Hire Part-Time Event Workers in Singapore: Gig vs Regular Staff

You've got a big event coming up and need to hire part-time event workers to help out, but you're wondering whether to go with regular part-time staff or gig workers. It's a tough call. There are pros and cons to weigh when considering these two options.

For starters, gig workers allow you to scale up or down as needed. Regular part-timers are also more inclined to be available for the whole event period instead of a flexible daily schedule. When choosing between the two for your next event, let's explore the key factors like cost, quality, and convenience.

Introduction to Hiring Part-Time Event Workers in Singapore

The Gig Economy Shift

Gone are the days when event companies could solely rely on a pool of regular part-timers for staffing needs. With the rise of the gig economy, more workers are embracing flexible "gig" roles that fit their lifestyles. According to a report by Payoneer, 59% of gig workers in Singapore choose this path due to the schedule flexibility it offers.

While companies used to just post job ads and interview candidates, now they must position themselves as an attractive option among numerous gig platforms. You're not just hiring an event helper or usher, but selling the role's perks to a discerning talent pool.

Balancing Act: Regulars vs. Gig Workers

Of course, having a stable team of regular part-timers still has its merits. They know your processes, branding, and can be trained over time. However, their fixed schedules may not always align with event needs.

Gig workers provide on-demand staffing flexibility, but higher turnover means constantly onboarding new faces. You lose that consistency in service quality. However, according to data on our platform, gig workers are 80% more likely to apply for a gig they've done before due to familiarity and comfort. Usually, companies are able to build a stable group of gig workers who are as consistent, capable, and knowledgeable as regular part-time workers.

The ideal approach? Maintain a group of trusted part-time regulars while tapping into gig platforms for surges in manpower. After some time, you can slowly build up a consistent force of gig workers who are as capable as your regular part-time workers. This allows you to:

• Scale your venue assistant or usher teams up/down as needed

• Offer work-life balance to regulars during peak periods

• Trial potential hires before converting great gig workers

Leveling the Playing Field

When blending your workforce, ensure fair consideration for all roles, regardless of gig or regular status. Consistent policies, equal access to training and transparent performance reviews are key.

You may even consider tapping government grants like PTRG to redesign roles and retain experienced seniors as part-time event staff. Their wisdom complements the enthusiasm of gig workers and youth hires.

In today's landscape, crafting an agile workforce strategy that gives you access to the right people, skills and mindsets for any event scenario. Blend the best of both staffing worlds - gig and regular - for a winning team.

Common Part-Time Event Roles Needed in Singapore

Frontline Crew Roles

When you think of part-time event jobs, the first thing that probably comes to mind is being part of the frontline crew. These roles are crucial for ensuring the smooth running of any event. According to Indgrey, some common frontline crew positions include event helpers, venue assistants, and ushers.

As an event helper, your duties could range from setting up the event site to assisting with logistics on the day itself. You might find yourself arranging fixtures like tables and stocking supplies. The pay? Up to $18/hour for this handy role!

Venue assistants are the friendly faces greeting attendees and ensuring they have a great experience. You'll be responsible for tasks like crowd control, scanning tickets, and providing directions. It's a customer-facing role that pays around $10-$12/hour, according to JobsDB.

Promotional Roles

If you're a people person, promotional roles at events could be right up your alley. As an event promoter, you'll be tasked with promoting various brands and engaging with potential customers. The pay? Around $16/hour for this part-time gig.

Another option is working as a brand ambassador. Homage notes that ambassadors often handle product promotion, sales, and customer service at stores or pop-up events. Depending on the type of role, salaries can range from $9 to a lucrative $30/hour.

Hospitality & Retail Roles

Events and hospitality go hand-in-hand. That's why roles like banquet waiters and F&B service crew are always in demand. As a banquet waiter, you could earn between $10-$15/hour serving food, clearing tables, and attending to guests' needs.

If you prefer a retail setting, temporary retail assistant roles are another option. These jobs involve attending to customer queries, housekeeping, and stock replenishment, with an average pay of $9-$12/hour.

No matter which part-time event role catches your eye, one thing's for sure – there are plenty of opportunities to earn some extra cash while gaining valuable experience!

Challenges of Hiring Regular Part-Time Event Staff

Unreliable and Inconsistent Staffing

One of the biggest hurdles faced when hiring regular part-time event staff is inconsistency in availability. According to a study by McKinsey, many workers prefer flexibility over traditional roles - opting for freelance gigs or starting their own businesses. This "do-it-yourselfer" persona can make it tough to find reliable part-timers committed long-term.

Similarly, the "idealists" (students/youth) and "caregivers" prioritize work-life balance over pay. Relying solely on them means frequently needing to hire and re-train new staff as their circumstances change. That's a drain on time and resources!

Inefficiencies in Payroll & Leave Management

Complying with labour regulations for part-timers in Singapore is no easy feat. You need to calculate hourly rates, overtime, pro-rated leave entitlements and more manually. One mistake and you risk penalties!

An automated HR system could ease this burden. But setting that up for an ever-changing part-time workforce is often more hassle than it's worth for event companies.

High Turnover & Retraining Costs

Retaining good part-time event staff like ushers and venue assistants is an uphill battle. As job-hopping declines in Singapore, employees are likelier to stick with their current roles.

But convincing quality part-timers to stay is tough without offering career growth prospects. A bad hire means lost productivity, low morale, and replacing costs - wasting time and money you can ill afford.

