How Kennedy Jenks Builds Lasting Employee Community Through Internal Events and Mobile Technology

For organizations with dispersed, hybrid workforces, the challenge isn't just bringing people together; it's creating connections that outlast the event itself.

Kennedy Jenks, an architectural engineering and construction firm, has cracked the code on turning their technical conferences into community-building experiences that drive recruitment, energize employees, and showcase company culture long after attendees return to their remote desks.

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Kennedy Jenks' Internal Event Engagement By the Numbers

• 98% event app engagement rate among technical, introverted engineering and science professionals.
• 18-24 month event cycle requiring sustained excitement between conferences.
• 100% paperless event operations through mobile app adoption.
• Event referenced as "must-do" experience during candidate recruiting conversations.

What You'll Learn

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In this 40-minute webinar, Susan Broadbent (Senior Director of Communications at Kennedy Jenks) shares strategies for creating internal events that build lasting community in hybrid work environments, including:

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Setting the tone: creating differentiation from daily work

• Using casual communication language in pre-event emails to shift employee mindset.
• Taking employees out of 9-to-5 office environment into special event spaces.
• Running events outside working hours (partly over weekends) to create distinct experience.
• Building leadership trust to experiment with tone and format that feels different.
• Letting enthusiasm and excitement bleed through all communications to drive participation.

Driving app adoption: making mobile central to event experience

• Positioning event app as portal to all critical information (agenda, WiFi, hotel details).
• Withholding WiFi password until attendees download app to incentivize adoption.
• Pre-loading event feed with behind-the-scenes content from planning team.
• Including Easter eggs and hidden information to encourage exploration.
• Achieving 98% engagement from typically introverted technical audience.

Photo challenges: leveraging authenticity over professional content

• Creating photo challenges: selfies with people never worked with, from different states, meeting in-person for first time.
• Displaying user-generated photos on event screens in real-time during sessions.
• Capturing authentic moments through attendee lens versus only professional photographers.
• Making photo sharing feel safe and comfortable for introverted engineers and scientists.
• Using separate app space (not LinkedIn or corporate channels) for more personal sharing.

Real-time engagement: building momentum throughout event

• Showing morning photos during lunch and previous day photos the next morning.
• Creating curiosity about what's happening in other rooms or after-hours activities.
• Allowing passive participants who see content without posting themselves.
• Watching engagement organically grow as shy employees see others sharing comfortably.
• Getting posts from attendees on shuttle buses before event even starts and leaving venue after.

Post-event nurturing: sustaining excitement for 18-24 months

• Releasing professional event video months after to remind attendees of experience.
• Using staggered content release strategy rather than overwhelming with everything at once.
• Creating monthly touchpoints to keep event community engaged between conferences.
• Gathering post-event takeaways through Microsoft Forms for ongoing storytelling.
• Centralizing presentations, photos, book recommendations, and resources in accessible platform (Sway).

Cultural impact: turning attendees into recruitment ambassadors

• Highlighting cutting-edge research and technology applications during technical excellence conference.
• Showcasing employee work to combat isolation of dispersed hybrid workforce.
• Using event content in recruiting materials to demonstrate company culture.
• Having candidates specifically ask how to attend after hearing about event from current employees.
• Building narrative that "this is what it's like to work here" for prospective hires.

Cost and sustainability: paperless operations

• Spending less on annual event app subscription than previous printing costs.
• Eliminating printed agendas entirely in favor of mobile-first approach.
• Making instant updates for weather changes, room swaps, or last-minute adjustments.
• Removing handheld clicker systems in favor of mobile polling solutions.
• Distributing individual details (hotel confirmations, table assignments) digitally when time permits.

Safe sharing environment: managing privacy and comfort

• Creating separate app space distinct from LinkedIn and corporate social channels.
• Not immediately posting employee-generated photos externally without permission.
• Being sensitive about sharing personal snippets (getting ready, airport shuttle selfies).
• Allowing natural engagement drop-off as employees transition back to regular channels.
• Respecting that remote workers already share home office views on video calls.

Future evolution: expanding planning participation

• Involving more employees in planning process to create internal influencers.
• Giving planning committee members "skin in the game" ownership over event success.
• Using post-event survey feedback to adjust networking time, expo hall duration, session formats.
• Exploring cost-effective live streaming options for employees who cannot attend.
• Leveraging more event app personalization features (hotel numbers, dinner assignments) with adequate planning time.

Who Should Watch This Webinar

• Internal communications professionals planning employee engagement events for hybrid workforces.
• Corporate event managers organizing technical conferences or cultural gatherings.
• HR leaders seeking to strengthen company culture through memorable experiences.
• Event planners working with introverted or technical audiences (engineers, scientists, developers).
• Organizations running biennial or infrequent events needing sustained engagement between gatherings.

Real Results from Kennedy Jenks' Event Strategy

Learn how Kennedy Jenks' approach achieved:

• 98% event app engagement from typically introverted technical professionals.
• Candidate recruitment conversations specifically referencing event as company differentiator.
• Cost savings by spending less on app subscription than previous printing expenses.
• Organic social sharing from employees who initially seemed unlikely to post publicly.
• Post-event career advancement through cross-regional project collaboration connections.

Featured Speaker

Suzanne Broadbent serves as Senior Director of Communications at Kennedy Jenks, an architectural engineering and construction firm. With several years of experience using Guidebook across multiple companies, she specializes in internal events that build community among technical professionals. She leads planning for Kennedy Jenks' Technical Excellence Conference (TechX), managing everything from pre-event communications strategy to post-event content distribution for sustained engagement in hybrid work environments.

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