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Our ‘Industry in Focus’ series reviews the current and future people-related challenges facing key industries and uncovers the role that technology will play in resolving those challenges. This time we focus on the events and stadia industry. Despite coming back strongly from the pandemic, serious talent issues persist.
Post-pandemic people challenges
From guest services to ticketing and sales, through to security, catering and cleaning, the list of job roles that contribute to putting on a sporting, entertainment or business-related event is daunting. Those issues are only magnified when talent is hard to come by. Two key issues are at play:
• A significant skills shortage
It’s not so much about a skills shortage as it is a shortage of people, full-stop. During the pandemic, thousands of international workers left New Zealand and others left the industry to seek work elsewhere. Many have been slow to return, having been attracted to better pay in industries that require working Monday to Friday with weekends off – conditions that typically don’t apply to events and stadia workers.
• High employee turnover
As a significant employer of students and casual workers the events and stadia industry has always struggled to retain talent. Salary and career advancement are often the two most-cited reasons for people looking to change jobs, and the industry is responding by reviewing their total rewards packages, including financial and non-financial rewards, and providing more professional development and career paths so that workers can see long-term career prospects within the sector.
Opportunities
To thrive in volatile times, employers need to understand the motivators of employees, as it’s not all about money. The overall employee experience is critical, especially for the many younger workers that this industry attracts. Leading employers will be prioritising learning opportunities, widening their benefits suite and improving the tools and technology used at work.
The role workforce management and HR technology
Technology will not magically resolve the tough talent challenges faced by events and stadia employers. However, workforce management and HR technology can ease those challenges. Whether its optimising rosters and offering greater autonomy and flexibility for workers, providing more accurate clock-in/clock-out data, or bolstering communication with frontline workers in large venues via mobile apps, our concise Industry in Focus guide highlights six technology solutions that can improve both the employee experience and overall business performance.
Keen to know more? Complete the form to download Humanforce’s ‘Industry in Focus: Events and Stadia in New Zealand’.