Hardly any other industry is as dependent on seasonality as the events industry. Whether Christmas markets, company parties, concerts, or festivals—many events are concentrated in a few months, during which enormous human resources are suddenly needed. Without seasonal workers, it would be impossible for event organizers to cope with the rush.
But working with changing teams is complex: employees are often hired for only a few days, constantly switch between locations, and must be ready to work at a moment’s notice. Added to this are legal requirements and the high pressure to ensure that nothing goes wrong at an event. Mistakes in personnel planning are immediately noticeable – to guests, sponsors, and clients.
This is where digital tools can be a decisive help. They ensure that even large teams of temporary and seasonal workers are organized efficiently, communication runs smoothly, and legal requirements are met.
Challenges in event management
The employment of seasonal workers in the events sector is associated with typical obstacles:
High turnover
Many event staff are only booked on a short-term basis. Today they work at the cloakroom, tomorrow at catering, and the day after tomorrow perhaps for another event organizer. This turnover makes reliable planning and retention difficult.
Diverse locations
Unlike traditional businesses, events are very flexible in terms of location. Employees are needed at various stands, stages, entrances and exits, or VIP areas. Without clear assignments, chaos reigns.
Communication effort
Hardly any event goes exactly according to plan. A performance is postponed, an additional entrance is opened, or security requirements change at short notice. All this information must be communicated to staff immediately – otherwise there is a risk of delays or safety issues.
Legal requirements
Even if seasonal workers only work for a few hours, strict rules apply: working time laws, break regulations, youth protection and safety regulations must be observed. Anyone who makes mistakes here risks fines or even endangers the safety of guests.
Training and qualifications
Seasonal workers are often career changers. Many have little experience in the event sector and need to be trained very quickly so that they can perform their tasks reliably.
Example: Christmas markets and company parties
A typical scenario clearly illustrates the challenge: In December, an event agency manages several Christmas markets and simultaneously organizes company parties for large companies. Within a few days, hundreds of employees must be coordinated—for stands, catering, security services, and setup and dismantling.
Without digital support, the agency works with Excel lists, telephone chains, and paper contracts. If a schedule changes at short notice or someone is unable to attend, it often takes hours for the information to reach everyone. Employees show up at the wrong location, tasks remain unfinished, and team morale declines.
With digital tools, on the other hand, everything becomes much easier. Digital shift planning allows employees to be assigned according to location, qualifications, and task. Changes to the schedule can be sent to everyone at the touch of a button. Absences are automatically visible, and free shifts can be reassigned immediately.
Digital onboarding allows seasonal workers to access important information before the event: safety rules, checklists, schedules. They arrive prepared and require less on-site training.
Digital time tracking also ensures that all working hours are correctly documented. This simplifies billing and protects against legal problems.
The result: even when several events are taking place simultaneously, everything runs smoothly and in a coordinated manner, staff are kept informed, and clients and guests are unaware of the complexity behind the scenes.
Digital solutions at a glance
Digital HR and workforce management software offers event organizers a wide range of possibilities:
Digital shift planning
Employees can be assigned based on qualifications, locations, and availability. Schedules can be adjusted in minutes and are automatically communicated to everyone.
Mobile communication
Instead of hours of phone calls, changes, updates, or safety messages can be sent directly to all employees’ smartphones via push notifications.
Digital personnel files
Contracts, references, and certificates are stored digitally and can be accessed at any time—no matter how many seasonal workers are employed at the same time.
Onboarding modules
Checklists, videos, or e-learning content make it possible to train new employees before the event. This saves valuable time on the day of the assignment.
Digital time tracking
Whether via app or terminal, working hours are documented in a tamper-proof manner. Even short-term assignments or overtime can be transparently documented.
Best practices for the event sector
Using digital tools correctly can make working with seasonal staff noticeably easier:
- Plan ahead: Even though events are dynamic, work schedules should be available at least one week in advance. This creates security and trust.
- Standardized processes: Digital checklists for safety, catering, or technology allow new staff to be quickly integrated.
- Get feedback: Seasonal workers should be able to provide feedback after each event – this allows processes to be improved for the next event.
- Use digital pools: Seasonal workers who have proven themselves can be stored in a talent pool and quickly reactivated for future events.
Conclusion
Especially in December, when Christmas markets and company parties are in full swing, the event industry relies on seasonal workers. However, coordinating them is an enormous organizational challenge. Digital tools create the necessary transparency and efficiency. They facilitate planning, communication, onboarding, and billing—and ensure that events run smoothly.
