The event management world is no stranger to burnout. Known for its unyielding deadlines and high standards, it can be relentless with little room for error.
In this candid interview, Chris Randle, a seasoned event industry professional, opens up about his experience of working in the industry, the burnout “line”, and the hard-learned lessons he lives by now.
His story is part of Revolutionaries of Wellbeing’s 100 Conversations About Burnout project, which aims to shine a light on this pressing issue in high-stress industries.
Events Industry Still Recovering from Pandemic
While COVID-19 all but “decimated” the event management industry, its recovery to full throttle has been far from a smooth ride. The pandemic caused widespread cancellations, job losses, and uncertainty, leaving the industry reeling. Now, as professionals return, Randle says they are having to contend with increased workloads and heightened pressure.
And the road to recovery is ongoing, with staffing shortages and tighter deadlines pushing teams to their limits.
“I see people working harder instead of smarter, which is problematic,” Randle says.
The competitive market has also led to unhealthy work practices, while financial pressures have put a strain on work-life balance.
But even before the pandemic, some challenges were hard-baked into the event management industry. As Randle puts it, “The deadline is always the deadline.”
“They won’t be able to change when the Olympics starts,” he says.
These relentless pressures and unrealistic expectations have contributed to a growing concern about burnout within the industry, with Randle’s own experiences reflecting what many experience in this demanding line of work.
High quality a double-edged sword
Randle’s own experience has taught him that burnout isn’t just about work – it’s about personal factors too. He says his unwavering commitment to quality can take a serious toll in this high-pressure field.
“My drive for high quality often pushes me into the danger zone with stress, anxiety, and burnout,” he says. “I come back to it as being my Achilles heel when it comes to burnout, ultimately.”
Randle confesses he’s “flirted with burnout many times” throughout his career, a feeling likely familiar to many in the industry.
This struggle between striving for perfection and maintaining personal wellbeing is a common one for many professionals in the event management industry too.
“It’s really easy to just keep pushing because you’re always in competition, it’s a massively saturated market, and therefore standing out or doing something in a different way is harder and harder,” he says.
“I see it on the ground every year when someone will turn up and they clearly shouldn’t be there. And it takes quite a big adult conversation to say, I’m not sure you should be here.”
Navigating Stress: Lessons from the Field
One of Randle’s key observations from his experience is that managing stress effectively often comes down to experience rather than formal training.
“I certainly think that one of the things is it’s really hard to train people to deal with [stress] and deal with difficult situations.”
He found that his own coping strategies developed through real-life challenges rather than structured programs, suggesting that workplace stress management could benefit from more hands-on, practical learning.
As an example, Randle recalls the intense emotional burden of managing a serious medical incident at an event.
“I vividly remember the first time I dealt with a very serious medical-related incident at an event and had to just front up, deal with the situation, and go through the process,” he says.
He describes a moment when, alone with a close colleague in an empty venue, he broke down in tears.
“I had to put on a brave face and be professional, but it was emotionally such a burden to deal with.”
Although Randle has faced similar situations multiple times, he has learned strategies to cope with the emotional load, finding ways to manage the stress both during and after such incidents.
The power of knowing yourself
Randle’s experience taught him the importance of self-awareness and early intervention in coping with challenging situations and preventing burnout.
He says, “Surround yourself with the support network that you need before you need them.”
It’s a proactive approach that can make all the difference when stress levels start to rise.
For leaders feeling overwhelmed, he suggests taking a big picture approach.
“Try and just completely disassociate yourself from any situation. Be as kindly self-critical as you can be to try and understand yourself, and what might be the contributing factors before you go anywhere else,” he says.
This approach encourages taking a moment to reflect, something that’s often overlooked in the hustle of high-pressure environments like event management.
The Power of Open Communication
Randle emphasises the importance of open communication.
He shares a memorable story about a safety manager stepping in during a gruelling event. After nearly a week of non-stop work, Randle was completely drained, sitting in the control room and barely able to string a sentence together.
The safety manager quickly picked up on Randle’s state and took charge.
“I was struggling to even talk to our safety manager, just not making any sense. He said, ‘Alright, come with me.’ He found an empty room, took my radio and phone, and basically locked me in there. He told me I wasn’t allowed out for at least two hours.”
While it might have seemed unkind, Randle says that only three or four people at that event could have pulled off such an effective intervention for him, highlighting the importance of solid relationships in high-stress work environments.
“Know who you’ll listen to and who’ll listen to you. If you’re not the right person to speak up, have a private chat with someone who is,” he says.
This example highlights the value of having systems and people in place to keep an eye on staff wellbeing, especially in industries with intense work periods.
Recognised signs of burnout include:
- Chronic lack of energy
- Difficulty making decisions
- Not feeling refreshed by sleep or holidays
- Irritability and lack of resilience
- Unexplained physical symptoms
- Self-medication (e.g., increased drinking or drug use)
- Forgetfulness
It also shows how important it is for leaders to be open to receiving help and to foster a culture where looking out for each other’s mental health is normal and encouraged.
“Being a leader, it’s really hard. If someone comes up to you and says, ‘I’m not in a good space’, and you ask a bunch of questions and you can’t get anything more out of that conversation. That’s definitely tricky. So I think trying to equip yourself with a little bit of self-awareness around it. Is it a work thing? Is it a home thing, is it a life thing? If it’s work, what is it about work? Is it an individual? Is it the workload? Is it the expectations? Is it something risk-related?”
These days, open communication is key to his event management work.
“I’ve been hugely open with shareholders and clients in a lot of cases about certain things,” he says.
“One of the things I know I struggle with is sleeping and I know the impact of that that has on me. And so if I am working with the client and I need to travel, I have some criteria which we set really early on around how that works for me and why.”
This transparency has allowed him to set boundaries and manage expectations effectively – a crucial skill in any high-pressure industry.
Workplace Lessons
Randle’s experiences offer valuable insights for workplaces across industries, beyond event management. He says it’s important to focus on the need for genuine engagement with employee wellbeing, warning against relying solely on averaged metrics. His main advice?
“Don’t treat people the way that you want to be treated, treat people the way that they need to be engaged with.”
It’s an approach that recognises each team member’s individuality.
Randle also highlights the importance of leadership development in this area.
“We’ve got some work to do developing our leaders and managers in this space,” he says, suggesting that organisations invest in training and resources to better equip their leaders to handle burnout and stress-related issues.
Looking Ahead
Despite these challenges, Randle remains hopeful that ways of working are changing in the events industry. He encourages leaders, regardless of industry, to embrace innovation and take bold steps.
“Be brave enough to try something new, but also know that you’re not always going to get it right,” he says. “The people and the organisations that are brave enough to try something new, I think they’re going to be the most successful ones out of this in terms of longevity.”
By prioritising mental health and embracing new approaches, leaders can create environments where employees thrive and prevent burnout before it takes hold.
“Prevention is definitely the way to go. It just is,” he says.
He also emphasises the need for collective responsibility and consideration of worker welfare, particularly in industries with many freelancers and independent contractors.
As industries continue to navigate post-pandemic challenges, Randle encourages a balanced approach.
“Focus on the things that are going well, rather than what might have been or what you’d hoped to be the case,” he says.
