This is a guest post by Madre Visser, Marketing Assistant at TempTribe – a UK-based temporary staffing agency providing thousands of staff to the events and hospitality industry.
Managing people can be a daunting task made even more so when managing people you aren’t familiar with or when you’re working to a tight time schedule. Luckily we’ve compiled this checklist to follow to learn how to manage temporary staff at your event.
Staff entrance guidance
Not every entry point to a venue is as easy as walking in through the front door. The majority of venues have designated staff entrances or even more complex entry procedures involving staff being required to show personal ID. Providing staff with exact guidance on point of entry will reduce the likelihood of them arriving late and unprepared to work.
On-site contact
Upon arrival at a venue, staff can still be faced with uncertainty of where to go within the venue, this being no surprise when you think about how vast venues can be. For this reason it is important for staff to know who to report to upon their arrival so they can be directed to the on-site contact.
Staff sign-in
It is important to know who the staff members are that you are expecting, or at least that you know how many are due to be working with you. It is beneficial for both you and the staff members to undergo a sign in process in order to log working hours and to ensure that all staff are present and correct.
Introductions to your team
Introducing your management team and supervisors who are working with you to make your event a success adds that personable and approachable touch to managing your team of temporary staff. It also gives you the opportunity to highlight who is best for the temp staff to direct any queries to, or ask for help from to improve efficiency or completing tasks throughout the event.
Give a thorough briefing
The key to smooth-running is communication and understanding. It is of vital importance that staff are made aware of what will be expected of them throughout the event. This includes informing them of the schedule of events, what tasks need to be completed and by when, and how you expect tasks to be completed. Allow time for questions post-briefing as staff may have some queries which may not have been answered in the briefing.
Assign teams of staff with tasks rather than individuals
Rather than giving the same instructions repeatedly to individuals, save yourself time and energy and divide your workforce into groups and assign them tasks to complete as a team instead. When managing a group or more than 10 staff, it is useful having a team leader who under your instruction is clear what tasks need to be carried out. They can oversee the team’s completion of tasks and be the point of contact for any questions, relieving you of this role and leaving you free to give attention elsewhere.
Remain patient and approachable
We know the events environment can be stressful and hectic, making it easy to become impatient which makes managing people that much more testing.
It is vital to remain patient and approachable when it comes to handling not just your temp staff, but any people you are working with, after all they are the people who will help make your event a success. If you treat them poorly they will become less willing to work with you and will become less productive, which will have adverse effects on your event and is likely to cause you more stress. Treat them with kindness and respect and they will reciprocate and be far more agreeable to work with.
Related: 17 Eventprofs Share How to Stay Calm and Reduce Stress Before an Event
Sign-out and thank you’s
As important as the sign-in is, the sign-out of staff at the end of the night is just as important. This is to ensure the staff are paid for the hours they actually worked and that you pay only for these hours. Additionally, the sign out is a good way to recap on staff who have worked particularly well so you can request them to work with you at any future events. Don’t forget, a little recognition goes a long way; let the staff know you’re grateful for the work they have done with a personal thank you from either yourself or another member of your team.
Conclusion
And there you have it, no need to stress about managing your event staff at your next event, just follow this checklist, it’s that easy!
