Organising an Employee-led Network conference

The guide includes a set of prompt questions and shares some examples and tips. It is a collaborative cross-agency ELN document, to help support all events to succeed. 

Intended audience 

Who is your audience? It may also help to identify who’s NOT your audience. Examples include: decision makers (eg CEs or MPs), frontline staff etc 

Key takeaways, messages and success markers 

• Are there different key messages for these different audiences? 
• Decision makers vs staff, vs ....? If so, how are you ensuring these are heard? 
• Have you got anything that you can provide before and after events to maximise impact? 
• What do you want your audience to do/feel/behave differently after this event? 
• Are there specific people you want to book in a debrief with? 
• Could you ask some allies to be an independent pair of eyes and ears? 
• Have you defined what a successful event is? 
• Are you aiming for specific outcomes? 

TIP: Thinking about your audiences and takeaways first will allow you to figure out delivery and programme. 

TIP: Think of a theme or themes that make it easier for participants to see what’s in it for them. 

EXAMPLE: Women in Public Service Events have used influence, leadership and confidence. 

TIP: Thinking about success and outcomes will allow you to design your post event feedback/survey. 

Event delivery considerations 

Virtual, in-person or both? 

Is your event best delivered in person, virtually or both? 

Virtual events 

• If your event is virtual, have you considered how to manage your waiting room or how to handle attendees that shouldn’t be there? 
• Have you done a test run? 
• Is the technology accessible to all? 
• If your event switches to virtual on contingency, does your programme need to be tailored or shortened?  

Accessibility 

• For in person events - is the venue accessible for disabled attendees? 
• Do you need to consider sign language interpreters? (be aware that this usually comes at a cost) 
• isign.co.nz - to book an interpreter 
• Will you have a virtual audience? How is the programme adapted to make that work for all attendees? 
• Are the apps and tools that you are using accessible to all? If not, have you considered workarounds that can help? 

Programme Design 

Choose a combination of speakers that fit well with your themes/key messages and can help draw in your audience. Keep this in mind when you're choosing an MC, keynote speakers and panel members. 

• Have you allowed for Q&A time? Attendees appreciate being able to ask questions and find out more. 
• Who will moderate questions? 
• How many breaks are allowed for?  
• Will you provide catering or refreshments? 
• What spaces are available for this? 
• Do you have network members/staff available to help with setting up/packing down? 
• Have you allowed time for connection/networking? This is often one of the highlights for attendees. 

Briefing MC & speakers 

Your MC should be experienced and well versed on your key themes and messages and bring a personality suited to the topic. 

The MC will benefit from rich and detailed info about speakers, their bios and expertise and how/if speakers are connected to each other. 

For panels, make sure MCs have received prompt questions well in advance and are given a clear idea how much leeway they have outside these questions. 

Make sure speakers have a clear idea of delivery expectations (messages, timings, available tech, Q&A time, position in programme, audience expectations) 

TIP: On the day have an agreed way of signalling to speakers 5 and 2 mins before wrapping up (eg via clock counter or signs). 

Make sure speakers are aware of who else is on the programme. 

For panellists, providing a set of questions for them to prepare from will help them manage their time and relevant responses. 

Ticket sales and management 

Examples include: 

• first come first serve 
• bulk purchasing for agencies 
• set aside tickets for specific audiences. 

Promotion and reach 

• Which channels have you got currently? 
• What do you know works for the people you are targeting? 
• How can you leverage relationships (for example with your Executive Sponsor) and influencers to increase your reach with your audience? 
• Do you need social media comms during the event? 

We recommend having a photographer and/or videographer for big events. These come at a cost. 

If you’d like speakers to help you promote, provide them with clear information about how best to do this (different images or messages appropriate to each channel, hashtags, logos or graphic tiles, links, etc) 

TIP: Think about the hectic life of a CE, what would make it possible for them to attend and support. 

Evaluations/surveys 

How will you get feedback from attendees? (e.g. feedback form on the day, follow up survey, etc) 

You may choose to run an evaluation yourself, although this is more work. 

Evaluation (via survey) is often a contracted service with the event organiser. Make sure you get the questions you want answered, and design this collaboratively with your success markers in mind. 

Funding 

How much is a realistic amount of funding for the size and impact of your event? 

• Have you prioritised funding requirements in case you can’t reach the desired funding target? 
• What items are optional for funding? 
• Where is the funding coming from? 
• Do you need someone on the organising committee with this responsibility? 
• What do you need to think about accountability for the funding? 
• Is there reputational risk associated with using public funding? 

Event organiser 

If you are using an event organiser, it’s important responsibilities are clear. 

• Have you got an events team in your organisation that can sense check agreements/contracts. 
• Have you made sure you are aligned with procurement guidelines? 
• Have you built in contingency plans with the event? (e.g. a rain date/Covid-19 plan B and C) 
• Are the apps and IT to be used for virtual and some face-to-face events clearly outlined? (e.g. who is responsible and for what) 
• Common examples include ACE (for programme, social wall etc), and slido for Q & As but there are many others. 
• Are there any privacy concerns using any of these? If so what have you got in place in a ‘worst case scenario’? Have you talked to people who have used them before? 

After the event 

• Survey/feedback: how will receive feedback and share it (if appropriate)? 
• Sharing success stories 
• Following up questions for speakers or other event resources (presentation slides, etc.) 
• Will photo galleries or videos of speakers be made available after the event? 
• Reporting to sponsors, funders, interested parties 
• Debrief session to collect notes for improvements and celebrate wins.