Professionals from across the business meetings and events sector have reported work-life balance expectations are the leading factor impacting staff retention, according to the latest survey by the Meetings Industry Association (MIA).
The research, conducted this June, focussed on one of the industry’s most urgent priorities: its people. It revealed that over half of respondents (53%) have witnessed an increase in burnout, stress or wellbeing-related issues in the past year, with high workloads and tight deadlines cited as the primary causes.
Despite growing awareness, wellbeing is yet to be fully embedded in many organisations. Fewer than half (42%) of respondents said wellbeing is fully integrated into their workplace culture, and just 45% of organisations currently provide managers with training to support mental health wellbeing in the workplace.
Opinion is divided regarding the sector’s readiness for the workforce of the future. Over a third (38%) believe the industry is not adapting very well to evolving workforce needs, with 8 in 10 citing budget constraints as a significant barrier. Moreover, 42% say their organisation is not currently investing in upskilling or reskilling staff, and over a quarter (28%) have no succession plan in place for key roles. These limitations are reflected in confidence levels, with less than half (47%) believing their organisation is well-positioned to stay competitive in the next 3–5 years.
Positively, amongst those focussed on futureproofing their workforce, 78% are actively developing early-career staff for future leadership roles, with in-house training cited as the most common approach, highlighted by 88% of respondents.
The industry’s generational makeup is also shifting. Though millennials still represent the largest workforce group, the number of Gen Z employees (ages 13-28) is rapidly growing bringing fresh expectations around flexibility, transparency and wellbeing. These generational differences are not without their challenges however, with more than half (55%) reporting workplace conflicts as a result.
In recruitment, there’s concern about a lack of industry awareness and communication skills among candidates, cited by 50% and 47% of respondents respectively. In response, 71% of employers are proactively being more transparent in job descriptions and interviews, and a third now offer enhanced training and onboarding, understanding that investing time and resource during these early stages of the recruitment process strengthens early engagement and overall retention.
Encouragingly, over four-fifths (83%) are confident in their organisation’s ability to retain staff over the next 12 months. Flexibility tops the list (52%) of desired initiatives to support this, followed by more management training (46%) and regular check-ins (35%). And the industry is responding: 59% of organisations now offer flexible working as a standard practice showcasing that low-cost, easy to implement policies can be highly effective in supporting employee wellbeing.
Chief Executive of the MIA, Shonali Devereaux, said: “People are the foundation of our industry, which is why – for the first time – our latest insight’s report is dedicated entirely to our people. As a sector rooted in human connection, it’s encouraging to see the steps many organisations are already taking to support and invest in their teams, and these results have shown what important steps still need to be taken to make our industry futureproof.
“The feedback clearly highlights where the gaps and opportunities lie. Understanding how best to attract, retain and nurture talent in the face of evolving expectations, wellbeing needs and ongoing recruitment challenges is critical to securing a sustainable and successful future for our industry. Our research will lead directly into action, with the MIA providing guidance, training and support for its members in relation to our people.”
The results of the latest MIA Insights survey results on People will be discussed in more detail at The Meetings Show when the MIA’s chief executive, Shonali Devereaux, will host the MIA Meets session on the MIA stand (D51) on 25 June at 2pm.
The June 2025 MIA Insights can be downloaded here: https://mia-uk.org/Insight-Surveys
