5 top tips to motivate your staff this spring
The clocks have gone forward, the sun is shining and the Easter weekend is behind us meaning that Spring is most definitely in the air. At this time of year we always see an increase in outdoor promotional campaigns and events which are always welcomed by our brand ambassadors and corporate event staff alike. Here are some quick and easy top tips to motivate your staff and keep them upbeat through the coming months…
1 Provide an appropriate uniform
While the sun is shining it can be tempting to bring out the summer uniforms, but it’s important to remember that many staff will still find the temperature a bit chilly! In order to motivate your staff to perform to the absolute best of their ability, throughout their shift, it’s important that they are comfortable. Make sure that you have provided them with a uniform that is suitable for the weather, which can often be unpredictable at this time of year. Above all, ensure that your teams are warm enough, and have suitable protection from an unexpected downpour.
On a recent campaign, our client Bidvine provided our staff with the perfect springtime uniform for a short distribution campaign; branded hooded tops and large umbrellas which were of course put to good use!
2 Give your staff a full brief
Surprises are rarely a good thing at events, and can quite often lead to problems so make sure your staff have the complete picture about your event, prior to arriving for their shifts. In particular make sure that you have been clear about their role and where they will be working so that they know what to expect and can dress appropriately.
Promotional staff hate nothing more than being unprepared and unsure about what they are doing on arrival – bear in mind that your staff may be working for lots of other brands before and after your event so it’s important that your brief is delivered to them clearly, concisely and in plenty of time. Keeping them in the dark will do anything but motivate them.
3 Offer incentives
There is no better bargaining tool than an incentive, and this doesn’t always have to be monetary. Give your staff something to work towards and encourage an element of healthy competition on your teams. Whether it’s a cash bonus, a prize up for grabs or the chance to win a coveted title, there is no harm in introducing that extra incentive which will in turn help you to achieve your goals too.
Think about allowing your event manager to allocate on-the-spot prizes or treats to the best performers, and ensure that you develop a culture where good work is rewarded with more work. This in itself will encourage top notch performance.
At eventeem we run various campaign specific incentive schemes, but also choose one of our best performing promotional staff to be crowned “eventeemer of the month” each and every month. The chosen member of staff is sent a pack of tasty treats and their profile is featured on our blog which we then in turn promote to our clients in a bid to secure more work for our hard working personnel.
Here are some of our recent eventeemer of the month winners…
4 Develop your relationship
It is easy to overlook this part of the staffing process. The staff are booked, briefed and the event is now live but don’t rest just yet! It’s really important to your staff that you are available should they need you and that you are understanding of any challenges that they may face. One of the best ways to develop your relationship with your staff is to be available for them, even if it’s just at the end of a phone.
Don’t underestimate the importance of giving them a pep talk now and again and providing general encouragement along the way. Even if there is a problem that needs to be discussed, approach this openly and in a friendly manner, giving your staff the opportunity to put things right.
Everyone is different and some staff will be easier to motivate than others, so make sure you get know your team, enabling you to provide the most appropriate and most effective assistance. If your staff feel valued and appreciated, they will no doubt strive to do a great job for you.
5 Provide your staff with feedback
It’s a wrap! Your event has finished and the pack down is complete, your staff have gone home and your evaluation process begins. But don’t forget to share some post event feedback with your team. Our staff often tell us that once an event is over they sometimes end up feeling all but forgotten, and quite often don’t hear any more about whether or not the goals that they worked so hard to achieve were actually met. Whether you were delighted with your staff, or perhaps feel that there is room for improvement, it is so important to feed this back and tell them how you feel.
A surprise email from their staffing manager congratulating them on achieving great results can motivate them hugely. Firstly because it satisfies that curiosity about their performance and rewards the staff for their hard work, and secondly because most agencies and managers just don’t do it!
At eventeem we make sure that we reward our good staff with not only incentives, but more work and great feedback. If you’d like to find out more about the type of staff we can provide for your event, visit the following pages;