Should Your Events Be More Inclusive?

It has become widely accepted that diversity is good for business. As recent research from consultancy McKinsey & Company finds, organizations with high levels of racial, ethnic and gender diversity tend to report stronger financial returns than companies with less variety. This logic extends to meetings, where creating a welcoming program for a wide range of attendees can boost attendance and engagement.

But creating an inclusive event, just like an inclusive organization, does not happen by accident. It takes work and a carefully considered strategy based on research and a sensitivity to human behavior. That's where Melissa Majors comes in. The CEO of Dallas-based Melissa Majors Consulting, she works with organizations to develop an approach that fosters genuine inclusion and creates bottom-line benefits.

Sponsored by American Airlines, on this episode of Eventful: The Podcast for Meeting Professionals, we speak with Majors about how to effectively make one's events more inclusive — not just in terms of race and gender, but also touching on generation, personality and numerous other areas. 

Among the insights discussed in this episode of Eventful:

• Why attendees need to see themselves in your marketing material
• How organizations that have diverse decision-making teams are outpacing those that don't
• Which type of group is proven most likely to feel excluded at events
• How attendee surveys can be key tools in ensuring all guests feel welcome and engaged

This episode is sponsored by American Airlines.