Can governance and meeting procedures prevent burnout in regional events?
In 2026, burnout and volunteer fatigue are one of the biggest risks to event survival, and this is NOT new.
So why is this persisting? Is it becoming worse or is it just that we haven’t found the solution and so we keep plugging along?! Or maybe it’s just ‘easier’ to keep doing it the way we always have?!
Let’s make 2026 the year that we see a shift in this conversation.
How? One key first step is good governance and well-run meetings. I know that many creatives in events will roll their eyes at this and yes, it won’t fix everything, but done right, it can dramatically reduce frustration, wasted time and repeat effort…and give you more time back to focus on the fun and creative elements of events.
Strong, practical governance and efficient meeting procedures are no longer “nice to have”; they are essential tools to protect people’s time, energy and goodwill while still meeting legal and ethical obligations.
Keep governance clear and practical
Best-practice governance is fit-for-purpose. Everyone should know:
Who is responsible for what
Who can make which decisions
When something needs to come back to the full committee
Having this written down - especially Delegations of Authority - is critical. It stops confusion, protects volunteers legally, and avoids the same issues being discussed over and over.
Sub-committees are a huge help when used properly. Each sub-committee should:
Have a clear scope and authority in writing
Use a practical approach to completing tasks and remove unnecessary meetings
Provide short progress updates using a standard template
This means they don’t need to attend every full committee meeting, only when a decision is needed outside their delegation.
Less meeting time = happier volunteers.
Fewer meetings, shorter meetings and better preparation
Meetings are one of the biggest pressure points contributing to volunteer fatigue, so they need to be well run, purposeful and respectful of people’s time.
Event teams should only meet when there is a decision to make. Otherwise, updates can be shared via dashboards, shared documents or short written reports.
For regional events, hybrid and online meetings should be standard, reducing travel time and making participation more accessible - particularly for working volunteers and those in remote communities.
Meetings should also be safe, inclusive spaces where everyone feels comfortable speaking up and sharing ideas. A good approach is to:
Use suggestion forms, shared docs or online tools for ideas and feedback
Park ideas that aren’t urgent, instead of debating everything in the meeting
Keep meetings focused on decisions
This way, people feel heard without meetings going off track.
Minutes and actions: simple, clear, practical
One of the easiest wins is good meeting notes that are action-focused.
Best practice in 2026:
Keep minutes short and clear - decisions and actions only
Share them broadly so everyone stays informed
Avoid wordy transcripts that no one reads
Every meeting should also produce an action plan that includes:
What needs to be done
Who is responsible
When it’s due
VERY IMPORTANT: Don’t spend the next meeting going through the action list line by line. Only discuss actions if:
A deadline is likely to be missed
Someone is stuck and needs help
Otherwise, update actions outside the meeting and move on.
When people feel meetings are purposeful and decisions stick, they are far more likely to stay engaged.
Professional AND fun
You’re in events. Meetings and teamwork can be professional and enjoyable.
Simple things help:
Start on time, finish on time – allow time at the end for general discussion for those that have time to stay around
Celebrate wins (even small ones)
Keep the tone respectful and positive
Add a social opportunity to the end of meetings for those that want to enjoy the time to connect and network outside of the formal meeting
The bottom line
In 2026, the most successful regional events are not run by the busiest committees – they are run by the clearest ones. Governance that is practical, meetings that respect people’s time, and systems that support rather than drain volunteers are critical to sustaining events for the long term. Good governance is not about more work; it is about making the work count.