Steward Handbook - London School of Economics · 2016-06-14 · 1 Steward Handbook Welcome to the LSE Events Office. We are responsible for organising and hosting LSEs public events

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Steward Handbook Welcome to the LSE Events Office. We are responsible for organising and hosting LSE’s public events programme. Our events are generally free and open to all, and feature some of the most prominent and influential speakers in the social sciences. From the Director downwards the public events programme is recognised as an important school asset, and in your position as a steward you will play an integral role in the delivery of the events programme and other important internal school events. The aim of this booklet is to provide a helpful guide to the key information a steward needs to be aware of when working for our office. Please be aware that, after your training is complete, we will assume that you have read and understood the contents of this booklet. If you do have any queries then please get in touch. I hope you enjoy your time working with us in the Events office

Alan Revel Head of Events, LSE www.lse.ac.uk/events

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Contents:

The Structure of the Events Office p.3 Getting started: pay, contractual issues and access to the office p.4 Presentation and general conduct p.5 The allocation of shifts p.6 Performance, misconduct and disciplinary proceedings p.7 Health and Safety: p.10

a. Hazards b. Fire Safety c. Security/bomb alerts d. Evacuating a venue

e. Evacuation of the non-ambulant f. First Aid

Working at an event: p.13 a. Setting-up b. Seating c. Ticketed events d. Reserved seats e. Freedom of speech f. CPD or Continuous Professional Development g. ‘Just ask’ h. Dealing with members of the public

Hiring of Stewards to other departments p.18 Venue Information p.20

a. Old Theatre b. Sheikh Zayed Theatre c. Hong Kong Theatre d. Wolfson Theatre e. Peacock Theatre f. The Atrium

Providing feedback p.23 Concerns at work including bullying and harassment p.23

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The Structure of the Events Office The LSE Events Office is part of the Communications Division with Adrian Thomas as its Director. The purpose of the division is to help increase the impact and influence of the LSE and its work externally, in support of the School's historical mission to contribute to wider society as well as to promote academic excellence. This is to benefit the whole LSE community. The Division also includes the Press & Information Office, the Design Unit and Digital Communications.

Full-time staff The full-time office staff are chiefly responsible for organising and overseeing the school’s public lecture programme. As well as taking care of the day-to-day preparation and organisation of events, a member of Events office staff will be working at and be personally responsible for every event. From a steward’s perspective, the full-time staff should be regarded as senior management. The current full-time Events team consists of:

Alan Revel – Head of Events Louise Gaskell – Deputy Head of Events & Literary Festival Manager Terri Callanan – Events Executive (International & UK) Sooraya Mohabeer – Knowledge Transfer & Events Executive Emma Bakht – Events Executive (maternity cover for Becky Jacobi)

Senior Stewards Senior stewards occupy a junior management position within the office’s structure, and play important supervisory and disciplinary roles. Senior stewards are responsible for organising and overseeing the work done by stewards before, during and after each event. Senior stewards are promoted on the basis of their performance in the steward role. Any steward who is proactive, reliable and confident has the chance of promotion.

Stewards LSE Events stewards are responsible for making sure that each event runs smoothly and efficiently. Stewards set-up, steward, safeguard, and clear-up after each event. Without stewards, none of the work we do would be possible.

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Getting started: pay, contractual issues and access to the office

Pay Stewards’ starting pay is £11.15 per hour (this includes holiday pay). LSE awards increments in pay

according to length of employment. You will be paid monthly in arrears:

Pay day is the last working day of each month. You will be paid in arrears for the previous month’s work, so for example any hours worked

between 1 and 31 January, would be paid on the last working day of February. It is your obligation to ensure that timesheets are up-to-date and filled in correctly, within the stated time

period. You must always ensure your name is on your timesheet, otherwise you may not be paid. If you forget to fill in a shift in the correct month, you will still be paid for it, but 2 months’ in arrears.

Monthly pay slips should be collected from the Events Office. Always check your pay on LSE for you – ideally on pay day. N.B. You should keep your own record of when you worked, and for how long just in case you have any queries with your pay.

