Are your events inclusive?
How do you know if your events are not inadvertently discriminating anyone?
Planning events is no easy feat which is why a lot of companies now hire an events planner like myself to get the job done.
There’s so much to think about from venue, dates, time, location, transport, invites, RSVP’s, table hire, crockery, cutlery, glasses, table plans, menus, marquee hire, generators, staff, food, drink, dance-floor, band, lighting, insurance.. I could go on but I suspect you get the gist of the extent of time needed to plan all this.
Your brand name is on the line so it’s vital to get it right first time and make sure all your ducks are in a row.
With all of this aside, have you even thought about whether the event you are hosting is inclusive? By inclusive, I mean the following:
Cultural - be sensitive to other peoples cultures, after all, you can never tell from first appearance what culture someone may be from
Languages - if you’re handing out literature, is it accessible in different languages? (even if it’s online after the event)
Ethnicity - Have you thought about whether anything at your event could insult people from different ethnic backgrounds?
Religious - don’t organise something around an important event like Ramadan for example as this could exclude some of your audience
Different Sexes - There’s absolutely no excuse for anyone to feel treated differently, avoid phrases like ‘ladies and gentlemen’ to ensure you are using gender neutral language
Sexual orientation - This ties in with different sexes, you could have non-binary or trans attendees and it could be so easy to exclude people without even realising it
Physical abilities or restrictions - Are you inviting someone to your event who is in a wheelchair but your event has numerous steps to get to the room or bad facilities for less able bodied people
Mental Health - Are you going to be talking about sensitive matters in your speech at the event? Be mindful that every single person could be going through something stressful in their lives at that time and could trigger negative thoughts
Age - Is the content of your event targeted to certain age groups? Bear this in mind if more younger/older guests are attending, they could be made to feel hugely uncomfortable with your choices of entertainment
Food allergies - it’s great that you are offering a 3 course meal but have you thought about the gluten free, vegetarians, vegans, dairy free, religious beliefs, allergies… the list goes on. Don’t make people feel excluded because of their life/religious/dietary requirements.
Neglecting to take notice of the above could contribute to someone feeling left out and a bad vibe against your brand name. Pay attention to our ever changing community and ensure all guests feel welcomed and included.
For more advice or support, why not hire a planner to help ease the stress of worrying about it all…
Contact Hayley
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