2020 has been a year of adapting. When in-person meetings became impossible, the world quickly turned virtual. Accommodating different time zones, dealing with technical difficulties and user error (mute your mic people!) are all disruptions we learned to adjust to.
Despite its minor flaws, virtual meetings have proven to become a reliable alternative to meeting in person. However, virtual platforms have not erased the need businesses have to hold in-person meeting. This is because of the value that in-person meetings offer that virtual meetings cannot: Connection.
Meeting face-to-face creates a shared environment with minimal distraction and enhanced visibility for all participants. Because this level of engagement is something virtual meetings have yet master, there is still need for in-person meetings.
Which is why the NFA Board of Directors decided that holding a socially distanced, in-person meeting was well worth the effort of planning it. Not only was the meeting safe, it was also effective – so much so, we plan to do it all again in December.
Read on for an inside look at how we pulled it off and how your company can do the same.
The NFA board met in-person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
When the decision was made to plan this meeting, significant discussion and pre-planning took place with association leadership, NFA staff and the hotel to determine the best course of action for the meeting.
NFA Meeting and Events Coordinator Alli Correa was up for the challenge. “There were so many things to think about! With meetings that are routine, like quarterly board meetings, we had to consider everything: Can they have their regular coffee break in the morning? Is their preferred space large enough for social-distancing requirements?”
The goal was to plan a meeting that felt as normal as possible while still meeting the same high level of expectation. We accomplished this by working closely with the team at the meeting’s venue, The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta.
“Working with the hotel brought a level of communication that isn’t often required for smaller meetings like this, as we had to discuss every single movement of the meeting to make sure attendees were able to be compliant with social-distancing standards,” said Correa.
This wasn’t the first time The Ritz has hosted a successful NFA board meeting. “We have held meetings at this hotel for over a decade and know many of the hotel employees given our repeat business,” said NFA CEO Christy Williams. “It felt so good to hear the hotel say that many employees were brought back to work for the first time in over seven months because of our meeting. NFA not only facilitated considerable collaboration among our leadership, business partners and the franchisor but we also helped to stimulate the local economy by getting back to meeting in person!”
After seeing and hearing more about the protocols in place, many of the board members who participated via Zoom commented that they would attend our next meeting in person.
Meeting attendees were a bit cautious the first day, but everyone was much more comfortable and use to the socially distanced setup by the second day. “Everyone was extremely respectful of each other,” said Williams. “There were many elbow bumps instead of handshakes! It was wonderful to hear collaboration among the board, franchisor leadership and our vendor partners.”
Correa found that, despite the differences brought on by social distancing, it was still a regular NFA board meeting. “On-site, I still had to make sure that everyone had their preferred option of soda, there were extras on the food buffet and last-minute additions and absences were accommodated. At the end of the day, people are still people.”
“We are grateful for technology that has allowed our organization to stay engaged virtually during the pandemic,” said Williams. “However, there is no substitution for the many benefits of meeting face-to-face, having in-person discussions and negotiations and, most of all, enjoying camaraderie among fellow franchisees and our valued business partners.”
So, what advice on dealing with social-distancing guidelines can Correa offer fellow meeting planners and companies that want to meet face-to-face? “You need more space than you think. Take the largest space you can get – everyone will feel more comfortable knowing they can remove themselves from other attendees if they feel like it. Don’t forget to wear a mask and use your hand sanitizer!”
We are excited to hold our next in-person board meeting in December and hope that sharing our experience helps others to do the same!
Reminder: Upcoming NFA Events
NFA Annual Meeting and Town Hall
Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 3 p.m. EDT via GoToWebinar
All BK franchisees are invited to attend. To register, click here.
NFA Educational Vendor Showcase
Wednesday, Nov. 11, and Thursday, Nov. 12, from 2-4:30 p.m. ET via GoToWebinar
All NFA members, above-restaurant leaders and team members are encouraged to attend this free event to hear from over a dozen vendors. To learn more and register, click here.
Morgan Fitzgerald is the NFA Digital Media Coordinator. You may reach Morgan at 678-540-6202.