Contractual issues Initial contract

This will be drawn up when you start working for us. The contract is for one year and allows you to work up to 15 hours per week for our office during

term time. We cannot pay you until you sign this contract. The contract is forwarded to HR who will contact you (via email) to go to their office (5th Floor,

Lionel Robbins Building) to sign the contract and provide them with your bank details etc. Renewal of contract

HR will contact you to renew your contract, shortly before your current contract is due to expire. You will have to sign this contract before you can be paid for this renewal period.

Should you no longer wish to work for the Events Office when they advise you that your contract requires renewing then please follow the ‘Termination of contract’ procedure below.

Termination of contract Once you cease working for the Events Office for whatever reason (e.g. leaving LSE, have a

different job) then HR require a letter from you stating your details and the last date that you worked for our office. Please advise us first!

In addition you need to give a forwarding address for the P45 form they will then send you. An email can also be accepted but they prefer a letter. Please send the correspondence direct to

HR- [email protected].

Access to the Office You will need to have an activated LSE staff card in order to gain access to the office (TW3 3.02, access

via Tower 2) and access to the stewards’ storeroom, where you can store your coats and bags during shifts.

Your Staff card should be ready to collect from the Library reception 48 hours after you sign your contract. It will also give you extended borrowing from the library.

Once you have collected your staff card please email [email protected] with your staff number (top left of your staff card) and we will ask Security to give you access to the office and storeroom.

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Presentation and general conduct

Presentation At the beginning of your contract, you will be issued with two red LSE Event Steward polo-shirts. It will be your responsibility to look after the shirts, keep them clean and return them after your final shift. Stewards will be charged for unreturned shirts. You must arrive ready for your shift in your shirt. If you need to change please allow extra time for this. Besides this, dress attire is ‘smart casual’ unless otherwise advised and you must always wear your name-badge when working.

General conduct The tasks of each individual steward may vary from shift-to-shift, but generally stewards are expected to be motivated, enthusiastic and eager to assist with the delivery of the public lecture programme. In our experience, the best and most effective stewards are:

• pro-active; • outgoing; • effective communicators; • able to work well under pressure; and • able to work well as members of a team.

Displaying these five key qualities is one of the surest routes to promotion! We would also like to remind you that stewards are expected to behave in a professional manner towards members of the public, fellow students and colleagues at all times.

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The allocation of shifts

The monthly schedule Once a month, an email is sent to all stewards with a link to a SharePoint spreadsheet schedule of events for the upcoming month. You need to respond to this, advising which events you would like to work for. Shifts are allocated based on the number of requests a steward makes to work, in fair proportion. Stewards are then notified of the allocation by email. The more flexible you are, the more shifts you are likely to get. Remember to read these emails carefully and follow the instructions they give you.

Ad-hoc shifts and special events When new shifts arise during the term, shifts are allocated on a ‘first-come first-served’ basis. However, for a small number of ‘special events’, certain stewards will be selected ahead of others based on their particular experience (e.g. waitressing or language skills) and other relevant criteria.

Cancelling a shift Once the final schedule has been circulated, you will be given a deadline in which to let us know if you are unable to work an allocated shift, otherwise you will be expected to turn up for the shifts you are assigned to. If you are unwell, or have re-scheduled teaching which means you are unable to work a shift, please let us know at the earliest possible opportunity, so that we can find a replacement. Shift swapping is not encouraged as it causes extra work for the Events Office and often results in confusion and missed shifts. In exceptional cases, where you really need to find another steward to cover your shift, you could join the Steward’s Facebook page, which is an informal channel for stewards to contact each other regarding shifts: https://www.facebook.com/groups/29619783430/10154219480363431/?notif_t=group_activity&notif_id=1465839216179767 If you have swapped a shift with another steward you must notify the Events Office prior to the shift by email. You should only send one email once a swap in confirmed, and you should copy the steward taking your place into that email. You must provide a good reason for the shift swap in this email. Regular shift swapping without reason is viewed as a disciplinary matter.

