20 Critical Things to Keep in Mind Before Hiring Event Staff
Hiring the right event staff can be the difference between a smoothly executed event and one plagued with issues. Whether you're managing a luxury product launch, a trade exhibition, or a corporate gala, the quality, professionalism, and preparedness of your staff are essential. This in-depth guide covers everything you need to know before you hire event staff, from compliance and budgeting to management and post-event evaluation. With the expertise of The Ann Savva Group, a leading event staffing agency in London, you’ll learn practical strategies that work in real-world settings.
Why Hiring the Right Event Staff Matters
Event staff are more than just warm bodies on the event floor; they are the frontline representatives of your brand. A well-trained and personable team can significantly improve the guest experience, maintain smooth operations, and reflect the brand’s values. On the other hand, untrained or disengaged staff can create confusion, damage brand perception, and hinder logistics. The key is to treat hiring event staff with the same importance as selecting your venue or crafting your event strategy. At The Ann Savva Group, we understand the critical nature of these roles and match clients with personnel who meet the highest standards for professionalism, presentation, and performance.
Pre-Hiring Considerations: Build Your Staffing Foundation
1. Understand UK Event Staffing Laws and Regulations
Before you hire anyone, it’s vital to understand employment law in the UK. From minimum wage compliance to right-to-work documentation, overlooking legalities could expose your brand to serious risks. Make sure your hires are eligible to work, have appropriate insurance, and are registered for tax purposes if needed. If you’re working with freelancers or temporary staff, contracts should clearly outline expectations and protections for both parties. Agencies like The Ann Savva Group offer peace of mind here by handling legal compliance, vetting, and documentation for all event staff.
2. Determine How Many Staff You Need (And Why)
The number of event staff you hire should be based on your event’s size, layout, and complexity. A high-end VIP reception might require one staff member per 10 guests, whereas a trade fair could operate efficiently with fewer staff covering more ground. Think about the staff needed for registration, guest services, technical support, catering, security, and cleaning. Overspending on unnecessary hires will drain your budget, while understaffing risks operational breakdown. Creating a staffing matrix during the planning phase will help you allocate resources wisely and avoid last-minute panic.
3. Allocate a Realistic Event Staffing Budget
When budgeting for event staff, don’t just consider hourly wages. Additional costs often include uniforms, training time, overtime, accommodation (for destination events), transport, and agency fees. Professional event staff in London typically charge £12–£20 per hour, depending on the role and experience level. The Ann Savva Group provides clear, up-front pricing and custom quotes, helping brands avoid hidden costs. Having a transparent budget helps you prioritise where to invest more, for example, hiring more experienced hosts for premium events.
4. Define Clear Event Roles and Responsibilities
Avoid vague expectations; define each role in detail. Will your staff be greeting guests, managing guest lists, distributing marketing materials, or coordinating with vendors? Write role-specific job descriptions with responsibilities, shift times, required attire, and any necessary skills or certifications. Creating these profiles helps you hire more effectively and reduces misunderstandings on the event day. For example, someone tasked with lead capture at a trade show needs strong communication and CRM skills, while a bar staffer needs food safety training and pace.
5. Know Your Event Type and Audience Expectations
Your event’s tone and format should directly influence who you hire. A luxury fashion show will require polished hosts with a premium customer service experience, while a casual community festival may benefit more from energetic, approachable staff who can multitask. Knowing your audience, even if they’re executives, influencers, or the general public, helps tailor the staffing brief. The Ann Savva Group works with clients to ensure all hires are aligned with the event’s target demographic and desired atmosphere.
The Hiring Phase: Recruiting the Right Talent
6. Craft an Attractive Job Description
A well-crafted job description will help you attract the right applicants and set expectations early. Include the event’s location, shift times, required experience, pay rate, dress code, and main duties. Don’t forget to highlight what makes your event exciting or unique. Candidates often choose between multiple gigs, so be transparent and appealing. This is particularly vital in competitive markets like London, where demand for top event staff is high. Templates provided by staffing agencies can help streamline this process.
7. Post Jobs on Relevant Staffing Platforms
While you might find some candidates through social media or job boards, the most efficient route is via trusted staffing platforms or specialist agencies. Platforms like Indeed or Staffing Match offer access to freelancers, but event-specific agencies like The Ann Savva Group give you access to pre-vetted, trained professionals. The benefit? Reduced risk, less admin, and staff who understand the pace and pressure of live events. Partnering with a niche agency often saves time and ensures quality.
