Are you of the view that assigned seating is old-fashioned and overly formal?
Shouldn’t you just let guests choose where to sit? Isn't that more egalitarian, more "cool"? Well, maybe not.
You might be surprised to discover a YouGov survey found 51% of guests preferred being given a specific seat, 33% wanted to be assigned to a table where they could choose their seat, while 13% were happy with sitting wherever.
For guests aged over 50, a whopping 92% wanted assigned seating which suggests the vast majority of them would be very upset if you made it "free choice".
If you're planning a a corporate event here's why you should consider working out your guest seating plan:
There may be a rush for the ‘good’ seats ie near the VIP guests
It will take a lot longer to get guests seated. They may still be milling about while the food is being served.
The last few guests end up walking around looking for seats, a bit like the unpopular schoolkid at lunchime.
Couples may stick together or get split up - when you don't want them to
Elderly guests may end up seated where they can’t hear or see anything.
If people turn up uninvited, they may take seats intended for your invited guests
An allocated seating plan is a more popular arrangement for guests - plus they appreciate your effort
It makes it much easier for waiting staff to deliver meals (think: dietary requirements, children's meals) to specific guests
You can ensure that speakers and VIP guests are seated in the most appropriate seats
It's a good opportunity for you to do some matchmaking for your single guests!
Avoid mixing age groups too much. Seat young children with their parents. Older children can be seated with their parents, or on a table together.
Try to put families together and put work colleagues together.
If you know people don't get on, try to seat them at separate tables. This is not the time to force a reconciliation.
Try to create balanced tables, with even numbers of males and females.
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If you've been tasked with planning an interstate corporate event, this may or may not be easy for you based on whether a) you've got contacts in that state and b) how complex your event is going to be.
If you're planning your next product launch where you want plenty of publicity, for the guests to love it and for the event to be widely promoted, there's a surprising tool you can use to help you select a suitable date for your event as well as foresee particular periods when you need to double-check everything.
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Are you of the view that assigned seating is old-fashioned and overly formal?
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