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Performance, misconduct and disciplinary proceedings When a steward’s conduct, performance or attendance falls below a reasonably satisfactory level the Events Office is obliged to rectify the situation. The Events Office will address such issues in the manner described below. However, before reading on, please note that the Events Office operates a transparent and open disciplinary system based on guidelines issued by HR. Much of what follows is a condensed version of those guidelines. Any steward actually involved in disciplinary proceedings should consult the guidelines directly by visiting the HR intranet page: http://www.acas.org.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=1047

Counselling for improvement In the first instance, unless sufficiently serious, the Events Office will attempt to resolve potential problems informally by counselling for improvement. Counselling for improvement is a consultative process and not a disciplinary action. The aim of counselling is to improve a steward’s performance within an appropriate timescale by offering guidance on ways in which a steward needs to improve. If informal action does not bring about an improvement, or the misconduct or unsatisfactory performance is considered too serious to be classed as minor, formal disciplinary action will be taken. Once initiated, disciplinary proceedings may result in a steward’s dismissal. When a member of the office staff or a senior steward considers that counselling is necessary a member of the Events Office will first speak to and then send an email to notify the relevant steward. The manager will:

i. explain why the steward in question has fallen below the standards expected of them; ii. clearly re-state the standards of performance expected of a steward; and

iii. outline what improvement is required, without which more serious action will need to be considered.

A steward may then reply to this email and advise the sender of any extenuating factors or other issues affecting their performance. Below is a list of standards that all stewards are expected to achieve and maintain whilst working for the Conference Office. The list also identifies the parameters of counselling for improvement. The list illustrates these parameters by stating how many times a term/year certain instances of poor performance will be tolerated before disciplinary proceedings are initiated. Attendance: 1. Non-attendance Stewards must attend the shifts that they are assigned. Failure to attend a shift three times in a year without reasonable reason for doing so will result in the initiation of disciplinary proceedings. 2. Shift-swapping Stewards may not, after having accepted a shift, swap a shift with another steward without notifying the Events Office before the shift. Failing to confirm a shift-swap with the Events Office three times in a term will result in the initiation of disciplinary proceedings. Regularly swapping shifts without a good reason may also result in the initiation of disciplinary proceedings. 3. Punctuality Stewards must arrive for their shifts on time. Arriving more than five minutes late for a shift, or after the point at which the stewards have left for the venue (whichever is later) without a reasonable reason for doing so three times in a term will result in the initiation of disciplinary proceedings.

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If you know you will be late but fail to notify us you will be deemed to have arrived late without a reasonable reason for doing so. Performance: 4. Following reasonable instructions Once a steward is assigned a task it is expected that he/she will carry out that task. 5. Performing to a satisfactory level Stewards must perform their tasks to a satisfactory level. 6. Compliance with training and specified procedures Stewards are required to adhere to the standards and procedures set out in this booklet and their training. 7. Use of mobile phones Mobile phones should not be used during a shift. Presentation: 8. Uniform Stewards must bring their ‘Event Steward’ T-shirt with them to each shift unless otherwise stated. Stewards must also conform to any other specified presentational requirements. A failure to meet any of the above performance/presentation standards three times in a term may result in the initiation of disciplinary proceedures. Behaviour 9. Treating colleagues and members of the public with respect Physical or verbal abuse of a colleague or a member of the public will not be tolerated. If any such behaviour occurs it will result in the immediate initiation of disciplinary proceedings.

Disciplinary Proceedings Disciplinary investigations Where a manager feels that an act of misconduct has taken place, or there is sufficient evidence of poor performance or attendance (as set out above), she/he will advise the employee and begin an investigation. Investigations of potential disciplinary matters will be carried out without unreasonable delay to establish the facts of the case. In some cases this will require the holding of an investigatory meeting with the employee before proceeding to any disciplinary hearing. In others, the investigatory stage will be the collation of evidence by the employer for use at any disciplinary hearing. On completion of the investigation, the line manager will submit a report of his/her findings to the manager who is to hear the case,. A recommendation will be made as to whether disciplinary action should be taken against the employee and what the outcome of the hearing should be, depending on the seriousness of the case.