8. Vet, Interview, and Select Your Event Staff Carefully
Don’t just hire based on availability; assess communication skills, professionalism, and appearance. A quick phone or video interview can help you evaluate whether candidates can think on their feet, deal with high-pressure situations, and represent your brand well. Ask situational questions like: “What would you do if a guest were unhappy with the check-in process?” Make your decision based not just on experience, but on attitude and flexibility, both critical traits in event work.
9. Consider Partnering with a Professional Event Staff Agency
For larger events or when quality is non-negotiable, working with a trusted event staff agency in London is your safest bet. Agencies like The Ann Savva Group handle all the screening, training, and logistics so you can focus on strategy and execution. They also provide staff replacements, on-call managers, and performance feedback, offering peace of mind when it matters most. Whether you need brand ambassadors, event hosts, or catering crew, their deep talent pool can meet your exact needs.
10. Ensure All Hires Have Contracts and Briefing Packs
Contracts protect both you and your staff by outlining responsibilities, rates, and boundaries. Once contracts are signed, provide briefing packs that include event overviews, FAQs, contact info, dress codes, maps, and role details. Clear communication before the event reduces on-site questions and mistakes. Staff should arrive confident and informed, not confused or misinformed. Having these documents ready also builds trust and professionalism, particularly with freelance or first-time hires.
Event Staff Onboarding: Prepare Your Team for Success
Hiring great event staff is only half the equation. Proper onboarding ensures your team arrives confident, informed, and ready to represent your brand. Taking time to orient them before the event minimises confusion, boosts morale, and enhances guest experience. At The Ann Savva Group, we believe every successful event starts with clear communication and preparation, and onboarding is the bridge between hiring and performance.
11. Conduct Training or Induction Sessions Before the Event
Pre-event training or induction sessions are essential for aligning your team with your brand voice, venue logistics, and role expectations. These sessions don’t need to be long, but they should be focused. Cover key topics such as your event goals, dress code, tone of communication, and how staff should interact with guests. Walk staff through the event layout, explaining zones, entry/exit points, and emergency procedures. Whether it’s a corporate networking night or a high-end product launch, the more prepared your team is, the better they will deliver. The Ann Savva Group routinely provides pre-event briefs that align temporary event staff with the client’s ethos, ensuring consistent delivery across all touchpoints.
12. Use Diagrams or Run Sheets for Better Clarity
Visual aids like site diagrams and detailed run sheets can drastically improve staff comprehension. A good run sheet should outline event timings, assigned zones, staff rotations, and break schedules. These documents help reduce questions during the event and allow your team to self-orient. It also helps managers keep track of live updates or issues. For more complex events, station maps showing bathrooms, VIP areas, cloakrooms, and food service zones are invaluable. Staff who know where they’re going and when are calmer, faster, and more professional. Incorporating these tools is a best practice used by The Ann Savva Group at all major events in London.
13. Introduce Your Team to Event Tools and Technology
If your event includes registration apps, digital guest lists, radios, or QR scanning tools, your team must be trained on them before showtime. Even the most experienced event staff may not be familiar with your specific tech stack. Take time to walk them through the software or equipment in a controlled environment. Knowing how to handle real-time guest queries, communicate via group chat tools like WhatsApp or Slack, or log data into CRM systems will drastically improve performance and efficiency. The Ann Savva Group equips all staff with the tech knowledge they need for seamless integration into digital-first events.
Best Practices for Managing Staff During the Event
Once the event begins, your role as a leader is to ensure things run smoothly. Managing a team in real-time means balancing leadership, logistics, and morale. Proactive communication, staff well-being, and clear oversight are non-negotiables if you want your team to deliver results. Even the best-laid plans require flexibility, and being present on-site can make all the difference.
14. Set Up Clear Lines of Communication
Effective communication is the foundation of any high-functioning team. Ensure all staff know who to contact for specific issues. Use radios, walkie-talkies, or dedicated group chats to maintain open lines throughout the event. Establish a chain of command so that junior staff report to team leads, who then escalate to managers. This hierarchy reduces chaos and empowers team leads to solve minor problems. The Ann Savva Group equips its team leaders with radios or dedicated channels to guarantee rapid problem-solving, especially at larger events.
