By Taylor Rojo
Tips and tricks that will help to prevent this at your next event.
Hands up if you’ve ever accidentally come within two meters of another person during COVID times. Everyone? Yep. As social beings it is our nature to seek closeness with others. And our attendees are no different. So how can we help our attendees comply with physical distancing rules at events? As the event planner, it is your responsibility to ensure the venue you pick for your event allows enough space for your attendees to physically distance at your event. But as illustrated in slip-ups in our daily lives, simply having the space to allow for physical distancing does not guarantee it will happen. Read on to learn about some products that will help your attendees easily follow the physical distancing guidelines laid out for them at your next event.
Bumper Tables:
These tables are wonderful because they create a physical gap between attendees and provide each attendee with their own table, minimizing concerns regarding high-touch areas at a cocktail party. This allows attendees to move around and socialize freely, without wondering if they are getting too close to others in the process. Available for rent or purchase, these bumper tables make a great addition to receptions.
https://theeventrevolution.com/products/bumper-tables
Charging Stations:
While there is nothing new about charging stations at events, it may be worthwhile to increase your budget line for charging stations at your next conference. Why? Well, the more charging stations available, the less chance you will find your attendees congregating in one area. Consider including tabletop charging stations at each table at your next conference, allowing attendees to stay at their assigned seat, maintaining the physical distancing you carefully considered when creating the floorplan for your event, while still charging necessary devices.
https://soschargingsolutions.com/products
Sneeze Guards:
A staple at grocery stores since the COVID-19 pandemic began, sneeze guards have made their way into the hospitality industry. As more hotels continue to open across the country, these physical barriers are finding their way into hotel lobbies, and they should be finding their way into your event. While sneeze guards are useful for areas such as a registration or information table, don’t overlook other implications for a sneeze screen at your event. Rather than using stanchions, why not utilize large sneeze screens at your event to accomplish the same purpose? These screens are useful for creating not only physical distance between attendees, but also a physical barrier, providing an extra level of safety, while still allowing attendees a clear sight line to your event space.
https://www.sneeze-guards.ca/
Social Distancing Wearable Device:
There are a variety of social distancing wearable devices being developed right now, and these have the potential to have a large impact on live events going forward as this technology becomes more widely available and more cost effective. Many of these devices, such as the CrowdRanger, use Ultra-wideband to determine the location of other devices, and alert the wearer when another device comes within a predetermined safe distance through light, sound, and vibration. Unlike some contact tracing apps, which rely on attendees opting in by downloading another app to their device, social distancing wearable devices could be incorporated into the onsite registration experience, where attendees collect their name badge along with their social distancing wearable device to be used for the duration of the event. CrowdRanger is currently available for purchase as well as rent for your next event.
https://crowdsaver.net/product/crowdranger-events/
Other Considerations: Ambient Volume Levels
Finding the perfect volume for entertainment at an event has always been a bit of a balancing act. How many times have you received the conflicting feedback that “the music was too loud” as well as “the music was too quiet” from multiple attendees at the same event? Now, however, is the time to err on the side of quieter entertainment. Loud ambient sound in a room makes hearing conversations more difficult, and may unintentionally encourage attendees to stand closer together in order to hear each other. Consider lowering the volume on piped in music, and saving louder acts for when attendees are expected to be seated.
The Takeaway:
There is currently no one perfect solution that will ensure attendees comply with physical distancing guidelines at events. However, by implementing a variety of solutions, you as the event planner are helping to set your attendees up for success for a safe event!