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Disciplinary hearings If it is decided that there is a disciplinary case to answer, the employee will be notified of this in writing. This notification will contain sufficient information about the alleged misconduct or poor performance and its possible consequences to enable the employee to prepare to answer the case at a disciplinary meeting. The meeting will be held without unreasonable delay, whilst allowing the employee a reasonable time to prepare their case. The line manager's manager will normally chair the disciplinary hearing. However, in certain cases, such as where a manager is directly involved in the substance of an allegation, it may be necessary for a manager other than the immediate line manager to chair the hearing. The manager chairing the hearing may be accompanied by a member of the Human Resources Division acting as advisor depending on the circumstances. HR will be informed that the hearing is taking place. At the meeting the employer should explain the complaint against the employee and go through the evidence that has been gathered. The employee should be allowed to set out their case and answer any allegations that have been made. The employee should also be given a reasonable opportunity to ask questions. NB. When referring to ‘line managers’ above, please note that Senior Stewards can report to Terri Callanan, Emma Bakht/Becky Jacobi or Sooraya Mohabeer, who in return can report to Louise Gaskell or Alan Revel. Outcomes of a disciplinary hearing After the meeting it will be decided whether or not disciplinary or any other action is justified and the employee will be informed in writing. Where misconduct is confirmed or the employee is found to be performing unsatisfactorily the employee will be given a written warning. A further act of misconduct or failure to improve performance within a set period would normally result in a final written warning. If an employee’s first misconduct or unsatisfactory performance is sufficiently serious, it may be appropriate to move directly to a final written warning. This might occur where the employee’s actions have had, or are liable to have, a serious or harmful impact on the organisation. A first or final written warning will set out the nature of the misconduct or poor performance and the change in behaviour or improvement in performance required (with timescale). The employee should be told how long the warning will remain current. The employee should be informed of the consequences of further misconduct, or failure to improve performance, within the set period following a final warning. For instance that it may result in dismissal or some other contractual penalty such as demotion or loss of seniority. A decision to dismiss should only be taken by a manager who has the authority to do so. The employee should be informed as soon as possible of the reasons for the dismissal, the date on which the employment contract will end, the appropriate period of notice and their right of appeal. Some acts, termed gross misconduct, are so serious in themselves or have such serious consequences that they may call for dismissal without notice for a first offence. But a fair disciplinary process will always be followed before dismissing for gross misconduct. Disciplinary rules should give examples of acts which the employer regards as acts of gross misconduct. These may vary according to the nature of the organisation and what it does, but might include things such as theft or fraud, physical violence, gross negligence or serious insubordination. Where an employee is persistently unable or unwilling to attend a disciplinary meeting without good cause a decision will be made on the evidence available.

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Health and Safety

One of the most important aspects of your job is to maintain the health and safety of the students, staff members and members of the public attending the event you are working at.

Hazards When setting-up a venue look out for any hazards that could cause harm to any members of the public, students, staff or any other stewards. Such hazards could include broken glass, loose wires, wet floors. If you come across such hazards:

i) Please make the senior steward or a full-time member of the office staff aware of them. ii) If the hazard is particularly dangerous then it is best to stay beside the hazard and get a fellow steward

to inform someone who can sort out the problem. iii) Ensure that the hazard has been removed or isolated before any attendees are allowed into the venue.

Fire safety Emergency exits: Whichever venue you are working in, it is vital that you ensure that you are aware of the location of all emergency exits. Please note that in the larger venues there will be more than one emergency exit. Before the event begins, it is imperative that you:

i) Ensure that the emergency exits are always clear. ii) Ensure that all emergency exits are unlocked. You should never lock any emergency exit. iii) Throughout the event you should continually check that i) and ii) are being complied with.

In the event of a fire: The School has fire safety systems installed in its buildings. These systems vary from building to building. In the event of seeing fire or smoke then:

i) Sound the alarm immediately by pressing a fire call point. ii) Only tackle a fire if you have been trained in the use of fire extinguishers and can do so without

endangering yourself or others. iii) Never re-enter the building until told that you may do so by an LSE fire warden.

Security/bomb alerts On arrival at a venue, make sure that you are aware of:

i) Where the nearest security guard is stationed. For instance, in the Old Building there is always a security guard at the main entrance to the building.

ii) Where the nearest internal phone is. Remember, you can always call security on ext.666 from any internal LSE phone.

If you have found a suspicious package or you have suspicions about an individual then:

i) Contact your senior steward and/or security ii) Do not touch, shake or poke any suspicious package. iii) Do not use radios or mobile phones near an suspicious package. iv) Once a security guard is at the scene then they will take control of the situation.

