Most U.S. office employees want to up their attendance at in-person professional conferences, and most also said their employer is supportive of that desire, according to an Engine-sponsored survey of 1,118 office workers.
The survey, conducted by The Harris Poll from Aug. 21 through Aug. 25, showed 79 percent said they wanted to attend more in-person conferences. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said their company is more supportive of in-person conference attendance this year than they have been in past years.
Thirty percent of respondents said they planned to attend a conference between September and November of this year, and 59 percent said they planned to attend one in the next six months. About a quarter of respondents said they would attend more conferences this fall than they did last year, according to Engine.
"As work has become more distributed, people are craving the kinds of in-person experiences that help them feel part of something bigger," Engine SVP of people Heather Krueger said in a statement. "That's why this year's conference season is shaping up to be so busy. Travel is no longer just about business goals, but about keeping employees connected and engaged."
More broadly speaking, 55 percent of respondents said they wished to have more opportunities to connect with their colleagues in person. Unsurprisingly, that was higher among hybrid workers, with 60 percent of respondents wanting more in-person time. It was even higher among respondents in the 18-to-28 age range, with two-thirds of respondents wanting more face time with their colleagues, according to Engine.