How to stage large-scale events in COVID-19 era
As large-scale events return across Australia, Humanforce, a provider of intelligent workforce management solutions, provides venues with advanced, locally developed tools that help them prepare for and manage large crowds during COVID-19 with flexible workforces.
Events such as the Australian Open, Australia vs India Test Cricket, and a long list of music events, are now being staged with rising crowd capacities. With this comes the need for organisers to bring back large pools of casual workforces to manage these events safely and practically.
"We're all excited to see so many sporting, entertainment, community and cultural events returning across Australia," says Humansforce CEO Clayton Pyne.
"However, COVID-19 will continue to impact event workers, with ongoing challenges around last-minute changes in restrictions, as well as the need to be able to quickly contact trace and communicate guidance around mask protocol, social distancing and hygiene rules.
"As we've seen at the India-Australia Test played at the Sydney Cricket Ground event, organisers need to be ready to react quickly should government restrictions change at the last minute and crowd capacities be reduced, which also means less staff are needed.
"In the case of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, where a positive case arose, organisers needed to be able to contact trace staff in a particular area of the MCG.
Humanforce has updated its solution to streamline workforce management for event organisers, allowing them to manage casual workers for each event. This helps managers zone in on each specific event's workforce needs, so they can have instant access to the details of staff who worked in a particular area of a venue, or easily communicate with staff any new information.
Humanforce supports both event organisers and their employees with a solution featuring the following tools:
App-based time records: Workers can clock-on through an app that features geofencing and facial recognition, ensuring that staff are in the right location for their shift and recording hours worked accurately. Additionally, app-based clock-on for on-site workers will provide lower contact contamination risk than sign-on sheets or touchpads.
Worker wellbeing checks: A 'rate my shift' feature enables managers to monitor staff wellbeing and how they feel about their work, including hygiene protocols, in a non-invasive way.
Employee engagement: App-based workplace messaging enables employers to host virtual return-to-work catchups. And the informal two-way communication can help workers re-engage with the team, so they are motivated for their upcoming event.
"As more and more casual staff return to work, it is really important that employers are providing a COVID-19 safe environment and that they are able to communicate current information with each and every staff member," added Pyne.
"This helps to engage and create a positive casual worker experience, where staff are confident about the workplace they are rostered to work in, and they are kept informed and notified of any changes or requirements as quickly as possible.
