The events industry relies heavily on event staffing agencies to deliver seamless experiences. From large-scale festivals to high-end corporate functions, these agencies ensure skilled and reliable staff are in the right place at the right time.
Yet, today’s environment presents significant challenges that make managing an event staffing agency more complex than ever. This article explores the biggest challenges facing the sector, how agencies can adapt, and how Liveforce provides the tools to overcome them.
What Is an Event Staffing Agency?
An event staffing agency recruits, manages, and supplies temporary staff for events. These agencies may provide brand ambassadors, technicians, event managers, and hospitality staff to ensure smooth delivery.
With the growth of the events sector and increasing client demands, event staffing agencies have become an essential partner for event organisers and venues.
The role of a staffing agency goes beyond simply filling shifts. Agencies are trusted to understand the culture of each event, provide trained and compliant staff, and ensure flexibility when last-minute changes arise.
This makes them invaluable to the event supply chain, especially in a fast-paced industry where deadlines are tight and expectations are high.
Major Challenges Facing Event Staffing Agencies
Finding and Retaining Quality Staff
Recruiting dependable and experienced staff remains one of the toughest challenges. Many skilled workers left the industry during the pandemic, creating shortages in specialist roles such as lighting technicians, sound engineers, and production managers.
Hospitality and front-of-house crew are also in high demand, with agencies competing to secure reliable talent.
Retention adds another layer of difficulty. Workers often juggle multiple agencies, which can lead to scheduling conflicts and loyalty issues. To compete, agencies must offer fair pay, flexible schedules, strong communication, and reliable tools for staff management.
Managing Pandemic-Driven Issues
Although restrictions have eased, agencies still manage health and safety requirements, changing regulations, and client concerns. From sanitisation protocols to staff training, safety remains a major priority. These are part of the current issues in the event industry that continue to affect operations and budgets.
Meeting Client Expectations
Clients now expect agility, innovation, and exceptional customer service. Delivering this while balancing staffing shortages and budget pressures is a constant challenge. Clients want agencies to provide contingency plans, proof of compliance, and seamless staff communication, all while keeping costs under control.
Staying Competitive in a Changing Market
With the rise of new technologies and platforms, agencies must embrace event staffing innovations such as digital scheduling tools and workforce management apps. Agencies that fail to innovate risk losing relevance. Competitors who invest in streamlined processes and digital-first solutions are able to offer faster, more transparent service.
Managing Cash Flow
Events are often booked months in advance, but payments may take even longer. Cancellations, postponements, and unpredictable workloads can put a strain on finances. For small or growing agencies, this can be a make-or-break issue, especially when large upfront costs for staff wages, travel, and training need to be covered.
Wider Challenges in the Staffing Industry
The issues faced by event staffing agencies mirror the broader challenges in the staffing industry.
Agencies across sectors struggle with:
- Candidate shortages
- Rising operational costs
- Increasing demand for compliance
- Pressure to adopt technology
Whether it is challenges of staffing agencies in general or challenges facing staffing in events, the common thread is finding ways to stay profitable while meeting client needs. Agencies that can address these problems head-on will be better positioned to thrive.
Current Issues in the Event Industry
Beyond staffing, the events industry itself is navigating rapid change. Budget cuts are forcing organisers to do more with less, while sustainability pressures are pushing agencies to rethink logistics and staffing models.
Audience expectations have also shifted, with attendees demanding high-quality, immersive experiences. These current issues in the event industry place extra strain on staffing agencies, who must balance operational delivery with innovation and client satisfaction
The Role of Event Industry Recruitment Agencies
Alongside staffing agencies, event industry recruitment agencies play a critical role in sourcing long-term and specialist talent. While staffing agencies often supply short-term crew, recruitment agencies focus on permanent or recurring roles. Both are crucial for a healthy events sector.
For example, a large sporting event might rely on a staffing agency for ushers, brand ambassadors, and technical crew, while turning to a recruitment agency to hire an experienced event director for the season.
The partnership between both types of agencies strengthens the talent pipeline across the industry.
Innovations Shaping the Event Staffing Industry
Looking ahead, event staffing innovations are redefining how agencies operate. Digital-first solutions like the Liveforce platform empower agencies to:
- Automate staff scheduling
- Simplify timesheets and payments
- Ensure compliance across multiple projects
- Improve communication with crew through mobile apps
Emerging trends include AI-powered scheduling, virtual training for staff, and on-demand hiring models. Technology not only reduces admin but also improves staff satisfaction and retention, a key differentiator for agencies aiming to become the best event staffing agencies
Best Practices for Event Staffing Agencies
For agencies wanting to position themselves as the best event staffing agencies, adopting best practices is essential:
- Use a reliable temporary event staffing agency platform to streamline recruitment and scheduling.
- Offer flexibility in roles and shifts to attract and retain staff.
- Maintain transparent communication with crew and clients.
- Invest in staff development and training to build loyalty and professionalism.
- Prioritise compliance and safety to reassure clients and protect staff.
- Adopt innovative tools to stay ahead of competitors.
- Monitor cash flow closely and use invoicing software to reduce payment delays.
These steps can help agencies not only survive but stand out in a competitive market
How Liveforce Helps Agencies Overcome These Challenges
Liveforce is designed to help event management staffing agencies and recruitment professionals tackle these challenges head-on. With features like:
- Staff scheduling: Assign the right people to the right shifts effortlessly.
- Timesheets & invoicing: Streamline payments and cash flow.
- Crew app: Give staff visibility of their jobs, earnings, and availability in one place.
By offering end-to-end workforce management, Liveforce supports agencies in building loyal, compliant, and efficient teams. Agencies can reduce admin costs, improve staff retention, and deliver a smoother experience for both crew and clients.
The challenges facing event staffing agencies today are significant but not insurmountable. From managing staff shortages to embracing innovation, success lies in adaptability and technology. With Liveforce, agencies can not only address these challenges but also position themselves as leaders in a competitive market.
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