While essential personnel across the country have been in the workplace throughout the pandemic, many offices have remained closed with employees working from home, often alongside partners and children doing the same. Is a return to the office in the near future? Some of the nation’s largest companies say, “Yes!” If we’ve learned anything this year, it’s that we all crave some human interaction, and for so many of us, our daily routine involved mingling with our coworkers every day. These in-person meetings can be so impactful, especially for creating new connections and finding inspiration for your next project, sales call or event.
Dr. Nancy Baym, Senior Principal Researcher at Microsoft, gave her thoughts on how our networks are shrinking as we continue to work from home. “When you lose connections, you stop innovating. It’s harder for new ideas to get in, and groupthink becomes a serious possibility.”
We couldn’t agree more with how meaningful in-person connections are to culture, business operations and finding new inspiration. The Sweets & Snacks Expo will be one of the first times our industry comes together in person since the start of the pandemic. The positive momentum we see as the United States continues to vaccinate millions of people each day and more businesses call for a return to the office, we feel confident we can have a safe and productive show for our attendees.
Just over a year ago, we were still in the beginning phases of working from home and now, in early April, companies like Wells Fargo, Google, Amazon and Goldman Sachs are beginning to let employees know that it’s time to come back. “Working together in offices gives us opportunity to the build relationships with those who have also shown up to do good work,” says Tracy Brower, Ph.D. sociologist and the author of The Secrets to Happiness at Work. She sites company culture as one of the biggest reasons for people to return to their desks and start up the chatter around the coffee maker as more people receive their vaccine and cases decline.
Returning to the office will look and feel different this year – and so will attending the Sweets & Snacks Expo. We will require daily temperature checks upon entry, masks will be required, and extensive sanitation measures will be taken. While we still have more important milestones to hit as our global community begins a return to ‘normal.’ We believe it’s essential to put our best foot forward to share in the newest products, see the latest innovations and find inspiration on how we can best serve the consumer.
We look forward to seeing you in Indianapolis and invite you to review the safety protocols set out by show management, the city of Indianapolis and the Indiana Convention Center (ICC) to be ready for the 2021 Sweets & Snacks Expo.
