One in ten people have admitted to dozing off during a corporate event due to boredom, a new survey shows.
The research by event production company AVCOM found that 97% of respondents have become disengaged at an event.
When not engaged, event attendees also admitted to having worked, looked at their phone and snacked on food and drinks.
23% even said they carried out household chores during a corporate event.
The research found that on average, the maximum length of time event attendees want a speech or presentation to last is 26 minutes, 18 seconds.
Respondents said they are looking for a more immersive experience when it comes to corporate events, with attendees interested in technologies such as a dedicated even app, virtual reality, augmented reality and holograms.
While technology has the potential to engage attendees, the research shows that it can also have a negative impact when it malfunctions.
When asked about the most frustrating technology issues that they have encountered at events, 58% cited bad audio.
Following this was poor video quality during presentations, inadequate video quality when joining virtually, difficult-to-see presentations, no or bad Wi-Fi and poor lighting.
"The events industry has transformed, and we recognise the need to adapt to meet the changing needs of our customers and their attendees," said Paul Murphy, Managing Director of AVCOM.
"Our research highlights that the expectations of audiences have evolved, and it is no longer enough to focus on traditional technologies," he said.
Mr Murphy said events are about more than just providing information.
"They are about bringing people together, fostering connections, and enabling collaboration.
"Our commitment to our customers is to work closely with them to deliver best-in-class experiences that enable attendees to experience more and achieve their goals, both online and offline," he said.
