How to Get the Best Event Staff This Autumn: What 2026's Cube Staff Survey Reveals
Published: October 2026 | Last updated: October 2026 | Written by Michal Orlowski, Co-Founder, Cube | Connect with Michal on LinkedIn
About the author: Michal Orlowski is the co-founder of Cube, a London hospitality staffing agency established in 2014. He started his career as an agency waiter in London in 2007 and has spent nearly twenty years on both sides of the industry, placing vetted waiters, bar staff, chefs and hosts at venues including The Dorchester, Sofitel and Ham Yard Hotel.
The Quick Answer
98% of Cube staff will rebook with a client after one good shift. The clients who get the same strong faces back every week do four things well: they send a clear brief before the day, welcome staff by name with a short venue tour, look after them with proper breaks and food, and book weekends early. None of it costs much. All of it shapes who turns up next time.
Every autumn, the same question lands on my desk from event managers: how do we get the good ones back?
It's a fair question. September to December is the busiest stretch of the London events calendar, and the most experienced waiters and bartenders get first pick of where they work. So this year, rather than giving you my opinion, we asked them.
The Cube Staff Survey 2026 went out to our waiters, bar staff, chefs and hosts. We asked what makes them say yes to a shift, what makes a client one they want to return to, and what the best event managers do differently. The answers were clear, practical and, for any client willing to act on them, a genuine advantage.
What Makes Event Staff Choose One Shift Over Another?
When staff look at a list of available shifts, this is what decides it:
Factor | % of staff who rank it as a key driver |
Shift times | 83% |
Location | 73% |
Pay rate | 69% |
Client reputation | 37% |
Team on shift | 12% |
Pay matters, but it isn't top of the list. Shift times and location both come first. That's good news for you, because two of the three biggest drivers are about planning rather than budget.
Client reputation sits at 37%, and it grows with every shift. A client staff talk about well gets the strongest applicants without paying a penny more.
Why Does One Good Shift Matter So Much?
98% of staff said they will rebook after a single good shift. That's an extraordinary number, and it means your first booking with a new team is your audition.
It also compounds. 75% of Cube staff actively recommend the clients they rate to other workers. Get one shift right and you don't just win back that waiter. You win their friends on the rota too.
This is why our long-standing clients rarely see unfamiliar faces. Their regulars know the floor plan, the service style and the team. They need less briefing, make fewer mistakes and lift everyone around them.
What Do the Best Clients Do Before Staff Arrive?
88% of staff said they need a clear brief before they'll commit to a shift. It was the most consistent theme across the whole survey.
A good brief covers:
The role and what service looks like (canapés, silver service, bar, cloakroom)
Dress code
Exactly where to arrive and who to ask for
What to expect on the night, including timings and guest numbers
Any perks, such as a staff meal, flagged upfront
Staff also told us they want to know the behavioural style you expect. Is this a chatty, relaxed crowd or a formal dinner where staff stay discreet? Should they use initiative or follow the line exactly? A sentence on this saves a lot of guesswork.
For larger or high stakes events, the best clients bring staff in 30 minutes early and use the time for a proper briefing, rather than squeezing it in as doors open.
If you're not sure how many people to book in the first place, our guide on how many waiting staff you need for your event covers ratios by event type.
How Should You Welcome Agency Staff on Arrival?
First impressions run both ways. The clients staff rave about do three simple things:
Use their name. Getting names right, or asking rather than guessing, came up again and again as a small signal of respect.
Introduce the team. Staff want to know who's running the floor, the bar and the kitchen.
Give a two minute venue tour. Where the kitchen is, where clearing goes, where bags are left, where the toilets are.
Staff told us they're happy to be trusted on the basics. They know how to hold a tray, how to dress and how to conduct themselves. What they can't know on a first shift is your venue's specific standards, such as how you plate, clear or number your tables. The best clients brief this rather than expecting staff to pick it up on the fly.
What Keeps Staff Coming Back Shift After Shift?
Looking after your team
Breaks and food on longer shifts came out as the single biggest loyalty driver in the survey. On shifts over six hours, a 20 minute break is a legal requirement under the Working Time Regulations. The clients who go further, with a proper staff meal or making use of surplus food at the end of service, are remembered for it.
Calm, clear communication
Respect outranks pay. 92% of staff said that how they are treated decides whether they return. When something needs correcting, the best managers do it calmly and privately. As several respondents put it, the same feedback delivered kindly gets a completely different response.
One team, not two
Staff want to be treated the same as your permanent team: same information, same respect, same breaks. The best venues make sure their in-house staff welcome agency colleagues as part of the team from the start.
Trust that grows
As regulars return, the best clients hand over more responsibility rather than re-explaining the basics every time. It's one of the clearest signs to staff that they're valued.
A thank you
More than one person mentioned, unprompted, a manager thanking them at the end of the night with a smile. It costs nothing and it sticks.
When Should You Book Event Staff This Autumn?
The survey also tells you how to schedule for the best response:
Scheduling insight | What staff told us |
Ideal shift length | 6 to 8 hours (56%), with 4 to 6 hours next (40%) |
Fastest filling shifts | Afternoon (69%) and evening (62%) |
Hardest days to staff | Sunday (43% prefer to avoid) and Saturday (39%) |
Finish time | Before midnight where possible |
Weekends are where planning pays off. If your event falls on a Saturday or Sunday, book early to secure your first choice of staff. Our guide on how far in advance to book event staff covers timing in more detail.
Late finishes were raised repeatedly as a transport and safety consideration, particularly by female staff. If your event runs past the last tube, covering a taxi or planning the finish around it makes a real difference to who says yes.
Finally, staff the event properly for its size. A well-staffed event runs calmly, and calm events are the ones staff want to come back to.
What Pay Do Event Staff Consider Competitive?
When we asked what counts as a competitive hourly rate, including holiday pay and service charge, the most common answer (42%) was £15.70 to £16.69 per hour. Overall, 75% of staff placed it between £14.70 and £16.69.
This is what staff take home, not what clients pay an agency. For a full breakdown of client rates by role, see how much it costs to hire event staff in London.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get the same agency staff back for every event?
Ask your agency to request named staff, and make each shift one they want to return to: a clear brief, a proper welcome, breaks and food on long shifts, and a thank you at the end. 98% of Cube staff will rebook after one good shift.
What should an event staff brief include?
The role, dress code, arrival point and contact, timings, guest numbers, the service style you expect and any perks such as a staff meal. 88% of staff want this before they commit.
Are agency staff entitled to breaks?
Yes. Under the Working Time Regulations, workers are entitled to a 20 minute rest break when they work more than six hours. Staff in our survey named breaks and food as the biggest factor in returning to a client.
What is the most important factor for event staff when choosing a shift?
Shift times (83%), followed by location (73%) and pay rate (69%).
Which days are hardest to staff in London?
Sundays and Saturdays. Book weekend events early for the widest choice of experienced staff.
Book Your Autumn Team
The full Cube Staff Survey 2026 is available here, with every finding and the staff comments behind them.
If you have events coming up this autumn, send us your dates and rough numbers and we'll confirm availability within 24 hours. We supply waiting staff, bar staff, chefs and hosts across Greater London.
Get a Quote or call 0203 488 3386.
About Cube: Cube has supplied vetted waiters, bar staff, chefs and hosts to London's hotels, venues and caterers since 2014, including The Dorchester, Sofitel, Ham Yard Hotel and Hilton.
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