With a workforce of 5,500 that spans 5 generations — half of whom are ladies — Freeman’s versatile work preparations have turn into a key consider attracting and retaining various expertise, in line with Freeman CEO Janet Dell.
Skift Conferences spoke with Dell, who has been in her new function for four-and-a-half months. She is the primary feminine CEO who has led Freeman in its 97-year historical past; Carrie Freeman Parsons has been board chair for a number of years.
“Having a five-generation workforce brings in a really broad and various set of concepts. You do need to put within the time to coach round what among the broad stroke variations between the generations are,” Dell stated.
With Child Boomers retiring, she acknowledges the lack of institutional information but values the recent views from newer generations. “It’s difficult to lose mental property, however the creativity and variety of concepts from new expertise is invaluable.”
Coaching Vital at Freeman
Dell notes that Millennials and Gen Z, as digital natives, have completely different priorities round flexibility and flexibility in comparison with “digital hybrids” in earlier generations.
“Digital natives count on the liberty to work in ways in which match their lives,” stated Dell. Freeman approaches flexibility by providing full-time, hourly, and project-based roles.
The corporate provides its show-site groups — who can spend weeks on the highway — downtime afterward to allow them to recharge.
“This isn’t only a nice-to-have — it’s important for stopping burnout and sustaining long-term sustainability,” stated Dell.
As well as, digital natives view profession progress in a different way than earlier generations. “It’s not nearly climbing the company ladder like earlier generations. They’re searching for growth alternatives that align with their private objectives and life-style,” she stated.
Freeman addresses these variations by means of ongoing coaching, fostering an atmosphere that meets the wants of workers, attendees, and exhibitors alike.
To assist expertise growth, Freeman has invested $3 million in coaching and training applications, a transfer Dell sees as important amid at the moment’s expertise scarcity.
“Whether or not on this trade or not, everyone seems to be going through a expertise crunch. We give attention to teaching to assist individuals attain their objectives. Fortuitously, the enchantment of the occasions trade additionally aids us in attracting expertise,” she defined.
Freeman can also be leveraging AI to reinforce occasion experiences. By a partnership with Zenus, the corporate gathers real-time attendee knowledge — together with demographics, dwell time, and even emotional responses — enabling on-the-spot changes to reveals. Dell believes AI-driven predictive analytics will additional profit the trade, enhancing insights for future occasions.
Zenus conduct mapping know-how was carried out to seize attendee sentiment at IMEX in 2023. The know-how then generated goal knowledge factors exhibiting engagement, dwell time, and motion.
