With one in three attendees falling asleep or feeling drowsy during a meeting, and productivity for the average meeting dropping around 2 p.m., it’s clear that corporate meetings need a new agenda. Attendees around the world are desperate for a change – and meeting professionals are taking notice. According to a recent survey by Hilton, while most meeting attendees consider themselves active and healthy in their daily lives, more than half admit that they don’t maintain this routine when on the road for meetings.
The results of the survey indicate that some of the main culprits of mid-meeting sleepiness are unhealthy meals and lack of fitness breaks during long meeting days. To help meeting professionals increase meeting productivity and attendee satisfaction, Hilton wants to make it easier for planners to provide attendees with nutritious meals and convenient exercise options.
In the United States, more than 40 Hilton hotels now offer a diverse set of menus that marry balanced food and beverage options with exercise breaks and sustainable solutions. Each menu was designed by Hilton chefs and carefully paired with instructor-led exercise and activity breaks to spark creativity, encourage attendee networking and give attendees that much-desired workout. Highlighted menus include:
- Yoga & Yogurt: Morning energizing yoga session followed by a delicious breakfast of flavorful yogurt, a seasonal berry medley and house-made granola
- Flex Power: A 25-minute instructor-led routine focused on posture, breathing techniques and easy stretches that accompany a delicious breakfast or mid-morning snack of seasonal local whole fruits, whole-grain croissants and steel-cut oats
- Meditative Moment: A 10-minute meditation session focused on stress relief, a customizable lean protein and a veggie and/or fruit smoothie
“The typical meeting attendee is eating healthier and exercising more frequently and wants to maintain this lifestyle while traveling for business,” said Andrew Flack, vice president marketing & eCommerce Americas at Hilton. “Expanding Meet with Purpose to EMEA and offering health and wellness menus to more than 40 of our U.S. hotels reiterates our commitment to partnering with meeting professionals to improving attendee satisfaction and making a real impact in the industry.”
Hilton first launched its innovative Meet with Purpose program in January 2015 in the U.S. as a way to inspire meeting professionals to create healthier, more sustainable events using cost-effective solutions. Hilton has since worked with many customers to put these principles into practice.
“It’s been incredible to see so many meeting and event professionals truly wow their attendees by incorporating healthier food options and physical fitness breaks directly into their agenda – in a way that is smartly packaged and ready to implement,” said Toni Zoblotsky, director of B2B marketing at Hilton. “Our Meet with Purpose initiative not only makes the planner’s job much easier, it also delights the attendee during the experience itself.”
For more information on Meet with Purpose and inspiration throughout the year, visit the recently redesigned http://meetings.hilton.com/meet-with-purpose/.
