Abby Hartley, marketing director at EC, explores how to create inclusive workplace events for a multigenerational workforce.

A company is only as strong as its people. An engaged, motivated, high-performance workforce is the ultimate competitive advantage, and internal workplace events are key to unlocking that potential. 

But with four generations – Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers – coexisting in the workplace, designing events that resonate across age groups has never been more complex. Around a third of the UK workforce sits at either end of the generational spectrum, meaning organisations must navigate diverse expectations, communication styles and priorities to create truly inclusive experiences.

And it’s imperative that they do. According to Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace report, disengaged employees cost the global economy $8.9 trillion in lost productivity – equivalent to 9% of global GDP. Meanwhile, the consultancy’s previous research found that teams with high engagement levels saw 23% higher profitability, 18% higher sales, and up to 43% lower staff turnover. 

So how can leaders craft events that engage every generation, inspire action and strengthen company culture? The answer lies in strategic event design – from gathering audience insights and choosing the right formats to maximising content value and measuring success.

Get your facts straight

Businesses must first invest in understanding their workforce as individuals. Just as external events require deep audience research, internal events should be no different. Fortunately, today’s technology makes this easier than ever.

HR analytics, pulse surveys and post-event feedback forms provide valuable quantitative data, while AI tools help transform large data sets into actionable insights. Adding qualitative input, such as focus groups or one-to-one interviews, brings further depth, helping to create accurate employee personas. The stronger the audience insights, the better equipped organisations are to design events that truly resonate.

Pick the right format

The next step is to shape your event format to suit audience preferences. To do that, you need to make three smart choices:

1. The right venue

Different generations tend to respond better to different settings (though your audience research will be able to tell you for sure). Traditional conference centres may appeal to older employees, while younger audiences might prefer informal, design-led spaces that feel more dynamic and inspiring. The key is to find a venue that strikes the right balance – welcoming, accessible and inclusive for everyone.

2. The right tech

When it comes to tech, digital-first generations tend to expect seamless experiences, while older employees may require clearer communication on how to navigate event platforms or interactive features. Ensuring everyone feels comfortable and confident with the tech in use is crucial for engagement.

3. The right structure

Internal events shouldn’t be treated as routine corporate meetings. They should be as dynamic and engaging as a brand’s external-facing events. With attention spans shrinking and the threshold for attendance getting higher, businesses need to approach internal event planning with the same strategic thinking they apply to engaging consumers or customers.

It’s vital to plan dynamic event programmes which are perceived as high-value, unmissable opportunities for all employees, no matter their seniority. That means deploying multiple tactics to drive engagement – whether through carefully curated content, interactive formats, or exclusive networking opportunities.

The length of sessions and the diversity of speakers also play a crucial role in shaping perception and must be carefully considered to match the wants and needs of a multi-generational audience.

Optimise your content strategy

Content is often an event’s second-largest investment after production, so ensuring maximum return is essential. This means delivering content in multiple formats, catering to diverse learning and communication preferences. Pre-event teasers, interactive live elements and post-event follow-ups should be tailored accordingly. 

Digital natives might best enjoy post-event content delivered via an app, short videos or interactive infographics. Meanwhile, older employees often prefer written summaries or intranet articles. By repurposing key messages across multiple channels you can keep the conversation alive long after the event ends, reinforcing engagement.

Enable effective post-event measurement

With budgets under scrutiny, every pound spent needs to be justified, making robust measurement a top priority.

Demonstrating impact isn’t just about attendance figures or satisfaction scores; it’s also about measuring sentiment and behaviour change. A well-designed measurement strategy – combining immediate feedback with longer-term sentiment and behaviour change tracking – provides the insights needed to demonstrate value, track cultural shifts, and continuously refine event effectiveness. This allows us to not forget behaviour change tracking in the measurement strategy.

Sentiment surveys should make up a key part in this strategy; however, generational preferences play a role in response rates. Older employees may favour in-person debriefs or physical forms, while younger generations often prefer quick digital polls or mobile app feedback. Using a mix of collection methods increases participation, ensures a fuller picture of event impact, and helps businesses track how engagement is evolving over time.

Making events work for everyone

The fact is, today’s multigenerational workplaces require internal events that go beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. Those organisations which genuinely understand their workforce, embrace diverse formats, and deliver tailored content will reap the greatest rewards. 

Regardless of your company’s vision or purpose, ensuring every team member feels engaged, included, and empowered at internal events is business critical.