Give Them a (Meaningful) Break

Time is a precious commodity. With events, attendees are giving up precious time away from the office and possibly, away from their families. Because event organizers know that their attendees' time is valuable, their response is often to pack as much into an event as possible to provide the most value in attending. But, as in many areas of life, this "more is more" mentality can backfire. A lack of breaks can leave attendees tired and their purpose for attending left unfulfilled. Without these breaks, there is no time for attendees to absorb information or make impromptu connections. [Tweet "Time is a precious commodity. Give attendees a meaningful break. #GovEventsBlog"]

If the event is organized in a way that encourages interaction with and by attendees, you want to give them the chance to recharge from all of that engagement. A study published in the Harvard Business Review revealed that the most engaged employees are also the ones that burn out the quickest. With this understanding, it makes sense that engaged event attendees will get tired (burn out) as they are being challenged with new ideas and information. So, what should event planners do to maximize both the quantity and quality of the time spent with their attendees?[Tweet "A lack of breaks can leave attendees tired and their purpose for attending left unfulfilled. #GovEventsBlog"]

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GSA blasted for another over-the-top 2010 conference

Originally posted by Government Executive

The General Services Administration staged a one-day awards conference at two hotels in Arlington, Va., in November 2010 at which some 200 guests were treated to gifts such as time-and-temperature picture frames and drumsticks, according to GSA inspector general figures House Republicans on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released Thursday.  The estimated total cost of the conference was $268,732.

"It's another sad day for taxpayers, another for an out-of-control agency," Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the panel, said at a hastily called press conference to announce a congressional investigation into the matter. "This makes everyone's blood boil among members of Congress and the public."
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Lawmakers upset over new revelations of GSA spending

Originally posted by Jack Moore on Federal News Radio

Lawmakers on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee are upset over new disclosures about spending at the General Services Administration.

At a press conference Thursday, Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), the committee chairman, provided details from an ongoing internal GSA investigation that revealed one of the agency's divisions spent more than $268,000 on an awards ceremony held in the Washington, D.C., area in November 2010.

GSA's Federal Acquisition Service spent more than $34,000 to host the one-day event at the Crystal Gateway Marriot in Crystal City, Va, according to a letter from GSA's inspector general Brian Miller.

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