This Week's Herman Trend Alert The Consequences of Virtual Meetings

The Herman Trend Alert July 24, 2002 Family Business Travel A new trend is underway in convention travel. Business executives and professionals attending trade shows and industry conferences are bringing their families along on trips. They rationalize that it's a good learning experience for the kids or that, while they're away on business, they might as well add on a vacation with the family. This movement is driven by an increasing reluctance to be away from family for extended business trips. The events of September 11 have punched the values "reset" button for a lot of people. The desire to combine business with pleasure is intensified by the renewed focus on family. Hotels and conference centers will undergo some significant changes in the way they do business. Watch for destination hotels, particularly "mega-hotels," to offer childcare for small children and educational activities for older children. A number already do. The learning opportunities will ease parents' concerns about taking their kids out of school to join parents on a convention trip. Roll in facilities for convention-linked family activities and some special attractions for children (mini-spas, entertainment, family-friendly restaurants) and you have a fine formula for a family destination conference center. Designers and program specialists will be engaged to make designated areas of the property kid-friendly. Suites may be redesigned-or adjoining rooms remodeled-to create mini-apartments, so kids can sleep on real beds in their own connected rooms instead of on lumpy roll-away cots in a crowded room with their parents. Convention planners will explore ways to make the conference experience more attractive for families. Schedules will allow for family time and some events will be planned specifically for family participation. Spouse programs, on the wane because so many spouses have their own jobs, will expand to family programs. Professional speakers who specialize in youth audiences will be invited to present at major conventions-to the families. Meeting planners may negotiate special family airfares for conventioneers as a stimulus to maintain attendance levels. With the importance of face-to-face involvement at industry conventions, planners would much rather find ways to accommodate families than try to bring people together meaningfully through web- based conferences. © Copyright 1998- by The Herman Group, Inc. -- reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: From "The Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. (800) 227-3566 or http://www.hermangroup.com. The Herman Trend Alert is a trademark of The Herman Group, Inc." BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND: RETENTION SPECIALIST PROGRAM A growing number of people have expressed an interest in attending our Employee Retention Specialist Certificate Program. We'd like to schedule on that's convenient for those who want to attend, but need your feedback to do so. Please place RETENTION SPECIALIST in the subject line and Joyce will personally call you back to schedule the workshop. Or you can call Joyce directly at 336-210-3548 (PDT this and next week). BUSINESS IS PICKING UP Most employers are unprepared. The recovery will bring a new set of challenges for employers that have been in prolonged contracted mode. They will need more skilled workers or will need now to begin to upskill their current staffs. But organizations can not engage in Strategic Workforce Planning, when they don't know how. That's where The Herman Group can help. We can help you with your "People Review"----large or small---so that you will know who you will need and when you will need them. . . and we can also guide you to the best sources for the people you will need. For more information, call Joyce at 336-210-3548 or e-mail joyce@hermangroup.com. FIND OUT WHAT YOUR EMPLOYEES REALLY THINK AND FEEL Discover what’s really going on in the hearts and minds of your employees. Our InnerViews interviewing service uses SPHRs and PHRs, certified human resource professionals to probe for the information you really need to know. Exit and Stay Interviews, as well as Why-Didn't-You-Take-Our-Offer Interviews. Call Rosalie Catalano at 937-416-7066, or read more at: http://www.hermangroup.com/retentionconnection/exit_interviews.html. Herman Trend Alerts are produced by the Herman Group, strategic business futurists, Certified Management Consultants, authors, and professional speakers. New subscribers are welcome. There is no charge for this public service. The Herman Trend Alert is received by over 30,000 subscribers in 78 countries, in addition to other websites and printed magazines. Do you enjoy receiving this weekly e-mail update? Contact us about our co-branded Trend Alert service. Click here to sign up for the Herman Trend Alert. Subscribe or Unsubscribe to weekly Herman Trend Alert View this week's Herman Trend Alert Archived Weekly Herman Trend Alerts

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