5 months after the launch of Comet Meetings Louise, the company is delighted to see that the people of Brussels have turned out in force, despite health restrictions. With Blue Monday just around the corner, Comet Meetings argues that occasional physical meetings are crucial opportunities for workers to maintain a social link with their colleagues, and thus combat the demotivation and sense of isolation that threaten in these remote times.
Blue Monday falls this year on January 17. The expression refers to the day of the year when employees are said to be the most depressed. Beyond the concept of this day, which refers more to a marketing campaign than a scientific study, we have to admit that the start of the new school year in 2022 is felt to be particularly depressing by many Belgian workers. Between compulsory telecommuting, which is undermining team cohesion, the lack of any prospect of an end to the pandemic and the gloomy weather, Belgians are losing their motivation at work. CometMeetings set up in Brussels last September, opening a venue dedicated to corporate meetings and seminars in the Louise district. The aim is also to get employees out of their routine by offering them a refreshing work environment that invites travel, wellness activities and pleasant lunches to boost company morale. After two years that have shaken up work codes and highlighted the importance of social ties between colleagues, Comet Meetings observes that it has never been so important for Belgian workers to get together. In fact, 8 out of 10 Belgians are calling for more face-to-face meetings to get together with their colleagues, according to a survey conducted by the company in conjunction with Ivox. Only 11%, again according to the same survey, prefer virtual meetings.
Victor Carreau, CEO and co-founder of Comet Meetings: "At Comet Meetings, we've noticed, via the numerous feedbacks from our customers, that Belgians have probably never had so much need to get together physically, without falling into the reunionite syndrome. Our seminar participants leave with more motivation, energy and cohesion at the end of the day than when they arrived, simply because they can physically get together with colleagues and share formal and informal moments. There's a real lack of interaction which has been observed in a number of studies, demonstrating a low level of employee motivation. According to Inami data, the number of Belgians suffering from burn-out or depression has risen by around 10% in the space of a year. This is why, today, segmenting distance and face-to-face learning, and getting the best out of both, has become a key issue for our companies."
The first months of opening Comet Meetings in Belgium have been positive. The company wanted to bring its expertise to the world of work, which is facing revolutionary changes. Victor Carreau comments: "Some experts predicted at the start of the pandemic that the future of work would be 100% digital. At Comet, we've always thought it would be hybrid! When you're at the coffee machine, you have informal discussions which, far from being trivial, are essential elements of corporate life."
This observation, made by many companies, goes a long way towards explaining the success of CometMeetings, despite the restrictions associated with telecommuting. The venue recorded over 250 corporate events (meetings, seminars, get-togethers) for more than 10,000 Belgian customers in less than 5 months. "Opening a venue in Brussels in the midst of a pandemic was an ambitious challenge, but one we rose to. Far from being a setback, Covid has paradoxically been a gas pedal for our business. This initial assessment confirms our ambition to revolutionize the office world in Europe and become the leader in urban meetings in Europe by 2024! Our next step will take us to Madrid, where we will open a new venue ideally located in the capital during 2022," concludes Victor Carreau.
