While the buzz around tariffs and trade issues has died down, event teams are still feeling the pressure and one of the biggest challenges is staffing. Between rising costs, unpredictable timelines, and tighter budgets, event professionals and venues are rethinking how they build and scale their teams.
With the National Insurance rise in April, full-time hospitality roles are expensive. “A survey conducted by industry associations indicates that more than 70% of UK hospitality businesses plan to reduce staff as a direct consequence of these tax changes. This financial strain may result in job cuts, reduced investment in recruitment, and a cautious approach to hiring, affecting the overall employment landscape within the sector,” according to The Future of Hospitality Recruitment: Trends and Predictions for 2025.
When it comes to events, flexibility is key to running successful events throughout the year. Full-time teams are great for stability, but when last-minute bookings or staffing gaps pop up, whether for a conference or a private party, you need the flexibility to scale your team quickly.
It’s also important to remember that a lot of experienced hospitality workers left the UK because of Brexit and COVID and haven’t returned. That means it can be harder to find good quality workers who are interested in a career in hospitality. People costs are higher than ever, causing the events industry to take a second look at the future of event staffing.
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to event staffing, particularly in venues that provide their own staff, is that there is a need for more people during busy times like summer or Christmas.
Scaling teams up and down without friction can be tough and can damage relationships between the employee and employer. Venues also need to have enough staff to cover holidays and sickness. If there’s a big event coming up and someone calls out sick or is scheduled to go on holiday, it can leave managers scrambling to find someone to cover the shift.
What’s the solution? There are quite a few different ways the future of event staffing could lean. Here are a few we foresee:
Freelancers are going to be really important, especially for events. And when people are hiring freelancers, they aren’t going to look for people who are just looking to make some quick money. Instead, they’ll turn to experts who can bring something special to the event.
There are a number of platforms that make it easier to find vetted talent fast. Temper is a great way to find hospitality workers during peak periods. You can find chefs, bartenders, baristas, cleaners, waiters, and more. Look through profiles, choose who suits your event based on ratings and skills. And if things change, you can cancel up to 24 hours before the shift. It’s really a no brainer in saving money on staffing.
The fact of the matter is that you need in-house people who know the venue like the back of their hand, for an event to be amazing. Combining in-house consistency with external flexibility is a great way to ensure you’re staffing the right people while maintaining the minimum amount of staff you need to keep your venue running smoothly.
Is someone hosting a wine tasting and needs a sommelier? Or maybe you’ve just booked an event in your venue and they want to serve the most insane desserts imaginable, but you don’t have a pastry chef. Working with freelancers allows you to bring in the right expertise only when you need it.
Fresh eyes are always great for business. Freelancers often bring fresh perspectives from multiple sectors, which can add some new life to your venue and the events that are held there.
So, where do you start? Over time you’ll build a trusted pool of freelancers who you’ll reach out to when you need them. Until then, think about investing in some proper onboarding and briefing for short-term hires. It may seem like a lot for people who won’t be there too long, but it will save you time in the long run. Don’t underpay as good people won’t come back if they think they weren’t paid well for their time. Finally, treat your freelancers like the team. Don’t differentiate between your in-house staff and freelancers. Things will go better if everyone feels like they’re working towards the same goal.
Events in 2025 are faster, leaner, and more unpredictable and that’s not changing anytime soon. The teams that will thrive are the ones who can be flexible, staff smartly, and treat people like the most valuable part of the experience (because they are).
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