Employee Event

Corporate executives and stakeholders aren't the only ones taking a closer look at their meetings and events. These days, it seems that the decision to hold, or not to hold, a meeting is a matter of public discussion.

Consider the public outcry against organizations such as American International Group (AIG) and Wells Fargo. Both recipients of federal bailout money, these businesses faced harsh criticism from the media regarding separate plans to hold retreats and recognition events at the end of 2008 and beginning of 2009. Soon after, both organizations decided to cancel both these and future events.

Members of the industry are starting to speak out against the media's new found role as meetings watchdog.

In a full page ad in Sunday's New York Times, Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf commented on the media scrutiny that led to the recent cancellation of the bank's Las Vegas event, saying "These one-sided stories lead you to believe that every employee recognition event is a junket, a boondoggle, a waste, or that it's for highly-paid executives. Nonsense!"

Members of the travel and tourism industry seem to find the media scrutiny equally troubling. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority recently released a statement on the matter, saying "it is unfair to punish an entire industry that generates billions of dollars in economic stimulus and jobs for the American public."

There's no question that today's economic climate requires organizations to tighten their budgets in all areas of spend, including meetings and events. But should the decision to schedule or cancel a meeting remain internal, in the hands of executives, or is the media's treatment of events fair? What do you think?