Feel Good Fridays

Fridays are a good day to feel good, because it caps the week and provides a lead into the weekend. It was on that basis that the Trillium PDX Committee decided to initiate the monthly virtual café to foster engagement and promote wellness through positivity.

So, it was fitting that the inaugural Trillium Feel Good Friday saw sunshine as we kicked off a discussion about the best strategies for holding virtual trade shows and expos led by Steven Van Alstine, CPM, CAE. With the onset of the pandemic, many events had to swiftly move to online delivery. Pivot was the word of 2020 as organizations must provide value to members and stakeholders as virtual events replaced, and continue to replace, in-person activities. For many associations that rely on the trade show or expo to increase engagement at conferences, organizations had to determine how they could best foster these types of engagement through a move to the online environment. Attendees to the inaugural Feel Good Friday came and enthusiastically shared their experiences with what had worked, what had not worked and simply shared ideas of strategies to provide stakeholder engagement because 2021 was continuing with online conferences and events. The discussions in the breakout rooms were lively with reporting back to the larger group at the conclusion of the event.

The event was also an opportunity to reflect on the challenges of the pandemic as we approach the first anniversary of the lock-down. Touching on how to stay motivated during the pandemic the following suggestions were outlined:

  1. Get up, get ready, get dressed
  2. Straighten and spruce up your home/work environment
  3. Stay productive
  4. Acquire or improve for life after COVID
  5. Limit time spent on news
  6. Resist the urge to feel bored
  7. Have fun and stay socially connected

We look forward to hosting the next Feel Good Friday on the 26th of March at noon on the topic of remote work.

Steven Van Alstine, CPM, CAE, is the Vice-President of Education for the Canadian Payroll Association. The Canadian Payroll Association exists because accurate and timely payroll is the right of every employee and essential to the operation of every employer and our society. Steven is a member of the Trillium PDX Committee. Connect with Steven on LinkedIn.