There’s been a lot of change in the way employers and employees of events, conferences, and business or large-scale consumer gatherings and shows view work ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, which gets to the heart of workforce management software for event management. Temporary employees are more comfortable being hired to supplement existing workforces, and employees are more willing to take temporary jobs — and sometimes prefer them.

As perspectives of employment and how staffers do their work has changed a lot in the last few years, events have not been left behind and have a lot to gain by utilizing the influx of talented, diverse workers looking for jobs. Your company or organization can benefit from the proliferation of temporary work in the event industry, whether you’re an employer or employee.

There are benefits and risks. Here, we’ll discuss both.

Companies Benefit from ‘Temps’ and Workforce Management Software for Event Management

American businesses are using temporary workers more and more. There were nearly 3.18 million U.S. workers in “temporary help services” as of October 2022, according to the Federal Reserve’s economic and labor market research division. What’s more is, this figure is part of a much larger 17 million people working as “temporary or contract” employees (as of 2021), according to the American Staffing Association.

It’s no secret that the last recession and resulting economic uncertainty led to an unexpected increase in temporary workers and the need for workforce management software for event management. The benefits of hiring these temp workers keep them at the forefront of staffing needs today:

  • Taking the risk out of hiring. It’s a good way to try out candidates before hiring them. Last year, two-thirds of temporary workers who got permanent jobs accepted them, and staffing employees said permanent employment was a top priority. It lets your company fill a temporary staffing need while evaluating whether an employee has the personality and skills you need over the long term. Potential hires can be vetted without the associated costs and risks of onboarding. If you hire the wrong person, it can be expensive. Temporary workers save you time and money If they’re not the right fit, you don’t have to hire and train them.
  • Saving you money. You can reduce staffing costs long term with temporary workers outside of your short-term budget. It’s better to have a smaller team and supplement it with temporary workers than maintain a big team year-round and pay all the expenses. Because temp agencies cover health insurance, workers compensation, and vacations, you won’t have to pay for fixed payroll costs. You’ll also save on training, which is something many companies oftentimes don’t think about. In most cases, temporary workers are already pre-screened, skilled, and trained with plenty of industry experience. It’s easier and cheaper to onboard a temporary employee since temps need less training.
  • The ability to be flexible and reduce labor waste. On a monthly basis (and even event-by-event basis), your business’s needs fluctuate in the event industry. You can keep ideal staffing levels during busy seasons and high-volume events with temporary staffing. By doing this, you’ll save money and reduce labor waste. In case a sick employee calls in, you’re not left with a shortage. Your regular crew won’t burn out if you use temporary-work agencies to provide pre-screened, qualified workers on short notice. Additionally, it’s good for your business if you use temporary employees effectively since they give your regular employees flexibility. Vacations, family emergencies, and sick days can be hard to come by in the event industry. You’ll have less stress on your regular people, increase morale, and retain more permanent employees when they know their manager has a pool of temporary workers. You can also save money with temporary hires. If the budget doesn’t allow for it, “temping” can fit into your short-term budget flexibilities and variances.

All of these benefits tie directly into your business or company’s workforce management software for event management.

Perspective on Temp Work and Workforce Management Software for Event Management

In recent years, temporary work crews have become more popular with employers because they’re easy to scale and don’t require benefits. There are more temp jobs than ever today. It’s not just the employer that benefits from temporary work; the worker also has a lot to gain. There’s more to temporary work than just getting by while an individual looks for a job:

  • Checking out the company. There are times when temporary work is temporary, but many employers and employees mutually use temp work to train people for permanent jobs and use the opportunity to stay in a job long term.
  • Getting to know people and building relationships. Even if an employer doesn’t have an opening when a worker’s stint ends, that individual can leave with solid references if personal and professional relationships were developed.
  • Improving resumes, getting experience, and learning new skills. Temporary work is a great way for workers to learn new skills and get industry experience. Both the employee and the employer learn something about each other — which is valuable.

Risks Versus Rewards in These Relationships

There are risks that should be noted, although a quality and robust workforce management software for event management can assist as you vet these issues.

  • The wrong management and the wrong labor (workers). Independent contractors must follow their contracts and maintain a certain level of control over what they do. A manager who is not informed can accidentally treat a contractor as a regular employee, which can lead to huge risks for your business or company. It’s easy for a company to become the target of a class-action lawsuit by requiring training, letting contractors use company equipment, or controlling how work is done. It’s possible for an independent contractor to become eligible for employee benefits such as overtime if your company — even unintentionally — exerts too much control over when and how they work. Additionally, this could lead to a lawsuit from disgruntled contractors. To remain a form-1099 worker, contractors should maintain a lot of autonomy in their work while understanding and following your organization’s policies and procedures.
  • Taking responsibility for the business. You can be liable for injuries that independent contractors suffer on the job if your workers compensation policy doesn’t cover them. A company can’t sue an independent contractor for negligence if the worker damages your business’s property, fellow employees, or customers without the right insurance coverage. A well-written contract (one addressing insurance, liability, and clearly lays out milestones and expectations) that follows Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines on employee classification can help you avoid these risks. Nevertheless, you’ll want to tap into the growing pool of temporary employees if you need help filling scheduling gaps, assisting your team during a busy season, or filling in for someone on leave. Workforce management software for event management remedies all of these challenges.
  • Getting audited by the IRS for misclassification. Due to the self-employment status of independent contractors, companies using them don’t have to pay payroll taxes. An organization looking to save money and cut costs will love this. But what’s wrong with this picture? Some employers have been getting busted in recent years by the IRS for misclassifying their employees as independent contractors — and this is on top of the latest federal proposals to oversee independent contractor status under federal wage law. The IRS lays out the criteria for independent contractors very clearly. You could end up paying a lot of back taxes if the IRS finds your workers were misclassified. True form-1099 contractors set their own work hours, and they work relatively independently without employer interference. The worker should not be classified as a form-1099 contractor if that worker does the job onsite under employer oversight or supervision.

VCS Software is your all-in-one solutions platform for workforce management software for event management, whether your business, company, or public agency or department is large, medium or small. VCS Software provides the right workforce management solutions within human resource event management and so much more.

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