As all event profs know, the timings of an event are crucial to its success . So we have researched a range of factors such as peak attendee engagement times, ideal meal timing, and session durations, to create a well-paced meeting schedule that maximise attendee satisfaction.

Attendees' most productive hours

According to Slack, seventy-one percent of workers agree the late afternoon is the worst time for work, with productivity plummeting between 3 and 6 p.m., found by a survey of more than 10,000 desk workers and executives.

Our biology plays a part in this as sleepiness in the late afternoon is part of our body’s normal circadian rhythm. For most people, this dips between 2pm and 5pm, so bear this in mind during your event. Schedule critical thinking sessions and workshops for outside of these hours.

Okay so that’s when not to host productivity sessions, but when should you host them…

Many studies such as this one from Eden Springs, finds that we are most productive in the mornings, with a peak at around 11am. This is backed up by HR News who have found that Brits have their most creative ideas just before lunch, with 10am-11am (15%) and 11am-12pm (11%) the most common responses.  

Best time to eat

It’s ideal to have a steady stream of glucose when you are working. That means timing your attendee’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner wisely. If your event is in the morning, start with a balanced breakfast and ensure your attendees have plenty of snacks throughout the day. For events running over lunch, consider the best format to compliment your event, for example, host a buffet to get attendees networking, or have a sit down meal to get individuals involved in in-depth conversation.

Going too long without some kind of intake can be bad for your focus and overall productivity.

Ideal timing for virtual events and webinars

The ideal time to host a virtual event is between 10am-12pm (11am is ideal) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. The timings sync up with when people are most productive and engaged. On Mondays, people are catching up from the weekend and getting prepared for the week ahead, and Fridays people are winding down for the weekend. Check national holidays and schedule accordingly – no one wants a webinar before a long weekend, plus your message will be forgotten as soon as they log off.

Ideal event schedule

Leigh Ann Rodgers from Better Teams suggests this schedule for a full day event:

8:30 – 10:00 – First session (90 minutes)

10:00 – 10:30 – Break (30 minutes)

10:30 – 12:00 – Second Session (90 minutes)

12:00 – 1:30 – Lunch (90 minutes)

1:30 – 3:00 – Third Session (90 minutes)

She also says “The human brain can only focus for up to 90 minutes without becoming extremely fatigued. In an intense meeting or difficult training, 90 minutes may even be too long to go without a break. My rule of thumb is to never go more than 90 minutes without a substantial break. Sometimes it’s preferred to break every hour. If the breaks is every 90 minutes, I find that participants are grateful for a 2-5 minute stretch break around the 45-minute mark.”

To sum up, be weary of when your delegates are most and least productive as this could ruin the flow of the event. Ensure everyone is well fed and have enough glucose to keep them energised for the full event. Most importantly, don’t hold your event at 9am on a Monday morning else you may not have any attendees.

Get in touch with us to start planning your next event.

‍