Wellness design elements have been thoroughly integrated into this year’s WEC in San Francisco. Some of the components are more apparent than others, but here are a few highlights to enhance the awareness of these efforts in the hopes that meeting professionals can implement similar—or even more evolved—tactics within their own programs.
- Elements focusing on physical wellness include active engagement in all educational sessions as well as moving keynote times and making them shorter so people can be well rested and not feeling “stuck” in one spot for as long.
- An occupational/spiritual focus through the Career Collective, Professional Development Concierge and the hosted buyer program.
- Social wellness through community meet ups, networking opportunities (Opening Night Reception, Closing Night Rendezvous), a variety of education approaches and honoring accessibility and inclusion.
- Intellectual wellness is perhaps the most blatant, evidenced through the varied concurrent session, general sessions, immersive tech space and even pre-con education.
- Environmental wellness via recycling, using local produce and products to minimize the event’s carbon footprint, using natural lighting whenever possible and offering unique furniture setups for comfort.
- The focus on mental and emotional wellness ranges from duty of care, pre-event communications with participants to ensure a safe event experience and accessibility and inclusion practices.
- Lastly, in this trying economic time, there’s a focus on financial wellness, which includes scholarships to attend WEC, early-bird pricing and effectively utilizing sponsor contributions to lower overall costs.
