Gen Z, the first generation of true digital natives, is now entering the workforce — and your meetings and events. Is your meeting ready for Gen Z? Here are some strategies that can help.

Gen Z is proving to have some unique characteristics that meeting and event planners will need to understand and accommodate to make their meetings truly Gen Z-friendly. It’s well known that this digital-native generation has been hyperconnected almost since birth, so meeting professionals know their event internet has to be up to snuff and their event app needs to be highly functional and interactive.

Gen Z also tends to prefer visual content, with many gaining most of their news and perspectives — and making their purchasing decisions — based on what they see on TikTok and Instagram, so event marketers need to design their pitches specifically for the platforms Gen Z tends to hang out on. Consider creating short, engaging videos that share behind-the-scenes footage and sneak peeks via TikTok and Instagram Reels to build excitement pre-show.

This most diverse generation in history also won’t accept a program that doesn’t include speakers, content and an attendee base that reflect the diversity they have grown up with in their peer group. They also tend to prioritize brands that show true commitment to social and environmental issues — they see right through any greenwashing attempts — and they value genuine connections and meaningful experiences. In addition to experiences that incorporate local culture, “meaningful” experiences also are those that cater to their individuality, so savvy planners are diving into their data analytics to customize both the meeting content and the networking opportunities they provide.

Here are more ideas on how you can attract and engage Gen Z at your meetings and events.

Appeal to Values and Social Consciousness

Inclusivity is a top priority for Gen Z, who sometimes can worry about feeling accepted and welcomed at group events. While accessibility is important for people with disabilities in all generations, it is especially important for Gen Z attendees to know that all are welcomed, including those who are neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, have special dietary needs, or don’t drink alcohol — which is something that applies to more than a quarter of Gen Z. Event organizers need to ensure their speakers and panelists reflect a diverse range of physical, professional, and ideological backgrounds. Marketing materials also should reflect the diversity of people that attendees can expect to mingle with on site.

Sustainability is another top priority for many Gen Zers, so it’s important to let them know what the event organizers are doing to make the meeting sustainable, from waste management practices to the event venue’s energy-saving processes. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities also are popular with Gen Z, both as interactive and engaging ways to participate in a group setting and as a way to connect with and support the local community.

With 90% of Gen Zers believing that social and environmental issues should be on the agenda, be sure to get all the details on what exactly the event organizer and its vendor partners are doing to ensure the event is sustainable, authentic and in line with Gen Z values. Then communicate those details early and often.

Get Super Social-Friendly

Social media integration is going to be key to attracting and engaging Gen Z at events, according to GES.

• Provide fun photo opps and selfie stations — think balloon tunnels, flower walls, neon signs, cool sculptures and themed photo booths — and other visually appealing “Instagrammable” spaces they can use to feed their social media sharing cravings. With “mirror selfies” being all the rage on Insta and TikTok, you could install large mirrors in decorative frames where attendees can snap and post selfies.

• Consider creating custom Snapchat geofilters and social media walls where their posts can also be shared IRL at the meeting, as well as on their own channels.

• Another fun idea is to create custom Spotify lists for the event and share them via QR codes.

It should go without saying, but if you’re not already, it’s a good idea to broadcast the event hashtags often (along with the WIFI network name and password) to make it easy to tag and share event-related content. To bump up social sharing, you may want to offer incentives to entice attendees to share content on their social networks, perhaps even gamify social sharing and provide prizes for top sharers. It’s also a good idea to prominently display QR codes that link to the event’s social media accounts. Don’t forget that social media is a two-way street — have staff ready to respond quickly to comments and messages.

And do reach out to the influencers who resonate with Gen Z values and interests to see if they will partner with you, perhaps even attend the meeting or event and provide their personal take on the event to their audience both on site and on their platforms.

Go Experiential and Personalize

Gen Z is all about getting hands-on, so Gen Z-friendly events should consider replacing some of those traditional classroom setups and long introductory general sessions with more hands-on workshops and interactive learning opportunities. For the larger, longer general sessions that have to be included, consider using audience engagement tools — live polling, Q&A and social media challenges — that encourage the audience to get involved by commenting and sharing the slides. Consider keeping breakouts on the shorter side and incorporate a lot of breaks, and appeal to a broad range of interests by offering a schedule with multiple concurrent activities and sessions.

Gen Z also appreciates unique experiences they can share with their peer network. Virtual and augmented reality experiences can be impactful — consider setting up VR stations attendees can plug into to experience new environments or activities. Themed escape rooms can be a fun way to engage teams and get them to solve problems together. Live art installations where attendees can interact with artists in real time also can be a good way to engage Gen Z (and everyone else as well). Scavenger hunts — IRL or digital — and engagement leaderboards that use the event app to track participation in select activities also can help keep younger attendees engaged.

Don’t skimp on the personalization and customization — dig through the data to come up with personalized offers and recommendations based on attendee interests and behaviors.

Put Wellness on the Agenda

With almost three-quarters of Gen Z saying they often feel stressed, planners should double down on ways to make event attendance friction-free, for example by using RFID bracelets or badges attendees can use throughout the event to access sessions, a trade show floor, or other activities, as well as contactless payments. Quiet spaces and relaxation areas also are popular with Gen Z, as well as older and neurodivergent folks who appreciate being able to take a break in a less intense environment.

RFID badges and bracelets also can collect attendee data planners can use to further personalize the attendee journey. A couple of ways GES suggests this can work is to have LED displays greet attendees by name as they approach, or let them know when they get close to someone they want to network with. Older generations may find this a bit intrusive, but Gen Z attendees are more likely to think this is cool rather than creepy.

Image courtesy of Freepik.com.