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Evacuating a venue If it proves necessary to evacuate a venue then you should:

i) Open the emergency exits, and ask people to leave in a calm and orderly fashion using their nearest exit.

ii) Do not use lifts and tell others not to use them. iii) Direct people to the fire assembly point (these details are correct as of May 2015 with the centre

building development taking place) and once everyone has evacuated make your way to this point as well :

o Peacock Theatre, Clare Market, George IV Pub, King’s Chambers, Lincoln Chambers, Parish Hall, 1 Portsmouth Street, Saw Swee Hock Student Centre (SAW), Sheffield Street and St Clement’s Building should go to John Watkins Plaza outside the Library.

o Old Theatre, Connaught House, Cowdray House, the Lakatos Building, Lionel Robbins Building and The Anchorage, the fire assembly point is Sheffield Street, outside the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre.

o Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House should congregate outside Tower 1 and 2. o Sheikh Zayed or Wolfson Theatre, NAB, 32LIF, 50LIF, 20 Kingsway, and Sardinia House should

go to Lincoln’s Inn Fields – SW corner opposite NAB and Coopers. o Towers 1, 2 and 3, Columbia House & Aldwych House the assembly point is outside Clement

House, towards the Post Office.

NAB Evacuation The evacuation procedures in the NAB differ from those in the other venues

o You will hear a claxon with a voice messsage announcing the 2 different levels of evacuation - Evacuate & Alert

o If you hear the Evacuate message you must ensure that everyone leaves the building immediately by the nearest emergency stairway.

o Lifts must not be used. o Direct any wheelchair user or persons who cannot use the stairs to the nearest fire

refuge point (FRP). o If you hear the Alert message: Do not evacuate the area, tell everyone (except those

who are mobility impaired) to remain where they are until they receive further instructions

o Direct wheelchair users and other mobility impaired persons to the nearest FRP (fire rescue point)

o Contact your senior steward or a member of conference staff to tell them a fire alarm has activated in the building

o Check that all gangways and emergency exits are clear o Reassure the audience that the situation is being investigated by the Security Staff.

Evacuation of the non-ambulant Members of the audience who are non-ambulant (those who cannot walk) should, venue permitting, only be accommodated on the ground floor of a venue. Otherwise, the emergency evacuation of a non-ambulant person will prove more complicated than it need be. Therefore, stewards must always:

i) Advise the Conference staff/senior steward and all other stewards if you are aware of a disabled person entering an event and note their location.

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ii) The nearest steward should be prepared to help in the case of an emergency – i.e. pushing the wheelchair etc.

iii) For occasions when the non ambulant person is not on the ground floor then they must be taken to the nearest Fire Refuge Points (FRP). There are 19 FRPs in the Old Building which are signed up and have a telephone to call 666. Security will be made aware and have special equipment and training to get them out. In the New Academic Building, there are FRPs in each emergency stairwell with direct communication to Security. When working in the NAB please ask to be shown where the nearest FRPs to the theatre are located.

First Aid If an attendee hurts themselves or falls ill you should offer them first aid:

i) You can take them to the front desk of the Old Building, where there is always a member of the security staff who is trained in first aid.

ii) If the person is not well enough to go to the front desk, then you can ring security on 666. iii) If the situation is serious then ring for an ambulance – dial 999 from any internal phone and ask for the

Ambulance Service.

Manual Handling Certain tasks may involve manual handling. Follow the guidelines below at all times to avoid injury:

i. Think before your lift • Plan the lift. How heavy is the object? Where is the centre of gravity of the load? Are there adequate

handles? Where does the load need to go, are there any obstacles in your route? Are there opportunities to rest the load if the distance to be carried is more than 10 metres?

ii. Adopt a stable position • Have your feet apart, giving a balanced and stable base for lifting. • Have your leading leg as far forward as comfortable.

iii. Adopt a good posture • Bend your knees so that your hands, when grasping the load, are level with the waist (or as near as

possible). • Do not kneel or over-flex the knees • Keep the back straight as possible, maintaining its natural curves, (tucking in the chin while gripping the

load helps). Lean forward a little over the load if necessary to get a good grip. • Do not stoop, twist, or lean sideways when lifting. • Keep the load as close to your waist as possible. • Keep your head up.

iv. Get a firm and secure grip v. Move smoothly

vi. Put the load down then adjust it. vii. Don’t lift more than you can easily manage

• If you’re in doubt get help or use a mechanical aid/trolley whenever possible. viii. Team lifting

• Make sure there is good communication between the various members of the team, with one person to lead with instructions i.e. “ready steady lift”.

