Strategically Staffed

Being properly staffed for the size and type of event your organization is hosting is critical. Being short staffed can be painful. Having staff standing around, whether paid or volunteer, can be equally as painful. How do you come up with staffing numbers that Goldilocks would call “just right?” Let’s talk about it.

It is important to have a detailed event schedule. Knowing the various components of the event and the timing of the schedule will create an outline for the types of positions and hours of staff needed. It will also inform you if different talents or skills are needed. You might need skilled trades, specific equipment expertise, or someone just to point the way. Other contributing factors include number of attendees expected, number of days of the event, type of venue(s) being used, and more.

I have found over the years there are two top ways to create a staffing plan; by Position or by Schedule. Which one works best is determined by the event goals and objectives and what will serve the event needs better. Knowing how to choose may take trial an error. Some events naturally lend themselves to one or the other. As I have already done a bit of the legwork, let me save you some time.

Staffing by Position is when a person is staffed to work a specific position regardless of when that position is scheduled. For example, if your event includes Breakout Sessions, a person might be assigned as a Door Host for Room X. Every time Room X has a session, this person will host this room (take attendance, assist the speaker, etc.). This type of staffing plan is good for an event that has positions with limited time commitments that won’t require a single person to work without a break for more than a couple of hours consecutively.

Staffing by Schedule is when a person will perform any number of tasks during a set timeframe. For example, if a person is scheduled to work between 9am and 12pm, their schedule might include: ticket sales for an hour, breakout room host for an hour, and general session usher for an hour. This type of staffing plan is good for an event that has multiple tasks that need to be performed in a short period of time and has a limited number of people to work with.

Hopefully you now have a couple tools with which to build your next event team. Then you can stand back, watch the magic happen, and in the words of Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith of the A-Team, say, “I love it when a plan comes together!”

Do you have a different way to create a staffing plan? Please share it with us!
You can include it below or send me an email.

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