Creating Accountable Workplaces in the Event Staffing Industry

Creating Accountable Workplaces in the Event Staffing Industry

“In the events world planning is everything, but not everything goes according to plan.” And if there’s one person out there who gets it, it’s Cass. They’re the founder of Engage, a temp agency specializing in staffing events. When they started running the company, they knew unpredictability would be a big part of their work, and they knew they wanted to manage that the best they could for both employees and clients.

“Spot gives people a way to flag things without fear, and it gives me the chance to look into issues, even small ones, before they grow.”

Cass

Founder of Engage

The search for the right anonymous complaint software

“I've been running Engage for 10 years now. At the beginning, when we were still a small team but quickly growing, I went into a deep dive to find out what was needed to successfully and ethically run a business. I kept coming across terms like ‘psychological safety' and ‘workplace culture.’ I knew I wanted to give my team the option to anonymously report any workplace concerns they might have.”

And so Cass set out to find a solution with the following criteria:

• A tool that would grow alongside their business. As Engage expanded into new industries and larger projects, they needed a platform flexible enough to scale, adapt to different team sizes, and work well for both one-off events and long-term partnerships.

• A company whose values aligned with theirs. Cass wanted more than a legal checkbox tool. They wanted a platform that genuinely cared about fairness and transparency. Spot stood out because it was co-founded by Dr. Julia Shaw, a psychological scientist specializing in workplace misconduct, with a focus on making it safe and easy for people to speak up.

• A credible, third-party platform. Spot is external and independent, which helps employees trust that their concerns are confidential and they can speak up without fear of retaliation—something Cass personally experienced earlier in their career.

Building trust with employees

Event staffing is a high-pressure, transient environment. Temporary teams are assembled for a day, a weekend, or a summer and then disbanded. Staff often fear retaliation for speaking up about issues, knowing they can easily be replaced.

“There’s always a sense of fear and intimidation in the industry. If you speak up, you might just never get hired again and not even know why.” explains Cass.

They wanted a way for staff and event participants to safely share experiences—both serious concerns and smaller moments that might otherwise slip through the cracks—without fear of losing future work.

How Engage uses Spot across multiple channels

Spot’s flexible design means it adapts perfectly to the varied needs of Engage’s diverse projects: from high-profile brand activations to community sports events. Here’s how Engage uses Spot to stay connected with their teams:

• For Event Staffing Engage uses Spot’s anonymous incident reporting for day-to-day events. Staff who may feel intimidated by the prospect of speaking up can safely flag concerns, be it awkward or inappropriate behavior, unfair treatment, or other misconduct.

• For Community Events Beyond formal events, Spot is deployed for community feedback. At a recent field day, Cass shared that Spot was promoted via Instagram Stories, enabling participants to provide anonymous insights on everything from intergenerational interactions to event inclusivity.

Data for informed decision-making

Spot isn’t just an incident reporting and case management tool. It’s a way to run a safer, more productive business. By giving their team an anonymous way to share concerns, businesses get honest, unfiltered feedback they might not hear otherwise, plus the chance to address issues before they escalate into legal problems.

“It gives people a way to flag things without fear, and it gives me the chance to look into issues, even small ones, before they grow,” Cass says.

Using Spot’s data helps them spot patterns, pick up on smaller concerns that might otherwise be ignored, and make clear, informed decisions.

At events, anonymous reports have helped Cass understand what their organization values, what makes them uncomfortable, and how to improve the experience for everyone involved.

“It helps us decide if we should adjust how we run this, or keep things as they are. Either way, I have the information I need to lead with confidence.”

By acting on the feedback they get through Spot, Cass builds trust not only within their team, but also with their clients—demonstrating that Engage is proactive, thoughtful, and serious about creating welcoming environments.

The anonymous incident reporting features Engage loves

• Anonymous and safe reporting. Spot’s anonymity is critical in an industry where reporting issues can feel dangerous. Cass explains, “People in my industry fear reporting. The anonymity lets them speak up, and even if I can’t fix it immediately, it gives me a chance to reflect and respond.”

• Guided and thoughtful prompts. Rather than leaving people with a blank form, Spot offers a cognitive interview. This process guides reporters with structured questions designed to record thorough, accurate detail.

• Customizable speak-up channels. Spot has ample customizable options, which Cass used to create two interviews: a shorter one for constructive feedback and a more comprehensive one for raising issues.

Building stronger connections through feedback

For Cass and the Engage team, Spot is a practical way to stay connected with their staff and event communities. It gives people a safe space to share what’s happening, and it helps Engage understand what needs attention and how to best grow their business.

With Spot, Engage can pick up on real issues, make adjustments when needed, and, ultimately, run better events.

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