Staffing for Large Events

Now that awards season is in full swing (with the Grammys at Madison Square Garden essentially in the backyard of our Midtown NYC office!...) and trade shows and expos in effect all year round, many event planners and industry professionals may delve into the task of finding event staff for large events. Check out our quick reference below that may help during this planning process...

What roles are needed?
For trade shows or expos (such as those at New York City venues like the Javits Center or The Metropolitan Pavilion), you may need:

Registration Staff / Greeter / Guest Services Staff   
A staff member in this role will register, greet and/or assist guests, attendees, or event participants. The suggested number of staff widely varies for this role, as it depends on factors like number of entrances and/or workshops for staff to guide guests towards, just to mention two examples.
 
Promotional Model / Brand Ambassador
The responsibilities of this role include: Creating brand awareness and positive impressions of the product; distributing product samples and promotional materials; and actively drawing in customers to an event table. The suggested number of staff widely varies for this role as well.

Coat Check Attendant
Checks in/out coats and bags for guests. Our suggested quantity: 1 attendant per 75 guests. This number of course will change according to seasons, type of event, and venue needs.

When a large event is catered and/or serving food and beverages, our go-tos are:

Captain (Catering / Bar / Venue)
Assists with overseeing timeline, service, staff, menu execution, rental details, floor plan details, etc.  Follow the finalized catering plan. Alongside/directed by event planner/caterer, etc.; Assists with managing staff. Our suggested quantity: 1 Captain per 25 guests. 

Server / Waiter
Assists with floor plan set-up and break-down of catering rentals ordered for the event; Serve and bus according to finalized catering plan. Suggested quantity: 1 Server per 25 guests. 

Bartender
Makes drinks for guests per finalized catering plan; Set up/break down bar(s). Suggested quantity: 1 Bartender per 50 guests. 

Bar Back
Assists set up/break down of bar(s); Replenishes bar during event. Suggested quantity: 1 Bar Back per 75 guests. 

Sanit / Porter / Bathroom Attendant
Responsible for rental organization, sanitation, cleaning and / or restocking restroom amenities. Suggested quantity: 1 Porter per 75 guests. 

We hope this quick reference helps as your planning is underway. If you have any event staffing questions at all, feel free to reach out to us at info@tapuzstaffingnyc.com - we're happy to be your event staffing resource!