15. Schedule Staff Breaks and Rotation to Avoid Fatigue
Event staff can quickly become fatigued without proper breaks, especially during multi-hour or multi-day events. Fatigue can lead to mistakes, decreased professionalism, and even safety risks. Schedule breaks ahead of time and rotate staff between high- and low-intensity roles when possible. Respecting labour laws and basic human needs builds staff morale and keeps performance consistent. For day-long events, plan at least one meal break and one shorter rest break per shift. At The Ann Savva Group, rest and rotation policies are built into our operational plans to maintain high energy and engagement.
16. Assign Team Leads or Captains for Larger Events
For events with over 10 staff members, assigning team leads or zone captains creates structure and ensures localised decision-making. These leads can handle logistics in their area, monitor timelines, manage supplies, and act as a first point of contact. It’s an efficient way to decentralise leadership and reduce pressure on senior managers. Choose team leads based on experience, composure, and communication skills. In our own operations at The Ann Savva Group, team captains are thoroughly briefed in advance and trained to manage both staff and on-the-ground challenges.
17. Stay Visible and Provide Onsite Support as a Manager
Your presence as a manager or organiser should be felt not just symbolically but operationally. Walk the floor, check in with team leads, resolve issues, and offer encouragement. Staff who feel supported are more confident and willing to go the extra mile. Your leadership sets the tone for the entire event. Clients of The Ann Savva Group are assigned dedicated event managers who remain onsite from setup to breakdown to ensure smooth execution and proactive response.
Post-Event: Retain Knowledge and Build Better Teams
The end of the event isn’t the end of the process. Capturing insights, evaluating staff, and maintaining relationships will streamline future hiring and improve team culture. Taking the time to reflect and document lessons learned can elevate your next event to new heights.
18. Host a Debrief or Feedback Session
Gather your team shortly after the event, ideally within 48 hours, to share feedback. What worked? What didn’t? Invite your staff to offer their insights. They often have first-hand knowledge of what guests liked or where improvements could be made. Celebrate wins, highlight top performers, and document key takeaways. This reflection helps build culture and refines your approach. At The Ann Savva Group, post-event reviews are standard and help us continually improve both staffing quality and client outcomes.
19. Pay Staff Promptly and Professionally
Prompt payment is not only respectful, it’s essential. Event professionals often work freelance or in gig roles and rely on predictable income. Paying on time builds trust, professionalism and increases the likelihood that your best staff will return for future jobs. Automate payments if possible and follow up with a thank-you message or email. The Ann Savva Group ensures that all staff are paid accurately and efficiently, reinforcing our reputation as a trustworthy event staffing agency in London.
20. Keep a Talent Pool of Top Performers
After the event, maintain a database or spreadsheet of your top performers. Note strengths, roles, and feedback for future reference. When planning your next event, you can rehire from a pool of reliable, experienced staff, saving time and ensuring quality. We keep an internal “gold list” at The Ann Savva Group to match high-performing staff with our premium clients, helping them build continuity and trust across events.
Bonus: Should You Hire an Event Staff Agency or Go In-House?
While in-house recruitment may seem cost-effective, it’s often more complex than it appears, especially for large-scale or premium events. Managing vetting, contracts, training, and scheduling can consume significant time and energy. In contrast, working with a trusted event staffing agency in London, like The Ann Savva Group, means access to trained, pre-vetted professionals who are event-ready and aligned with your brand. For VIP launches, corporate functions, brand activations, and exhibitions, hiring through an agency guarantees reliability, speed, and peace of mind. It also saves time during crunch periods.
Final Thoughts: Get the Right People to Represent Your Brand
The success of any event hinges on the people running it. From first impressions at the welcome desk to last-minute guest requests, your event staff shape the experience. Hiring smart, training well, and managing thoughtfully pays dividends, not just in execution, but in brand perception and guest satisfaction.
At The Ann Savva Group, we bring over two decades of event staffing expertise to London’s most prestigious events. Our handpicked teams combine polish, professionalism, and personality to ensure every moment runs smoothly.
Ready to make your next event unforgettable?
Contact The Ann Savva Group today for tailored event staffing solutions designed to elevate your brand presence and guest experience.
