Human Resources - Domain E - 6 Questions

Question 1

Human Resources

Answer 1

Event Professional must know:

1. Recruitment of Staff and Volunteers
2. Training of Staff and Volunteers
3. Management of Workforce Relations

Question 2

Acquire Staff and Volunteers

Answer 2

• Event Professionals must know job descriptions, roles needed to be fulfilled, any HR policies and procedures, as well as the CRITICAL PATH (PM Domain), in order to identify when, how many, and which type of staff and volunteers will be needed

Question 3

Develop Selection Criteria

Answer 3

• begins with the development of a workforce action plan, to include: staffing needs, recruitment strategies, staff training and retraining
• ALWAYS keep in mind - local laws, organization laws, labor laws, organization’s terms and conditions, corporate culture etc.
• develop job descriptions, taking all policies and procedures of the organization, and will then be used as the basis of post-event evaluation tools
• any gaps in service areas, use new staff, volunteers, outsourced persons/companies
• need suppliers? = RFPs to at least 3!

Question 4

Recruit Staff and Volunteers

Answer 4

• Job Postings
• Employment Agencies - fee-based
• Background Checks
• Population demographics, and diverse workforce - to ensure various interests and needs of stakeholders are upheld!
• Selecting volunteers follows the same processes as the selecting employees - additional task of ensuring that their roles do not conflict with local, regional, national laws

*KEEP IN MIND - volunteers are there for different reasons - find out why!?

Question 5

Select Candidates and Offer Positions

Answer 5

Job description serves as the basis for developing evaluation criteria
- example: do the candidate’s abilities meet the requirements of the job?
- ranking or grid system to help with selections - fair and impartial

Question 6

Sample Selection Process Time Line

Answer 6

• 8 weeks before = post job
• 6 weeks before = applications reviewed and candidates are interviewed - regret letters are sent to those NOT selected for an INTERVIEW
• 5 weeks before = first-round interviews are conducted, reference and background checks conducted

4 weeks before = offers are made and accepted, regret letters sent to those who didn’t get the position

Question 7

Train Staff and Volunteers

Answer 7

Orientation = pointing out of one’s location relative to the surroundings - coworkers, event attendees, suppliers, clients, customers, etc. - IMPORTANT to understand how the team and event will work, and how to interact

• include answers to FAQs, and give all details needed to orient new employees
• should be a two-way process - should collect important information about your new team member

Training = focus on acquiring skills and improving job performance

Volunteers: when recruiting, have a pool of standby volunteers, in case someone doesn’t show or cancels last minute

Question 8

Manage Workforce Relations

Answer 8

• Supervise on a day-to-day basis!
• Set a good example
• acknowledge appropriate behavior and correct inappropriate behavior
• institute regular feedback - with coaching sessions and formal evaluations
• performance reviews, annual reviews

Question 9

Workplace Conflicts

Answer 9

• conflict resolutions skill and systems can assist in disagreements
• BEST to resolve ongoing conflict BEFORE on-site for event
• Model respectful communication
• acknowledge problem, and validity of feelings
• make sure all sides have an opportunity to speak
• suggest possible solutions - it is a give and take sometimes!
• follow up and resolve!
• make sure you have a way to determine when problem needs to be referred to a higher manager

Question 10

Manage Teams

Answer 10

Effective teams need a clear mandate so that all members are focused on the same outcome!

• Diversity in teams is important! - promotes success!
• role of leader is to align staff and volunteers behind the vision of the meeting!