8 big event trends for 2022

Events have been transformed in recent years. One minute we’re having in-person gatherings, and the next, it’s all virtual events.

While it’s impossible to predict the future, there are 8 big event trends that we’re seeing for 2022. The event industry has undergone a period of uncertainty, but it’s one that’s brought a chance for plenty of change and innovation.

Whether you’re planning a corporate event or looking to get your friends together, you’ll want to be aware of the trends within the event industry.

Our 8 trends for the event industry in 2022 will give you some insights into what to expect if you’re planning virtual, hybrid or in-person events for your team this year – including a few things you may not have been expecting.

1. Physical events remain uncertain

COVID-19 has changed the world of work forever. Gone are the days of working Monday-Friday from 9-5 in the office.

People are traveling less and taking advantage of remote working to lower their costs and boost their quality of life. If they are coming back to the office maybe they only want to do so part time.

What does this mean in terms of events?

It’ll continue to be hard to get everyone in the office at the same time and take extra coordination for an in-person event.

If you’re planning an event in 2022, you likely need a virtual or hybrid option to ensure people can join from home or the office.

2. Virtual events are here to stay

Don’t cancel your Zoom subscription just yet! Virtual events are here to stay in 2022.

You’re more likely to get all team members to attend an event when it’s held virtually, and it helps to reduce the cost for both you and your attendees.

A highly engaging virtual event will result in fantastic team outcomes and can return as good a ROI as any in-person function.

When you host a virtual or hybrid event, you can maximize inclusivity and create a more effective networking experience for engagement between attendees.

The flexibility of a virtual event means you can schedule it much easier and can include everyone in the team regardless of where they’re located.

3. Hybrid events the new norm

Are you part of a hybrid work team? Statistics would suggest that you answered yes.

In fact a recent report from Zippia showed that 74% of US companies are using or plan to implement a permanent hybrid work model.

83% of US employees prefer hybrid work, and 55% of employees want to work remotely at least 3 days a week.

So with that said, you need a hybrid event solution!

These events are the perfect halfway solution as it allows you to involve staff that are working at the office just as much as those working remotely. 

You’ll need to navigate how to run a hybrid event of course, with some unique complexities. 

In our experience it is better to create fully remote and fully in-person teams within one event, but have everyone in the office with access to a device for an online briefing.

The alternative if you want teams of in-office and remote employees to mix is that you ask all the in-office employees to log in to their own device so that you are all in the “same space” and the remote staff don’t feel like they are missing out.

With a hybrid event, you get the best-of-all worlds and can accommodate staff who are working remotely or at home, so no one misses out on the team bonding experience.

4. Asynchronous events will expand rapidly 

Travelling for conferences and meetings are a thing of the past meaning asynchronous virtual events will become even more common. 

If you are working in a global, distributed organisation you may well be grappling with the timezone complexities of the modern world. 

Allowing people to participate in events with colleagues in a similar time zone means that no one has to stay up late or get up early. 

To facilitate this we need games, activities and content that can be delivered asynchronously like these team social games. Record a briefing via video in the first session and have your colleagues compete across a 24 hour period in the same game.

Asynchronous events are a game changer for companies and organizations with global teams dotted across the world.

You can synchronize your calendars locally and create the sense that you are bringing everyone together virtually at the same time – even if they’re thousands of miles away. 

With the popularity of remote working, asynchronous communications and events are going to become a normal part of working life in 2022 and beyond.

5. More and more virtual event platforms

Every day, our social media feed is full of advertising from yet another virtual events platform, with the proliferation of virtual events being matched by an explosion of virtual event platforms. 

In 2020 and 2021 it was all about the traditional video-conference platforms like Zoom, Meet, Teams and Webex. But in 2022 we will see more immersive platforms competing hot on their heels and trying to take some of their market share.

One of the latest virtual event platforms is Remo, which works to “humanize the online event experience” by helping you grow and engage your audience. With floor plans and virtual tables on offer this platform is great for large scale conference events.

Another platform you might have heard of is Hopin – which creates immersive hybrid, virtual, and in-person event experiences.

A third platform to have on your radar is vFairs, an all-in-one hybrid and virtual events platform that comes with in-build chat tools for webinars and event fairs.

These platforms are already attracting thousands of users as the events industry looks for new platforms to help engage the audience.

6. On-demand content will become even more popular

As we have seen happen for TV and movies, you can also expect to on-demand event content to become more popular in 2022. 

Our self-hosted game platform makes hosting virtual games straightforward for team leaders and event organisers, with the do-it-yourself set-up allowing you to take full control of your event and host it at your own convenience. 

Our games and activities are designed for varying lengths of time, allowing for flexibility in how and when they are used by teams.

As organisations continue to adapt to the permanence of remote and distributed workforces and team leaders become increasingly comfortable in their roles as online facilitators, they are going to need new ways to engage their staff.

7. Insight-driven engagement for event participation

Engagement is everything – especially for virtual events.

If there’s one thing you should be doing during and after your events in 2022, it’s getting feedback from your participants. 

How interesting and engaging is the content? Did they feel like they were seen and heard? Was the event a success?

Event organizers should be asking questions to get insights into improving engagement for future events. 

With virtual events expanding and becoming more popular, it’s vital to understand how they are being received. 

8. Connection and collaboration challenges are still being solved

Virtual and hybrid events are still relatively new, and not everything is figured out.

There’s no one size fits all when it comes to virtual and hybrid events, with each organisation and team needing to find what works best for them.

Connection and collaboration are two of the key challenges that modern remote, hybrid and distributed organisations face, and the event industry is at the forefront of trying to help solve these problems.

Creating activities and games is an interactive way for your team to stay engaged and build stronger relationships, which is fundamental to creating high performing teams.

With these 8 event trends in mind for 2022, we’ll be watching closely to make sure we continue to deliver unique and engaging games for our customers all around the world.

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