WITH EVERYONE WORKING so much harder these days, you can forgive your employees if they goof off once in a while. But what about those times when business becomes pleasure? One trouble spot to watch out for may be the off-site conference that turns into a mini-vacation. To avoid this, vet workers thoroughly before you send them to the show, says operations consultant Debra Ellis. She suggests mandating them to do the following:
- Submit a proposal detailing their objectives, which must be specific and applicable to their current jobs.
- Conduct post-conference training sessions for the rest of the staff so that everyone benefits from the attendees’ experience.
- Find one idea that you can implement to generate an ROI for the total expense of attendance.
- Conduct in-person meetings with vendors at the event. This is an excellent opportunity to improve existing relationships or start new ones.
- Attend at least one session outside the employees’ area of responsibility. This will help bridge departmental gaps.