Benefits of Hiring Gig Workers for Part-Time Event Roles

Flexibility for Both Sides

One of the biggest advantages of hiring gig workers for part-time event roles is the flexibility it offers to both employers and workers. As an event planner or company, you can quickly bring on additional staff for ushers, venue assistants or event helpers without any long-term commitments. According to Hospitality Career, this allows you to staff up properly for each event based on exact requirements, reducing costs from over-hiring.

Gig workers get to choose which events or shifts fit their schedule and interests. FastGig notes this level of independence in managing their own availability is a major perk, especially for students, parents or those with other time commitments.

Cost Savings

Hiring temporary gig workers can also lead to significant cost savings compared to bringing on regular part-timers. As highlighted by StaffAny, you don't have to provide benefits like CPF contributions, medical leave or insurance that are mandatory for longer-term staff. The pay is just for the hours worked during events.

Diverse Talent Pool

Using gig platforms gives you access to a large, diverse pool of potential workers to fill part-time event roles. This ensures you can find individuals with the right skills, experience or background for each event. FastGig explains how gig workers also get to explore new opportunities and gain experience across different events over time.

Optimized Staffing

With a flexible workforce of gig workers, you can optimize staffing levels based on the fluctuating demands of the events industry. Easily scale up with more workers for major gigs and scale back down afterwards without dealing with excess overhead. Eco-Business notes this reduces operational costs while still ensuring sufficient staffing.

Supplemental Income

For many gig workers, taking on part-time event roles is a way to supplement their regular income streams. Century Evergreen discusses how the gig economy has expanded options beyond traditional part-time jobs, allowing individuals to be their own boss and pick up diverse project-based work like event gigs that fit their schedules.

Tips for Hiring Reliable Part-Time Event Gig Workers

Screen Thoroughly

Carefully screening candidates is crucial when hiring part-time event gig workers. Conduct thorough interviews to assess their commitment, reliability, and attitude. Look for those open to longer-term opportunities for better retention. Ask about their experience handling similar events or tasks, and check references to validate their past work.

Set Clear Expectations

Clearly define the job scope, roles, responsibilities, and payment terms upfront. Provide a detailed job description to set expectations from the start. This helps manage what's expected of gig workers and prevents misunderstandings or scope creep later on, which could lead to them demanding extra pay.

Ensure Availability

Consider candidates' availability and ensure their other commitments don't clash with your event schedules. Gig jobs offer flexibility, making gig workers suitable for event roles with irregular timings. Reliability depends on their ability to work as and when required.

Train & Communicate

Provide training and orientation to familiarize new gig hires with your processes and expectations. Effective communication is important for part-time workers less familiar with your company. Establish channels to share relevant updates and ensure smooth coordination during events.

Leverage Gig Platforms

Tap into the gig economy by using platforms like FastGig to access a large pool of part-time event workers. You can find reliable returning gig workers who have proven themselves at past events. Their soft skills from diverse gig experiences can help them excel in customer-facing event roles too.

FAQ on Hiring Part-Time Event Workers in Singapore

Flexible Staffing Options

Hiring part-time staff provides a flexible and cost-effective solution for event businesses in Singapore. Unlike full-time employees, part-timers can be engaged for specific events or peak periods as needed. This allows you to scale your workforce up or down easily based on demand.

Some common part-time roles for events include event helpers, venue assistants, and ushers. These short-term gig workers can supplement your core team during busy periods without the commitment of permanent hires.

Hiring Process Simplified

Bringing on part-time event staff is generally a simpler process compared to hiring full-time employees. Many companies like Nestlé accept applications and resumes on a rolling basis for upcoming events.

The key requirements are usually basic customer service skills, grooming standards, and availability for the scheduled shift timings. Prior events experience is preferred but often not mandatory for entry-level roles paying $10-15 per hour.

Employment Terms Explained

Based on Singapore's labour laws, part-time workers are those contracted for less than 35 hours per week. Their employment terms like overtime pay, leave entitlements and public holiday benefits are pro-rated accordingly.

For example, if an event helper works more than their usual 4-hour shift, they are entitled to overtime pay at 1.5 times their hourly rate. Part-timers also earn pro-rated annual leave based on the number of hours worked.

Cost Advantages Highlighted

Hiring gig workers for events allows you to avoid the overhead costs associated with full-time staff. Part-timers are usually not eligible for benefits like medical insurance that permanent employees receive.

Companies like Abbott may provide part-time event staff with limited benefits like public holiday pay if they work on those days. However, this varies across organisations and is not legally mandated in Singapore.

Overall, the key advantage is being able to access a flexible talent pool for short-term requirements cost-effectively. This model aligns well with the cyclical, project-based nature of events businesses.

Conclusion

So what's the verdict - should you hire gig workers or regular part-timers for your events? There's no one-size-fits-all answer. As an events business owner in Singapore, you've gotta weigh the pros and cons carefully based on your specific needs. But one thing's for sure - having a mixed workforce with both regular and gig event helpers, venue assistants, and ushers can give you the best of both worlds.

You get the flexibility and cost savings of gig workers while still maintaining some regulars who know your events inside out. At the end of the day, it comes down to finding the right balance to keep your events staffed with hardworking, reliable people within your budget.

Test out both hiring approaches, track the results closely, and tweak as needed. With some thoughtful planning, you can build an events team to be proud of. Alright, that wraps it up! Hope this gives you some useful food for thought. Now go out there and start planning your next successful event.