ingredients were popular before the pandemic, however supporting local suppliers and eating farm to table has become increasingly more popular. HEATHER ODENDAAL Co-Founder, CEO and Event Planner WNORTH and Bluebird Strategyfinished menus based on what’s available in the market,” Hickman says. “The price of proteins is ever changing, driv- ing up our food costs to record numbers. We are also seeing a lot of commitment phobia from our meeting planners. They are reluctant to make guaranteed commitments until the last possible minute, because most are fearful that attendees will drop out and they will be stuck with a large bill.” Odendaal agrees that everyone has had to pivot as a result of the pandemic, and she has actually seen new businesses start during the pandemic as a result of changing food and beverage needs of consumers. “At the end of the day, every- one needs to eat, and not everyone likes cooking for them- selves. I have seen many chefs leave the catering kitchen to start companies that cater to smaller dinners, meal-prep kits and even become private chefs,” Odendaal says. “A local com- pany in my town started just before the pandemic to serve charcuterie to wedding parties. They quickly developed other markets, including a growing list of Realtors in the area who were purchasing their trays as thank you gifts for clients and deliveries for virtual networking events.” Staffing shortages also continue to be a sore spot for the food and beverage industry, as a lot of hospitality workers have not returned yet. “Industry wide, there is a huge short- age of workers; it has become a war for talent,” Hickman says. There is definitely an emphasis now on food safety from a serving perspective, as food and beverage professionals are seeing more requests for individual portions opposed to buf- fet options. “Those who do order buffets have requested our team to serve the food or require all guests to wear masks while serving themselves,” DiBernardo says. At Grand Hyatt Vail, the supply chain has caused the largest impact on food and beverage in meetings and events. “A protein that you were able to get one week may not be available the next week. We have created a contingency plan to ensure we are still creating the experience that the event producers are looking for without sacrificing quality of product,” White says. Courtesy of Dilyana White At Grand Hyatt Vail in Colorado, sustainability, with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, is a trend right now in meetings and events. 18 August/September 2022 | Corporate & Incentive Travel | TheMeetingMagazines.com Individually packaged meals have limited COVID safety benefits, but are terrible for the environment, and typically provide lower l evels of guest satisfaction. JEFF GRASS Chairman & CEO HUNGRY Marketplace Inc.Carving stations and pretzel bars allow for more interaction at in-person events. Grand Hyatt Vail has seen a lot of success with breaking up typical buffets into multiple stations to allow for more dis- tancing. For example, at breakfast, attendees can have a fruit and pastries station, a yogurt/oatmeal granola bar, an eggs station and a few beverage stations, such as juice, hot bever- ages or cold-brew coffee. This can help eliminate long lines where people are standing in close proximity for longer peri- ods of time. This can also create an opportunity for increased networking as well during breakfast or lunch, versus having to wait for the reception held later. Creating unique noteworthy food and beverage events is something on White’s trend radar — how do they create experiences that people love to be a part of in smaller groups that they can create on a larger scale. For example, food or beer halls, food trucks, chef dinners, farm-to-table commu- nal dining, etc. “We have successfully operated several chef- led dinners, where we have an executive chef from a local or destination restaurant partner with our executive chef to create an experience where the chef is cooking right in front of the guests and introducing each individual course,” White says. For a more interactive dining experience, Grand Hyatt Vail works with local restaurateurs to create pop-up stations within their event space to create a “food hall” experience along with multiple beverage stations, wine bars, craft-beer tasting, signature cocktails/mocktails, etc. Creativity Rises Because the ice sculpture champagne fountain and cas- cading fruit waterfall may not be as COVID-19 safe, meet- ing planners now have to get creative. Odendaal recently attended a conference in California where the organizers hosted a seated cocktail hour which consisted of a beautifully displayed DIY cocktail-making kit, complete with [clear] ice cubes and edible flowers. Each guest was seated five to a table at half rounds, where a bartender presented on stage the step-by-step instructions. “It was incredibly creative, fun, socially distanced and unique,” Odendaal says. The team at the Alida is focused a lot more on the pre- sentation of food. So, if it is a shared item, like an interactive station or buffet, they are changing out those serving uten- sils more frequently and providing more serving options. The days of grabbing a piece of cheese with your fingers from a charcuterie board are over, and guests are actively looking for utensils to use. “Similarly, we have received some requests for a served buffet where, instead of the guests serving themselves, a staff member will serve instead. This keeps the food options fun and away from a more traditional plated meal, but does offer a little more safety on the food presentation side. This can also be a little challenging as we are diagramming the space,” Thompson says. “Adding in a server requires extra space and equipment, and also flips the setup of a traditional ‘serve yourself’ buffet so a few new room sets have been necessary.” Looking ahead, the rising cost of F&B is going to be unavoidable and very necessary for meeting planners to account for in their budgets. “Over the pandemic, many workers have left the industry, and in order to keep attract- ing new talent, wage increases are imminent,” Odendaal says. “That, coupled with the rising costs of goods, means that, at Bluebird Strategy, we are accounting for a 30% rise in F&B costs compared with pre-pandemic.” C&IT Photo by Lauren David / Courtesy of Ryan Thompson TheMeetingMagazines.com | Corporate & Incentive Travel | August/September 2022 19Next >