November/December 1992
Help wanted
Tips for hiring and training temporary workers
By Michelle Bruno
From bag stuffers to floor managers, security guards to salespeople, using temporary workers to round out the employee roster makes good sense inall types of economic climates. Here are expert tips to help show managers find and train good part-time help.
Choosing a staffing agency
• Hire a staffing agency at least three months before your show opens. This lets you include the staffing agency in the planning process and gives the agency time to select and adequately train the staff required.
• When preparing an RFP, ask the staffing agency to list shows it has handled previously, including the numbers of workers supplied and the industries served. Ask for a rate schedule, what the company requires for minimum work assignments (four-hour minimums are standard) and for the agency’s policy on schedule changes (48 hours notice vs. same day).
• Provide the staffing agency with a complete job description. Include the responsibilities and physical requirements (must be able to lift 20 pounds, for example) of the job. Having a job description helps the agency fully understand the scope of work and price the workers appropriately.
The contract
• Draft a detailed contract. The contract should clearly define such items as the term of the contract, pricing for straight time and overtime labor, what constitutes overtime (any hours over 40 per week or any hours over eight per day), the specific services being performed, payment terms, when employees should report for work, who employees should report to and, if applicable, what they should wear.
• Contracts for temporary front-end staff — such as typists, greeters and other non-technical positions — should include rates for each type of employee, including supervisors. Contracts should also stipulate the break schedule and employee reimbursements, such as parking or meals.
Preparing workers for the job
• At least three weeks in advance, provide the staffing agency with a “fact sheet” with specific information about the show, such as the show name, dates, industry, attendee demographics, keynote speakers, event schedule, special functions and sponsors. Also include a floor plan of the convention center that shows the exhibit hall layout and notes the location of the show management office, press office and speaker ready rooms. Arming workers with this information helps raise their level of professionalism.
• Before opening day, let the staffing company know of any special billing instructions. For example, perhaps the workers assigned to the conference area need to be invoiced to the conference company.
• Use training time wisely. Train part-time employees the same day as the work will begin.
• Decide in advance who will train temporary staff, and provide each show managementstaffer, especially the individuals who will train temporary workers, with a schedule including the workers’ names. On training day, give the temporary workers a tour of the registration, show and conference areas so they’re prepared to answer attendee questions.
Sources: Gina Viola, General Partner, Trade Show Temps, (213) 438-0411; SteveBergon, Vice President, CTI Convention Staffing, (800) 700-7053; Rick Simon,President, United Service Cos., (312) 922-8558.
Michelle Bruno is a Salt Lake-based writer and Web publisher who has worked in and written about the international events industry for more than 17 years. E-mail:michelle@brunogroup.com.
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The International Association for Exhibition Management (IAEM) has created the Show Operations Special Interest Group (SOSIG) to better address the needs and concerns of the growing number of operational and logistics managers in the exhibition industry. To learn more, contact Jeff Ducate at jducate@iaem.org or Laura McKinney at lmckinney@iaem.org.
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