Featured image: Microsoft Copilot
The staff to keep operations running smoothly are the most important part of running any kind of esports events. The volume of attendees/customers at esports events is a determinant of how many persons will be needed to help manage the situation. They will help with the spread of the workload and any roles that will be delegated to them to ensure a successful event. Below are some tips recruiters can use to find the right staff for their events and this is not limited to specific game genres:
- Job Description: Make sure to have a concise job description, which will contain the most vital information which will be useful to the prospective staff. This could include knowledge of a game or use of a piece of equipment. Things such as the esports event structure can be kept for post-hiring, since that can be picked up easily after the hire.
Photo Credit: Microsoft Copilot
- Provide Training and Support: After finding your staff and bringing them on the team, now you train them. Here you are teaching standards, and other related roles that are significant to running event operations. It is likely that every individual in the team will have their own methods and procedures to carry out tasks, which is why training will have to be across board. Support should also be provided in the form of a channel of reporting cases for complaints as well as feedback, and if necessary, anonymously for bad incidents.
- Communication and Coordination: Set a space/spaces where the team can communicate ideas and tasks in and access important documents for the event openly. Choose what works best for everyone and is also easy to set up. Trello and ClickUp are some of the applications to help teams keep track of their tasks and deadlines, and you can also incorporate WhatsApp Community for making announcements and have team members reply accordingly. Where necessary, provide handbooks so team members can perform effective troubleshooting. Also include schedules and staff breaks so everyone is in sync with one another.
- Flexibility and Adaptability: Always be ready to listen to your team and take feedback as an employer or staff of an esports event. You do not want to be the boss who refuses to change as they are set in their ways, because it does not bring any progress other than just falling in line. Make the necessary adjustments to the events when you receive good feedback, and when there is a fair notice from staff on say odd working hours, try working out something best for them. In the instance of tournaments, you can have staffers work on seeding for players in regions and for games you may not be familiar with.
- Pre Event Briefs: Before, during and after an event, be sure to help your staff with being aware of what they are doing. Run through multiple trials of the event production so that staffers can be well acquainted with it and also know who to ask if things get stressful or they forget what to do. Keeping order for an event though predetermined layouts for spectator seating can help immensely. Providing briefs and/or handbooks can help the team identify with the list of things required of them, including scheduling and other related information they can refer to during and after the event.
- Rewarding Good Work: When all is said and done, do not hesitate to reward team members that were able to accommodate the needs of the esports event accordingly. This could be financially or whichever choice preferable. However, this should not be done and expected to be the standard for future events, as this can dishearten other staff members who might take your standards to be too high.
Conclusion
It is important to note that no esports event can be run without the help of staff if the number of customers will be less or overwhelming. Following through with the tips aforementioned can help improve the events and do so for future ones, and will also help in securing staffers who will be happy doing some future work with you.
Esports has helped create jobs for lots of people. Interested in knowing about the business side of esports? Listen to the Gamers Change Lives Podcast! We get experienced guests from all around the world featuring.
Written by Jeffrey Osei-Agyeman
