It takes a team of staff, volunteers or both to pull off a successful event. A variety of tasks require many hands to complete the work – before, during and after the event. Ensure that your team of staff and volunteers are properly trained and prepared to handle their responsibilities.
Review your event and associated activities to realistically plan how much support you will need. As the organizing planner, you cannot be in multiple places at one time. This is why you have a team to which you can delegate tasks. This team becomes your eyes, ears, feet and hands to monitor event activities, attendee reactions and needs, and developing situations before they become crises or emergencies.
Staff
Taking the lead in planning an event requires an attention to details while keeping the goal of the event in focus. It’s a responsibility that keeps one’s daily To Do very full. That’s why working with a team is helpful, even key to keeping one’s sanity. Your team can be helpful during idea development and during task delegation.
There is a large whiteboard in my office where ideas for my current projects are jotted down in a variety of colors. During the planning of several events, my team and I would brainstorm potential ideas and concepts. No idea was too outrageous or dull. In addition to planning these events together, it also kept everyone informed. Communication with one’s team is key to ensure everyone understand the plan and what is anticipated. The team also had access to a shared folder where current projects, ideas and administrative details were filed. My goal was to ensure the event could progress without me if I was called away on another more pressing project or incapacitated.
Training
Continuing education is also helpful to make sure your staff is up to date on current processes, technology and trends. Most organizations provide opportunities for employees to take classes, attend conferences and purchase training materials. If budget constraints restrict paid training, there is a wealth of information online that is free or low cost. In addition to personal development, training also provides interaction with other professionals that can be used for networking or mentorship.
Contractors
You may need to hire contractors for specialized roles before, during and after the event. Be specific in writing as to the role, responsibilities and expectations they will have. You should have an attorney or your organization’s legal department review the contract or MOU (memorandum of understanding) to ensure all parties are properly represented and liability is shared.
Open communication with your contractors is helpful as they may be on the front lines to your attendee experience. They can provide useful feedback on how to improve your event or even to provide real-time modifications. Contractors can also be future contacts for upcoming events or provide expert advice.
Volunteers
Volunteers are often unsung heroes of events. They willingly give their time and abilities to the success of an event. While many are skilled in their respective areas, everyone needs a bit of training to understand the goals of your event. Here is a checklist to review when incorporating and training your volunteers.
- Background checks. We often believe the best in humanity and we assume good intentions about everyone. Yet, it is important to do your due diligence, especially for those who may handle financial transactions and those who interact with children.
- Legal waivers. Volunteers become your responsibility when they engage in tasks for your event. Provide a safe work environment. Supply safety gear to protect them. Role-specific waivers can be used if volunteers engage in certain tasks like construction, physical activities or even disaster response.
- Volunteers are often given duties where the need is the greatest and often with very short notice. Be sure to educate your volunteers with basic information of your event. This ensures they have a general understanding of what happens where, who should be there and how to best complete the assigned task. It also allows volunteers to shift between assignments with little to no additional instruction.
- Roles and responsibilities. Be sure outline your needs upfront and who would be fit suited for each duty. It is important that your volunteers can handle the task that you require. Pair appropriate responsibilities with volunteer abilities. Also, outline who the volunteers should report to, just in case they have questions.
Volunteering is a passion for me and I’ve volunteered in a variety of events. They have included attendee registrations at conferences and physical events to cooking and kitchen detail for community food programs to working with kids and seniors. After each event, I was always pleased that I contributed to my community in some way but the most satisfying experiences have included clear job assignments and directions, and appreciation of my time.
Always Say Thank You
It may not appear from the outset but gratitude to your volunteers, contractors and staff goes a long way to ensure your event’s success. Their actions will reflect their appreciation of you as a planner but also of your event. Gratitude can be shown in a variety of ways, including useful event swag, event partner discounts, even a public acknowledgement may be welcome.
