MICE sector growth slows as staff burnout triggers widespread labor shortage

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With the worldwide enterprise occasions sector rising at a compound charge of 6.4 p.c each year, it’s not shocking that it is among the most profitable facets of the conferences, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) business.

It’s estimated that, at any given time, there are at the least a number of 1000’s of enterprise occasions of various magnitude all through the world, powered by the intrepid efforts of the occasion administration and MICE professionals who organise them and make them work.

Likewise, the pandemic gave rise to the idea of hybrid occasions: a livestream may very well be broadcast from the bodily venue, enabling those that are unable to attend in individual to get in on the motion on the flooring.

This has enabled occasions to spice up their attendance numbers in addition to revenues streaming from each in-person and digital participation.

However such success has its drawbacks, notably the place the psychological well being and wellbeing of occasions administration personnel are involved.

Burnout hits arduous

In accordance with a report from the Skilled Conference Administration Affiliation (PCMA), over a 3rd of occasion planners worldwide declared that they had been exhausted and burnt out from the job.

Cumulatively, a 2023 report from The Tradition Collectors identified that 79 p.c of occasion professionals now discover their roles extra worrying than ever earlier than.

Small surprise then that MICE and occasions administration generally are actually at the moment ranked third among the many world’s most worrying occupations, not too far behind navy service and home-based medical care companies.

That mentioned, occasion administration corporations, MICE suppliers, and even authorities organisations tasked with dealing with large-scale conventions and exhibitions want to seek out methods to maintain their individuals from inevitably burning out and shedding their ardour for the job.

What’s fuelling burnout within the business?

UK-based occasions administration firm Goho studies that round 42 p.c of occasions professionals have jumped ship, a lot of whom cite rising stress and stress within the office as their motive for quitting.

The identical report factors out that as much as 28 p.c say that their burnout is pushed by the dearth of work-life stability of their career, as seen within the fixed have to be prepared for any eventualities earlier than, throughout, and even after an occasion.

One more reason for burnout that needs to be given critical consideration is that occasion administration personnel are likely to maintain the wants of occasion attendees earlier than their very own, with some even exhibiting up even when ailing to make sure that there are sufficient to maintain issues on the occasion flooring.

As selfless as this sounds, taking one for the workforce even when one’s thoughts and physique are screaming for relaxation advantages nobody, least of all the person.

SOS for occasion professionals

Probably the most hanging talks I’ve personally encountered on the topic is the one from Penang Adventist Hospital’s Dr Prem Kumar Chandrasekaran at BE @ Penang 2025.

In his discuss The Unbroken Wave: Mastering Boundaries and Workload to Future-proof Psychological Well being, Chandrasekaran referred to as out the best way occasion professionals sacrificed their private well-being to make sure desired outcomes.

That mentioned, his sage recommendation was for professionals to safeguard each their psychological and bodily well being by guaranteeing a correct work-life stability.

This is able to contain studying to say no as a way of stopping burnout, together with opting to clock off skilled obligations at an affordable time.

To be sincere, that could be a difficult proposition, particularly if corporations don’t provide their individuals the correct sources with which to enhance each their psychological and bodily well being.

Now what?

If we go by Chandrasekaran, one of the best ways by which occasion administration corporations can take correct care of their individuals is by giving them the required medical, psychological, and, at any time when obligatory, religious measures they want.

However there are a selection of extra sensible strategies by which to attain this finish:

Enable for ample post-recovery time Organising occasions is actually not a lightweight enterprise, typically taking weeks and even months to plan and involving everybody from workplace employees to suppliers to floor crews. All that effort mandates ample day off to relaxation and recuperate from each the bodily and psychological rigours of the job. By giving individuals sufficient relaxation, you get a workforce that’s rejuvenated and able to get again within the subject;
Chorus from scheduling back-to-back occasions One of many challenges of up to date MICE and enterprise occasions is that occasions have to be scheduled one after one other in instant succession, one thing which may be profitable but in addition exhausting and detrimental within the long-term for the well being of most individuals concerned. Correct scheduling must be considered to handle time, individuals, and sources in the very best method attainable;
Automate wherever obligatory With all of the expertise obtainable at our fingertips, counting on individuals to do all the standard paperwork is now seen as impractical and inefficient. Tech groups can develop submitting and stock options that may assist groups preserve observe of issues with out an excessive amount of paperwork concerned, and fewer human intervention additionally means much less errors might be made;
Open dialogue issues We can’t underestimate the significance of autopsy discussions following an occasion as these are the very best venues whereby to debate areas of enchancment together with any points encountered by the workforce within the means of organising and staging the occasion. Open dialogue additionally encourages occasions professionals to candidly talk about their wants with administration, enabling each events to seek out methods by which to handle key considerations; and
Know your limits On the finish of the day, allow us to keep in mind that occasion professionals are people somewhat than machines and there may be solely a lot that may be carried out by both individuals or organisations. Understanding your limits additionally allows all events concerned to correctly handle expectations for an occasion from begin to end, leading to nice outcomes and far much less stress for everybody.