KPMG, a multinational professional services network and one of the “Big Four” accounting firms, has 90 offices and more than 29,000 employees and partners throughout the United States. How does a company this diverse create an employee experience that feels personal and customized?
We spoke with Stephanie Jucksch, associate director, events and meetings, about the National BRG (Business Resource Group) Annual Conference held at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando. The invite-only event brings together select leaders from all of the company’s Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) community to share best practices and strategies. The event team wanted to create an experience as special as its participants, with a special lens on inclusivity on site and keeping the movement alive long after the conference.
Can you give use some details about this program, and the overall concept?
Stephanie Jucksch: Individuals were selected to attend based on their involvement and contributions to their specific BRG networks, which included African Ancestry, Abilities in Motion, Asian-Pacific Islander, Hispanic Latino, KPMG Network of Women (KNOW), Pride@KPMG and Veterans. This leadership program was sponsored by the national I&D team and Office Managing Partners. Participants reviewed the firm’s national I&D strategy and heard from panelists about current best practices around the firm and external best practices from clients. The theme of the meeting was “Connect. Align. Collaborate.” Attendees connected with local chapter leads and spent time with colleagues in breakout sessions to exchange ideas and finalize chapter goals.
Wow, it sounds like a real honor to be chosen to participate, and I’m sure that put added pressure on the design team to make it special. What are some of the challenges you faced with designing the experience?
SJ: Designing an event for our BRG networks carried an extra challenge because we knew our audience would be hyper-focused and attentive to every aspect of the program from an I&D perspective. Aware of this level of scrutiny, our planning team wanted to make sure we checked every box and also used this as an opportunity to highlight best practices when it comes to I&D efforts in event design.
For example, in addition to having live closed captioning on stage, we also brought in sign language interpreters for the general session in addition to making their services available to anyone who needed them during networking breaks and activities. We worked with the hotel to swap out bathroom signage in the conference spaces to create gender-neutral restrooms that were not already designated. While we are all still learning in this space and will continue to advance our inclusivity at events, analyzing event design through this lens whenever possible as event planners is critical.
We know that best practices in event experience design include elements to make them immersive, participatory, authentic and customized. How have you infused some of these elements into this conference?
SJ: Because the conference was focused specifically on inclusion and diversity, we wanted to make sure that people felt this. At registration, attendees were given the opportunity to select flags to stick on their badge to represent their specific BRG, and include designations for Ally, Connector, Innovator, Chapter Leader or Chapter Champion. We provided a ramp as part of our staging to provide access to those who may be mobility impaired. In the breakout sessions, we incorporated a Best Practice Speed Dating segment so that people could connect and share a best practice from their office. The groups also had sessions on our three pillars: Workforce, how we attract, onboard and develop our underrepresented talent; Workplace, to foster and maintain an inclusive workplace environment; and Marketplace, driving engagement for our community and clients with our shared values. For the final general session, we had spokespeople from each breakout come on stage and present their innovative ideas for their chapter goals.
What’s next for this particular conference? How will you keep it alive?
SJ: While the current COVID-19 restrictions will likely require that this conference not be an in-person one next year, we’re excited to brainstorm on executing an equally impactful virtual experience. Many of the virtual events our team has executed have focused on diversity and inclusion as well as allyship. From creating a Klub Kwarantine Happy Hour for our African Ancestry group to hosting a Pride Drag Queen Bingo, we have created fun, interactive and memorable events that engage and connect. We have also hosted virtual panels where employees share personal stories of discrimination so others can understand more about the background they bring to work. The key to keeping the momentum going is to have engagement from firm leadership. Because our leadership is involved and invested in creating an inclusive culture, our employees feel empowered to get involved.
Any testimonials from attendees you can share?
SJ: This is from Marisa Cristi, managing director, Tax: “The part I gained the most from was the breakouts where smaller groups brainstormed different ideas and events that offices across the country, both big and small, have tried out and had success with. We took the top event/initiative suggestions by table and shared with the larger BRG group, which left me with a lot of new ideas to try out in my local chapter. It also left me with lifelong friends and people to bounce ideas off [of].”
Level Up Your Experience Design
Visit mpi.org/blog to learn more from Stephanie Jucksch about some areas that didn't work with PlanetIMEX and how they measure success.
If you’re ready to take the next step in experience design, enroll in one of our upcoming Event Design Certificate courses today. You can also join our online Experiential Marketers and Designers Community. And if you’re not an MPI member, learn more about joining and the value of belonging to this community.
Each month during 2020, Annette Gregg, CMM, MBA, senior vice president of experience for MPI, will interview MPI members to highlight some of the best examples of event experience design (or user-centered design) across the globe. Look for the reports in every issue of The Meeting Professional.
