EFS Staffing Solutions

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the Lead Manager of Staffing for Site Operations for Expo 2020 Dubai. We deployed and managed management and manpower personnel across the whole of the Expo site to design and direct all Expo operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire EFS Staffing Solutions?

Originally scoped to provide Event Services Hosts across 2 Zones at Expo 2020, EFS quickly rose the challenge when requested to uplift their original numbers and provide us with Event Services Hosts across all 6 Zones, the entirety of the Expo site.

SOLUTION

How did you select this firm and what were the deciding factors?

While I was not the selector in the Manpower Contractor process, I am extremely pleased that EFS were selected as one of our main providers as they were always accommodating to our ever-changing needs and requests.

Describe the project in detail and walk through their service package.

EFS was originally scoped to provide 178 Event Services Hosts along with a Project Manager and Deputy Project Manager to assist with the Event Services operations of 2 Zones on site, Mobility + Jubilee. These Zones are very challenging, as Mobility proved to be the Zone with the most popular thematic and country pavilions, along with an entry gate, and Jubilee was the Zone that held the venue with high level talent shows nightly throughout the duration of Expo.

With a huge increase in visitation during the 2nd half of Expo, EFS was asked to provide an additional uplift to 295 total Hosts to support operations across all 6 Zones of Expo, including all associated synergies, such as recruitment, training, uniforms, accreditation, and transportation. EFS quickly accepted this substantial challenge and turned the additional numbers around very quickly. We were thrilled with the ability of EFS and EFS Hosts to exceed our expectations in terms of providing high-quality, qualified staff.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked very closely with Mohammad, our Project Manager, who was based in our Head Office from the outset of the Contract, and Ayaz, our Deputy Project Manager who joined us on site. David supported the 2 Managers in the daily check in of their Hosts onsite. Sonali, Joel, and Hitesh supported us from a Finance + HR perspective, ensuring that all contractual obligations were attended and adhered to.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the engagement that demonstrate progress or success?

Not only were EFS Hosts engaged and effective onsite, they were recruited, trained, deployed and managed effectively by Ziyad and Ayaz. It left us feeling very confident that we had their support in any changes that were requested - and there were many - even with very short notice periods. We never had to worry whether EFS would deliver on a daily basis.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

As EFS always had representation onsite, both before and during operations, any issues or requests were handled and executed swiftly.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

The care shown towards their hosts and relationships that EFS Staffing Solutions held with their teams was apparent. They genuinely cared about the day-to-day roles and expectations of their Hosts and were constantly working towards providing the best experience possible for their teams, while also delivering to ours.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Near the end of the project, there were quite a few resignations and no-shows as Hosts found other roles due to Expo ending, which was evidenced across all service providers not just EFS. Some sort of completion incentive could be beneficial if rolled out at the beginning of the project. EFS did enact something like this in the last week of operations, and I'm sure will look to utilize in future event operations.