Event Staffing Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

As you begin to plan for an upcoming event, there won’t be a day that goes by when you aren’t making big decisions. Which venue is best? How much do you want to spend? Are you comfortable with the features and amenities of the space?

It is easy to get so caught up in selecting a venue, marketing the event, and staying on budget that you overlook another important detail: staffing.

Here are three event staffing mistakes to avoid at all costs:

1. Underestimating how much help you need. Let’s put it this way: it is better to be safe than sorry. It is better to have a few extra people on hand than not enough.

An understaffed event is one that can cause you a lot of trouble. Your job is to make sure everything runs smoothly, even if it means hiring additional personnel to protect against the worst.

2. Lack of knowledge. Just because you have a large event staff it doesn’t mean everybody is suited for every task.

You should delegate tasks upfront, ensuring that everybody is skilled in the area they are asking to cover.

Who will check-in attendees? Who will take care of setting up and taking down displays? Who will walk the floor in an attempt to pinpoint problems before they become serious?

Every person working the event can bring great value, as long as they are given responsibilities that suit their skill set.

3. Lack of communication. The larger your event staff the more difficult it is for everybody to keep an open line of communication. There are two things you can do to fight against this:

• Have one person in charge of small groups. For example, one person should head up the staffers who are checking people in.
• Take full advantage of technology. From cell phones to walkie-talkies, there are ways for everybody to stay in constant communication.

While venue staffers are available to provide assistance and answer questions, it is your team that will take the lead. Will you do whatever it takes to avoid the mistakes above?