The organization of teams in events is essential to ensure a good division and execution of tasks.
However, getting people to work as a team is a real challenge.
Knowing this problem, we put together this post with the golden rule for organizing teams in scientific events: divide and conquer!
You need to have as much control as possible over the people who will be working on your event. And to achieve this control, you need to divide people into smaller teams with specific roles and responsibilities.
Thus, with the parties working in tune, the event flows in the best possible way.
We have brought in the essential teams and addressed their key responsibilities so that the work organization works at its best.
Coordination and organization
The function of this team is one of the main ones, and, therefore, it is essential that you integrate this team.
The task of this team is to plan the entire event. Its workshops, submissions and exhibitions of works, lectures and any activity it offers.
In addition, it is necessary to coordinate and monitor the work of other teams. The main goal of this team is to make the event go according to plan.
Technical-scientific and cultural committee
It is the task of this group to define the content of the materials that will be distributed, such as booklets, handouts, compendiums, etc. This team works directly with the tasks that the coordination and organization team has planned.
It’s its responsibility to develop the full and detailed schedule of the event.
It must also contact the speakers, coordinate the presentations of works and other activities.
Check-in and attendee’s support team
The main responsibility of this team is to be the gateway of the attendees into the event. Therefore, it also acts as a support point for registrations.
It is necessary for this team to carry out checking in, monitoring the attendance of attendees and distributing the necessary materials.
Support team for speakers
This team’s work begins when the speakers agree to participate in the event.
It is the function of this group to solve the transfer and accommodation of these speakers, monitoring their arrival and departure at the event.
It is also necessary to pass on information about the event and its schedule to the speakers.
It is essential that this team gives full support to them while they are ministering their activities, i.e. check microphone, projector, lights, provide water, etc.
Ceremonial team
This team has the important task of conducting the entire event. It is them who draw up the ceremonial script and makes the voice over the microphone.
It is also their duty to welcome important authorities and professionals directly.
The two main moments for this team are the opening ceremony and the closing ceremony.
It is important that these moments are prepared very carefully, since one is the first contact of the attendee with the event, and the other, the last.
Communication and promotion team
Promoting an event is very important and needs to be done with great caution.
Unlike large companies, congresses do not get attendees through mass advertising.
That’s why this team is so important.
It is their responsibility to develop all the planning of the media that will be used and produce all the promotion pieces.
This includes layouts for digital channels such as email marketing, social networks etc and for printed channels such as magazines, newspapers, etc.
This team also needs to be in touch constantly with the press so that the congress has the necessary visibility.
At the end of the event, it is necessary to carry out the clipping of electronic and printed media to have a record of what the press released about it.
Information technology team
This team is responsible for all technological assistance that the event demands. This includes monitoring the installation of electronic equipment such as screens, network cables, routers, computers, etc.
In addition, it is the role of the information technology team to develop software and other technologies.
Production team
This team has the duty to fulfill what has been planned in the best way. This includes decoration, lighting, transportation, food, etc.
It needs to collect invoices from suppliers and pass them on to accounting staff for payments to be made.
Commercial and accounting team
It is the team that takes care of all the finances that involve the event.
It must have control of costs, make quotes and manage contracts with suppliers.
Monitoring cash flow, paying for registrations and managing sponsorships and donations are other responsibilities of this group.
General Services and maintenance team
This team has a very broad duty. It is their job to install the electrical wiring as well as telephone and lighting.
It needs to check if the space is properly sanitized and maintain that hygiene.
The cleaning and maintenance of Halls, support rooms, auditoriums and toilets during the event is an important task of this group.
Security team
This team has the responsibility to provide security for all attendees in the event.
They monitor the entry and exit of people, preventing possible threats from risking the well-being of the public.
In addition, they make rounds inside the event to identify any possible out of line movement.
Parking crew
This team should coordinate the flow of vehicles of the event.
They control the arrival, departure and payment of parking. It is also the duty of this group to indicate to authorities and other professionals where their reserved places are.
Knowing how to divide your team is essential
It must be borne in mind that the whole event functions as one large living organism.
For it to happen in the best way, it is necessary that each team knows exactly what its function is and what its role is within the flow of the event.
Assuming that employees already know the work routine is not a good idea.
Even if you already have experience, you need to make it clear to everyone how the work will be, what it is about and what its purpose is.
We are not talking about job descriptions, which are descriptions in the format of lengthy and tedious manuals.
We are talking about explaining directly to the employee what their duties are, making sure that they understand and making it clear how important they are to the holding of the event.
Remember: haste is from the devil.
A very common problem is the lack of time of the organizers. Often, due to the rush, they end up not making this information clear to the members of the teams.
Quick explanations end up resulting in poorly executed activities.
Despite the fact that it seems like a laborious process, this step saves a lot of work later.
Take special care when planning the organization of teams at events. Inspiring and guiding the people who will work on your event is important and makes a big difference in the end result.