• Remember, just because two persons are lifting an objet, this does not mean that they can lift twice the weight!

Please note that you must inform a Senior Steward or a member of the Events Office if you have any health problems or there are any circumstances (such as pregnancy or illness) that may place you at risk from manual handling. Furthermore, if you are ever uncomfortable with a task please inform your supervisor. Lastly, if you think that something is unsafe or inadvisable, please say so!

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Working at an event The aim of this section is to provide a general guide to stewards working at our events. Hopefully, this guide will provide a lasting supplement to the training you receive when you first join us!

Setting-up One of the first tasks of a steward working for any event is to assist with the set-up. Before each event you will be provided with a briefing sheet that will give you important information about the event and the organisation of the event. Importantly, the sheet will also contain details outlining what items stewards need to take with them from the office in order to set up the venue correctly. For instance, stewards need to check they have:

The correct logos Reserved signs Water and glasses Tablecloths etc.

After the venue has been set up and you have been briefed by a member of the Events Office staff, you will be allocated a particular position or duty within the theatre. It is important that you maintain your position at all times. If you need to leave your position then please check with a colleague before leaving your post.

Seating: filling the venue and preventing overcrowding General procedure: As you will quickly find out, due to the popularity of our events, there is often a shortage of space. This makes it imperative that we try and fill all the available seats in each venue. It is also crucial that we do not allow our events to become overcrowded. In order to achieve these goals:

i) Encourage people to move right to the end of the rows. ii) Do not allow people to choose where they sit as this may make filling the venue more difficult. iii) Instead, working as a team, use yourself and your colleagues to funnel people into the empty

seats. iv) When an event is particularly busy, the steward(s) on the door of the venue should stop people

freely entering the venue. This will help to prevent overcrowding (see health and safety below) and help the stewards inside the venue manage the influx of people more efficiently.

v) Don’t allow someone with a query or complaint at the door to hold up others entering the venue- as them to stand to one side.

vi) When the theatre is approaching capacity, alert the steward on the door so that he/she can regulate entry

vii) Next, identify empty seats and fill them on a one by one basis. viii) Once the theatre is full, alert the steward on the door of the venue so that he/she can prevent

others from entering. Remember, it is easier to prevent people from entering a venue than it is to remove them once they are inside.

ix) When turning people away, explain to them that we cannot allow overcrowding of our venues because it has implications for health and safety, as well as for insurance purposes.

Please note that there is further information on the procedures used in different venues later in the handbook. Exceptions:

The Directorate Management Team is allowed access to a venue regardless of how full it is. There may be camera crews, photographers or bodyguards that are permitted to stand in the theatre

even if there are no spare seats.

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Dealing with difficult attendees:

‘Saving a seat for a friend’: Seats are allocated on a first come, first served basis. Audience members wishing to sit with a person who has not yet arrived should be asked to wait outside.

‘I really must sit at the end of the row’: If someone is insisting on sitting at the end of a row, don’t argue

with them, just ask them to stand up while you fill the rest of the row. After you have finished they can then retake their seat.

‘Can’t I just stand at the back?’: NO, once all the available seats have been allocated then the venue is

full. For licensing and insurance purposes we are not permitted to allow more people into the venue than the venue accommodates. Only event stewards, or other LSE staff working at the event (e.g. security, AV, photographer) may stand in the venue, and this is so that they may facilitate an evacuation in the event of an emergency. Furthermore, if we let a few people stand then those left outside will also ask to stand – so it is important not to make exceptions. Often there will be a podcast, video-recording, transcript or a video-link venue. Information re the availability of these will be on the briefing sheet, so make sure you are aware of what’s available, as this can often placate people’s complaints.

‘I’m staff/a student of LSE, let me in!’: LSE Public Lectures are not just for LSE staff and students, but

aimed at the public at large. As such LSE staff and students do not have priority and may not ‘pull rank.’

‘I want to make a complaint!’: If anyone is unsatisfied with our policies, then they are free to complain by e-mail to [email protected].

