More Than Just Warm Bodies: Staffing Your Event the Right Way

You have the time and place ready to go for your event. You still have a lot of items on your to-do list, but one of the most critical is finding and hiring staff to make sure your event runs smoothly.

Hiring staff for events shouldn’t be just about filling a space with warm bodies. A dynamic staff can be the key to providing a high-quality immersive brand experience that leaves attendees satisfied and with a positive impression, increasing the likelihood of word-of-mouth and social sharing about your event and brand.

“Not only is the event staff the face of your brand, but they help to build and establish relationships with your most valued customers,” notes Margaret Colebeck of Event Manager Blog.

Where to Find Staff

Ideally, you’ll find some of your staff through referrals with a track record for reliability and success. If you have an online community, this can also be a great way to find staff, as these are people who already have familiarity with and are likely enthusiastic about your mission or brand.

While these are good strategies, it can be difficult to fully staff an event this way. Online job boards like Jooble for event jobs are quick and easy, and can help you with the initial paring down of applicants. Post the details of the event, when and where staff will be needed, what kinds of qualities you are looking for, and instructions in how to apply. Make sure your tone is both professional and friendly. Be sure also to have a process in place for processing applications. If you aren’t getting enough applicants, try casting a wider net and reviewing your job ad.

Tips For Hiring Event Staff

Industry experts suggest the following when hiring staff:

Don’t hire just on looks. You want someone who looks presentable, of course, but someone with a friendly, welcoming attitude who can quickly resolve problems is going to be a lot more valuable than someone who simply sits around looking pretty.

Be honest about what the job entails. People know what they can handle; this will help weed out people looking to make an easy buck.

Consider using an online application that uses video to get an idea for a potential staff member’s personality and communication skills.

When you find someone who you think is a good fit, offer them the job as soon as possible, before they’re snapped up somewhere else.

“Hiring event staff is an investment in your company and it’s important to find the right mix of skills and abilities in the people you hire – whether they’re part of your day-to-day team or contracted for a specific event,” says Melanie Woodward of Eventplanningblueprint.com.

Some qualities to look for when hiring:

A genuine interest in the organization and event and a willingness to represent your brand
Ability to listen and communicate well
Demonstrated relevant experience
Reliability and flexibility
Energetic and outgoing (especially if interacting with event-goers)
Ability to acknowledge areas of strength and areas that need to work, and demonstrated efforts at making improvements

Make Time For Training

Once you’ve assembled your staff, arrange for training that includes information about your company and brand. Even if the venue you are using comes with its own staff, it is important to convey to everyone who will work your event the ultimate goals of your particular event and organization.

Make sure all employees understand the exact process for handling a problem, including who to go to and what to do in an emergency. It may be tempting to skip over this training for a one-time event, but taking an hour to provide this information can be the difference between a disaster and a success.

Finally, make sure your legal ducks are in a row. Consult with your accountant, human resources professional, or legal team about everything you must do when hiring temporary staff. You also might want to consider having all staff sign a non-disclosure agreement if that’s relevant for your industry to further protect your brand.

Planning For Future Events

Taking some time after the event to review the performance of staff can pay off in the long run when you need to hire again. Make note of anyone who especially stood out or went the extra mile and make sure to keep their contact details on file. Conversely, take note of any staff who didn’t come through, or just weren’t a good fit. Also, assess the training and processes and look for any areas that could be improved. Every event is a learning experience; build on those lessons so your next event is the best one yet.

About Sparxo

There are many details to take care of when planning an event. You may want to check out Sparxo’s white-glove service that includes everything from ticketing to registration, check-in, staffing, hardware, box office, and badge printing. Sparxo is the platform for you. If your organization runs several events, multiple event coverage is also available. Sparxo enables you to enter event registration and ticketing on to any website with no other brand or logos, produce media-rich pages to assist with your brand and selling efforts, offers a straightforward guest arrival app and permits you to possess all of your information, therefore, you’ll be able to track your progress. Everyone has full access to all features, despite the size or type of event-free or paid!