Two servers called off sick, and the one who showed up late couldn’t stop touching her face. The bartender looks hungover, and the valet is flirting with your assistant. Maybe you deal with event staffing issues so often that it’s just another Saturday afternoon in the life of a New York event planner.
If so, we want to save you from your staffing woes by sharing our list of the best staffing partners in NYC. But first, let’s go over some tips on scouting out the right staffing agency to make your NYC event top-tier.
How to Choose Event Staffing Partners
It’s no secret that in recent years, the service industry has suffered labor shortages. As recently as November, the National Restaurant Association reported that the service workforce has still not recovered from pre-pandemic levels. But the New York event must go on, and here we have some ways you can vet event staffing partners so that you can avoid the drama.
Research Reviews
We know. You don’t eat takeout, much less rely on a staffing agency, without checking out Google Reviews. Still, take a few extra steps and read through the reviews posted. There may be a red flag hiding in that 4.5 rating of hundreds of reviews. Maybe clients were singing their praises last year, but there may be some subpar feedback over the last few months that might indicate a downward spiral.
While you’re at it, do a Google search for the staffing agency’s name and see what comes up. You’ll also discover if they’ve been featured in the news or other outlets. Check out the company’s reviews on Facebook and Yelp.
Check Glassdoor
We hear so often that it’s hard to find good help that it’s become cliché. And maybe when you’re stuck short-handed with wait staff at an important gala, you chalk it up to a dearth of good old-fashioned work ethic. Maybe, sometimes, the problem is the employer.
Regardless, a high rating on Glassdoor indicates the event staffing agency can do more than teach a college student how to make a killer Martini. When any company has a high rating from their employees, it means they’re good at retaining (and keeping) talent.
Work Your Network and Word of Mouth
There are a lot of tricks businesses can use to up their online review rating, and there’s a whole industry out there developing tools for online reputation management. That’s not to say that reviews on Google and other sites aren’t valuable and based on truth. It’s just that tapping into your real-world network is still a powerful business strategy, especially when it comes to scouting for a solid event staffing agency.
Ask around, and you may just find a hidden gem that foregoes online reputation gimmicks and instead focuses on delivering exceptional service that speaks for itself.
Choose Only Fully Insured Agencies
Just because your cousin’s roommate made the best Manhattan you’ve ever imbibed doesn’t mean you should hire her to sling drinks at the smallish 60th birthday party you’re planning. You’re making yourself liable if she slips on a lemon wedge and twists her ankle. That liability extends to your client if the event is taking place in their home. For that reason (and so many more), only work with fully insured event staffing agencies.
New York’s Event Staffing Services
Finding the best vendors for your New York event planning business is a part-time job itself. That’s why we’ve done the legwork for you. So, without further ado, let’s highlight some of New York’s best event staffing Services.
1. Julia Valler Event Staffing
Julia Valler has been on the New York event staffing scene since 2013. Since then, she has opened locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, and Houston. As of this writing, Julia Valler Event Staffing is highly rated by both clients and employees.
You can book a complete event crew with Julia Valler Event Staffing. You won’t need to deal with multiple contracts and W-9s. Julia Valler has fully trained and vetted wait staff, bartenders, and hospitality staff. And if the other guys leave you high and dry, you can call Julia Valler after hours for emergency fill-ins.
2. NYE Staffing
Service fit for the Big Apple is in the name of NYE Event Staffing Agency. With more than a decade of experience staffing more than 4,000 events, NYE Staffing has the background and professionalism every New York event planner needs. You can partner with NYE staffing for small or large events. They have trained bartenders, wait staff, brand ambassadors, and more. Additionally, NYE Staffing provides continuing training to their staff so that they level up their skills and provide outstanding service.
3. Fiesta Waiters
Fiesta Waiters is a highly rated event staffing partner that offers a little more than other New York event staffing agencies. In addition to waiters, bartenders, and hosts, Fiesta Waiters can also send a BBQ Grill person to your outdoor party. Fiesta Waiters can handle small, intimate gatherings or large events of 400 people or more.
In addition to being professional and providing excellent service, the staff at Fiesta Waiters is also multilingual. So, if the guests at your event are from one of the many culturally diverse communities in New York, you can make them feel right at home with event staff from Fiesta Waiters.
4. PPL Events, Inc
When you’re looking for an event staffing partner that will serve as an extension of your client’s brand, check out PPL Events, Inc. With an emphasis on experiential branding, PPL Events goes the extra mile to adopt the culture and vibe associated with your client’s event. Every position, from bartender to server to busser, becomes a brand ambassador to create a cohesive and memorable experience.
5. Worthwhile Event Services
Getting their start during the pandemic storm, Worthwhile Event Services knows a thing or two about meeting challenges. Owner Kyle Downing used his positivity, people skills, and Midwest work ethic to carve out a space in NYC events when the entire industry was in turmoil. Today, he creates a people-centered work culture that affirms self-discipline and a positive attitude.
Using his background in acting, Downing transforms his team into a cohesive ensemble. His food service staff are trained in allergy procedures, etiquette, and fine dining formalities. And if you’re looking for a true mixologist, bartenders from Worthwhile Event Services can dream up specialty cocktails to make your event stand out.
Partner with New York’s Best Staffing Agencies
If partnering with an event staffing agency feels a little like being swept into a reality show, then it’s time to rethink your strategy. Try digging deep into reviews, including employee reviews, to get the real scoop on an agency’s reputation. Or save yourself the legwork and go with our list of the best staffing partners in NYC.
Don’t forget about your real-world network. A review between friends is often the most honest. Speaking of networks, grow your community by attending and exhibiting at The Event Planner Expo 2024, where you can connect with over 2,000 event professionals. Find new strategic event services partners from among the industry’s best!
