(This post originally appeared in 2016, but is just as relevant today)
This is a difficult time of year for attractions.
Summer staff starts leaving in early August, just when the largest number of visitors try to get their vacations in before school starts back up. Shorthanded seems to be a common phrase – the remaining staff are working extra shifts and everyone is getting close to being burned out. I have heard of several strategies to cope with departing staff. One attraction gives a bonus if the frontline staff stays until a certain date. Some businesses won’t hire anyone who can’t commit until Labor Day.
Another way to combat staff shortages
At the Corning Museum of Glass, all the full-time year-round staff get to work two shifts at frontline positions throughout the museum this time of year. We can work in the Glass Shops, in our Studio and at other various stations in the museum.
This week I worked at the Welcome Center, which is the first stop for guests who use our large parking area. I answer the same question 100 times – “where is the museum from here“. Luckily we have a big, bold red stripe painted on the ground that begins at the Welcome Center and ends at the museum lobby, about a 2 minute walk away. I point to that every time, and guests are on their way.
Working a frontline position makes you very aware of the daily work that goes into this role. Many of the full-time staff do not interact with visitors on a regular basis so this is a great reminder for them who our customer is and why we all work to make their museum experience as memorable as possible. Managers and supervisors have told me how much they enjoy getting away from their desks and speaking with visitors.
There are other benefits as well
The full-time front line staff get to teach us what to do, which certainly levels the playing field. We get to have conversations with them and get to know them a bit better. Changes have been made throughout the museum after a manager spends time in a spot and has an idea how to improve the space, or make the job easier for the front line staff ( I have a sneaking suspicion that this is the reason we have the red stripe to direct guests!).
If you implement this at your attraction, you might realize that better signage that would help guests, why anti-fatigue mats for your staff to stand on are actually a great investment, and how challenging it is to answer the same question and remain fresh and happy for hours at a time.
For those of us on the marketing and sales team, it’s a great way to conduct some visitor research and help to enrich the guest’s visit. For all of us who work at attractions, it’s the best way to get through the end of a busy summer.