Louisa Daley chats with event agencies to understand how they’re attracting and retaining talent in 2023.
The recruitment landscape has undoubtedly changed over the past three years. Following the pandemic, we have seen a flurry of eventprofs leave the industry.
Despite this, we are bouncing back. We are not only seeing some eventprofs return, but we are also seeing new talent coming through the pipeline. However, the cost-of-living crisis, combined with new employee expectations, is causing uncertainty and therefore a much slower uptake.
To understand what potential employees are looking for in 2023, and how a company’s reputation and branding plays a key role when it comes to attracting and retaining talent, I spoke to Edward Low, head of growth, OrangeDoor; Harriet Bullen, senior talent manager, TRO; Charli Briggs, founder and director, Eventure; and Robert Kenward, fitability© recruiter, You Search & Select and co-founder at You Exclusive.
Cast a wide net
Although the recruitment landscape has changed – there isn’t a talent shortage according to Kenward. “Imagine you have a pool of talent that you have always fished in, that pool has drained a little, so companies simply need to look wider and fish in other pools.
“We have a huge talent pool; we have tens of thousands of people in their fifties who are regarded as ‘past it’ by some employers and we have a huge number of young people entering the industry who can’t find work because companies are demanding three to five years’ experience for a junior role.”
He says this is a big opportunity for an employer to bring DEI into recruitment and “be more varied and inclusive” in their approach. Employers need to “redefine” their branding, as well as how and where they recruit.
After all, “a workforce which encompasses different sexes, genders, ages and ethnicities will be able to better understand a more diverse range of audiences, and create a more diverse range of solutions,” adds Kenward.
Bullen and Low echo this and speak from experience: “Having a diverse workforce helps us find well rounded solutions for our clients. It’s also important internally as well. Everyone’s the right fit, as long as they’ve got the right attitude. TRO is all about creating experiences for all, by all,” says Bullen.
“We want people who are coming at problems from a range of different backgrounds. There are two things that we need: diversity of thought, but also friction. Friction is important because it is the hotbed of creative conflict. If everybody’s got the same ideas, there’s no friction, and there is no broad creativity,” says Low.
Walk the walk
All of the agencies took this said opportunity and began to work internally. At the time of the Great Resignation, Low tells me it was the perfect time to review “who and what” OrangeDoor was. “We wanted to address, people and planet as much as profit – the best framework for this was B Corp,” he says.
This journey started by doing a complete overhaul of the agency’s brand, its values, mission, vision and purpose. “Thankfully our values of professionalism, integrity and creativity didn’t change, but we did add truth, because we wanted people to be true to themselves.
“We put our money where our mouth is, and we connected our values to action. We had designed the company around what we wanted it to be, and as it turns out, other people wanted to be part of that as well,” adds Low.
Over at TRO, the team reviewed where job opportunities were published and promoted. “Traditionally, we used to rely quite heavily on LinkedIn and Indeed. But now, we’re moving away from this,” she reveals. “We use Be Applied, a platform where you don’t have to submit your CV, it’s all based on skills. We don’t know anything about the individual, it’s all blind,” adds Bullen. The agency also works with Handshake, an app for university leavers who are looking for career options – to help the next generation of eventprofs break into events.
When considering candidates, “they don’t necessarily have to come from an agency background,” says Bullen. Briggs agrees and says it sometimes comes down to “personal things”, like what they enjoy doing in their free time.
“Sometimes a project may need someone’s passion, rather than experience. I think people are often quick to say experience is the ‘be all and end all’. Experience does have a place, but I think if someone is driven and determined – we need to give them an opportunity,” adds Briggs.
All of the agencies also looked at what initiatives and strategies they could implement to not only appear more attractive to potential employees, but also retain their current workforce.
From recognition and rewards like OrangeDoor’s ‘Outstanding Contribution’ and ‘Massive Thank Yous’, to learning and development opportunities like TRO’s School of Experience as well as focusing on well-being like Eventure’s four-day working week. “At Eventure, we’re also developing events for our freelancers. We want to give them a sense of belonging, even though they’re not a permanent employee, they’re just as valued,” says Briggs.
“All of these aspects are as important as salary now,” concludes Bullen. “People don’t buy brands, they buy into brands,”
Low reminds us. “When people come to interviews at OrangeDoor, they always refer to the phrase that is on our website. ‘I’d rather be a pirate than join the Navy’. That’s an attitude. I put that up because it reflects our brand, and people are buying into attitude.
“An employer’s reputation and branding is the only thing that retains and attracts talent, and it’s important to remember that going forwards.”