Ticketed events If we believe an event will be very popular then we will ticket an event so as to limit the number of prospective attendees arriving at the venue. When working at a ticketed event there is a lot of important information that stewards should be aware of: i) Tickets do not guarantee entry:

To ensure a venue is full, all LSE events are over-ticketed. All ticket holders are informed by email and on the ticket itself that they are only guaranteed entry to

the event if they arrive fifteen minutes before the start time. If a ticket holder turns up less than fifteen minutes before the event/after the event has begun and

there is no space left, you are not obliged to permit them to enter the venue. ii) Returns queue

If all the tickets to an event have been distributed, then we will set up a returns queue which will allow non-ticket-holders to fill the seats of those ticket-holders who do not show up/are late.

We normally fill these seats about 5 minutes before the event begins. iii) Reserved/Unreserved seating

If an event is ticketed in the Old Theatre/Sheikh Zayed Theatre/Hong Kong Theatre/Wolfson Theatre then the seating is unreserved.

For events in the Peacock Theatre, attendees will have a specific seat to sit in and the seat number is on their ticket.

iv) E-ticketing & Hard copy tickets

All those who successfully apply for a ticket online or who are allocated a ticket via the hosting department or other parts of the School (for example the alumni office) will be sent an email from

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[email protected] the day before the event containing their e-ticket as a pdf attachment. They will be asked to show this e-ticket on their phone or device, or to print it out and bring it with them to show at the door of the event where the barcode will be scanned. For any events where demand for tickets is higher than the number of tickets available, tickets are allocated via a random ballot to those requests received.

For the majority of events an allocation of tickets are made available at the SU shop for LSE staff and students. These are printed tickets with a barcode on them, which should also be scanned on entry.

Stewards at a ticketed event are given a list of the names of all the ticket holders with the barcodes (apart from those who collected their tickets from the SU) on their briefing sheet – if someone can’t access their e-ticket you can check the list of names and type in the barcode number.

REMEMBER when checking names on a list, do not show the list of names and ask the audience member to point themselves out- they could point at any name.

a. Reserved seats

For both ticketed and non-ticketed events we sometimes keep some reserved seats for special guests.

Reserved seats tend to be: o in the 4th/5th/6th row in the Old Theatre. o in the 1st/2nd row, middle section in the Hong Kong Theatre o in the 1st few rows in the Sheikh Zayed Theatre.

Signs will be provided to put on the seats. Normally the names of the people who are supposed to occupy reserved seats will be on the briefing

sheet. They should make themselves known to the stewards at the door. If there are lots of unfilled reserved seats just before an event begins then liaise with the senior

steward and the representative from the department to see about removing some or possibly all of the reserved signs.

However, it can be a good idea to keep a few reserved seats if there is still space as those with reserved seats do occasionally believe this will entitle them to arrive late.

Always liaise with a member of Events Office staff before releasing reserved seating. b. Freedom of speech

LSE hosts a wide variety of speakers. Inevitably, there are certain groups that will wish to protest about individual speakers. This can range from leafleting audience members outside the lecture theatre, to protesting peacefully outside the lecture theatre, or to the more extreme measures of trying to storm the venue or shout the speaker down inside the lecture venue. LSE has a legal obligation to uphold free speech in all meetings. LSE’s policy for upholding freedom of speech is set out in the ‘Code of Free Speech’ (available online). In short, the code states that LSE is obliged to take all reasonable steps to ensure that a speaker is:

Safe from when they arrive at LSE until they leave; and That they can say what they have come to say without being shouted down, intimidated or otherwise

prevented from speaking (irrespective of what we may think of them). However, this does not mean that that individuals cannot show dissent. Audience members are allowed to heckle a speaker, but are not allowed to prevent a speaker from delivering their speech altogether. At public lectures it is the responsibility of the chairperson to uphold the code of free speech. The chairperson has a legal procedure to follow in the case of constant shouting/barracking/interruption from one or more members of the audience:

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i) The chair will give up to 2 warnings to the offending person/s ii) Following a third warning they will ask security to remove them from the venue.

Please note: Neither LSE security nor a steward can unilaterally decide to remove someone, this order can only come from the chairperson. A steward’s role: A steward should ensure they notify security and Events Office staff if any audience member is being disruptive, or they have concerns about any person/group. Security and the Events Office should certainly be informed as soon as the Chair gives a warning. A steward need never put themselves in danger, or get involved in the removal of audience members from an event.

