You've seen the benefits of PPM to yourself, your business and your clients. But how about your staff?
Experience has consistently shown two things:
- You should expect at least one staff member who initially resists the change.
- All your staff (including the skeptical one), will thank you in the end - very soon, in fact.
In this article, we'll outline for you:
- Why your staff will love PPM
- Our recommended approach for managing the change (and how to win over those who may need a little extra encouragement).
Why your staff will love PPM
Benefits to your staff include:
- All the information they need for all their gigs in one place.
- Being shown only the events that they are involved in.
(Avoiding the distractions - and potential jealousy - that traditional shared calendars often bring) - Back-and-forth communication is minimised.
- Ability to synchronise their work schedule with their own Google Calendar
- Standardised, predictable process for booking gigs.
- Confidence that you are a professional organisation, willing to invest in making life easier for their staff.
But don't just take our word for it.
The above statements are directly based on what others like you - who have already transitioned their team to Party Pro Manager - consistently tell us:
My staff puts in their availability monthly [in PPM] and then I assign them their parties! They absolutely LOVE it and love the staff portal that helps them stay organized.
- Michaela, A Dream is a Wish Parties
My staff are really liking the fact that they can instantly see all their jobs [in PPM].
- Jayne, Absolutely Amazing Parties
My favorite feature still to date is the staff portal and easy communication with my performers.
- Ashley, Crystal Castle Entertainment
Onboarding your staff: How to manage the change
Humans have a natural tendency to resist change, and stick with the status quo. If you have staff members showing reluctance to switch from your current way of doing things, know that you're not alone. Most, if not all, of our existing users with teams faced the same challenge, and like them, you'll have all of your staff on side in no time.
Here are our top tips for effectively managing this change:
- Familiarise yourself with the staff portal (and the emails staff receive), so that you understand the benefits, and are ready for any queries staff may raise.
(First-hand experience works best, so we recommend registering yourself for the staff portal and adding yourself to a test event or two, even if you don't personally attend your events) - Keep reminding yourself that your staff will thank you in the end (as evidenced above).
- Give your team fair warning of the upcoming change and what will be expected of them.
- Start out by presenting the case to your staff, as to why you're making the change, and why it's in their best interest - and invite any questions.
(We've put together this article that explains the benefits to your staff - Feel free to direct them to this link, or adapt the content as you see fit.) - Once your 'more enthusiastic staff' are onboard and happy, request their consent to share their positive feedback with those who may be more resistant.
- As a backup if and where needed, it ultimately comes down to a case of "This is the new way we will be doing things, so you'll need to get on board to be able to be offered and accept gigs from us."
- Know that any resistance will be temporary, and ultimately they will only respect you more for taking charge despite their initial resistance.
Remember, we've consistently heard from users that their staff are happier after transitioning to PPM compared to before, and any staff who initially resisted, are no exception.
By trusting in the above process and the benefits to your staff in the long run, not only will they thank you in the end, it can even serve to reduce staff turnover.