In the world of hospitality events, there’s a common misconception: that a pre-shift briefing is enough to prepare staff for success. While briefings are important, they’re not a substitute for training. Understanding the difference between training and briefing event staff can help ensure consistent, elevated service—especially when the stakes are high.

The Role of Training

Training is about skill-building. It prepares staff for the work they’ll perform—whether that’s wine service, tray-passing, coat check, or greeting guests. Quality training should also include soft skills: guest interaction, professionalism, and on-the-floor problem-solving.

Staff who are trained arrive more confident, make fewer errors, and require less oversight. Training is what allows your team to feel like a team, even if they’ve just met.

At HMG Plus, we invest in fit-for-purpose training before a staff member ever shows up to your event. That’s why our clients experience smoother setups, better service flow, and more poised teams.

The Role of Briefing

A pre-shift briefing is event-specific. It gives staff direction for this venue, this client, this timeline. You’ll cover roles, uniforms, key transitions, and any high-level client preferences.

A good briefing:

• Aligns the team on goals and expectations

• Answers last-minute questions

• Clarifies setup and breakdown timelines

• Reinforces house rules and client sensitivities

Why You Need Both

You can’t brief someone into a skill they don’t already have. And even the best-trained professional needs a clear game plan for each event. Think of training as your foundation, and the briefing as your blueprint for the day.

Get Both with HMG Plus

Our staff arrive trained, polished, and ready—because we’ve already done the groundwork. Then we collaborate with you to ensure the briefing reflects the event’s unique needs. The result? Seamless, reliable service that guests never have to think twice about.

Contact us to work with a team that knows the difference between preparation and direction—and provides both.