CPD or Continuous Professional Development Many LSE events are certified for CPD purposes by The CPD Certification Service. Delegates should refer to individual event web listings for further information. What is CPD? CPD or Continuous Personal/Professional Development is the term given to the continuation of learning through knowledge enhancement and is a mandatory or recommended requirement for many professions. Who is it for? Anyone can undertake CPD. Individuals, who are members of professional institutes and bodies, undertake formal CPD as a requirement of membership. Many employing organisations also have CPD schemes in place for their employees. Many professionals and employees are required to fulfil an annual CPD target, which is usually stipulated as a minimum number of hours. It is a misconception that CPD is exclusive to 'professionals'. Engaging and participating in CPD is open to any individual, regardless of their educational level or employment status. Therefore you do not have to be a university graduate or postgraduate to undertake CPD. Overall, CPD provides an opportunity for any individual to maintain or develop their skill and knowledge sets. This might be targeted at a specific area of expertise or a particular skill, e.g. technical skills. Anecdotal evidence suggests that regular undertaking of CPD can improve general employment prospects, and many organisations and professional bodies recognise that CPD is hugely beneficial to individuals working within their sector who do not have university or professional qualifications. CPD Points Individuals should evaluate and then record the learning benefit achieved by undertaking or participating in any given CPD activity in line with the CPD policy of their professional body or employer organisation. The general 'rule of thumb' is that 1 hour of CPD is equal to 1 point, credit, unit, learning benefit or merit. Individuals should ensure that they are recording their CPD correctly. Certificate of attendance Self-Assessment Record forms will be made available for delegates wishing to record further learning and knowledge enhancement for Continuing Personal and Professional Development (CPD) purposes. For delegates who wish to obtain a CPD Certificate of Attendance, it is the responsibility of delegates to register their details with a LSE steward at the end of the event and as of 1 September 2014 a certificate will be sent within 28 days of the date of the event attended by the CPD Certification Service. If a delegate fails to register their details at the event, it will not prove possible to issue a certificate.

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What do stewards need to do?

Two CPD Registration Forms must be made available at each venue- for the Hong Kong Theatre and Wolfson Theatre take 1 clipboard with 2 forms, for the Old Theatre and Sheikh Zayed Theatre take 2 clipboards each with 1 form. This is so that we always know how many forms should be returned to the office at the end of an event, regardless of venue.

Delegates must sign up at the end of an event (after the lecture and Q&A) to obtain a CPD Certificate of Attendance. If audience members approach you before the event asking to sign up, please inform them that CPD sign in sheets are only available at the end of the lecture. They have to have attended the full event in order to claim the points.

The two CPD Registration Forms should be kept together with the Self-Assessment Forms on the clipboard(s) (with working pens) at the entrance of the theatre at the end of the event for delegates who wish to obtain a CPD Certificate of Attendance, for at least ten minutes or until the last steward leaves the theatre.

If you are assigned to the position of being on the entrance door to the theatre, it will be your responsibility to look after the CPD clipboard ensuring it is available at the end of the event to delegates to sign up and obtain a Self-Assessment Form, should they want to obtain a certificate.

Note that the Self-Assessment Form is sufficient for CPD purposes as documentary evidence of CPD activity to their professional organisation. Delegates do not have to sign up for a certificate.

All events under the Public Lecture Programme (PLP) are certified for CPD. Events that are organised by departments but not part of the PLP (Non-PLP events) are not automatically certificated for CPD and they must submit their event(s) to the Events Office to get approval.

A senior steward must leave the two CPD Registration Forms in the basket on the office steward’s desk at the end of the shift, even if they are not filled in. Do you throw away, shred or destroy these forms as they are important evidence to know who has signed up and was present at the event.

‘Just ask’ Remember that in any situation stewards should never be afraid to ask questions or ask for help in a task if they are unsure of how best to proceed. You will never be penalised for asking questions or seeking advice.

Dealing with members of the public Working with the public in a service capacity occasionally means that you will meet people who are difficult, argumentative, over assertive and occasionally even aggressive. However, you are not obliged to submit yourself to abuse or threats. The School’s Ground Rules for attendees at public meetings make it clear that the School encourages reasoned debate but will not tolerate abusive and threatening behaviour. If a situation becomes tense or difficult:

i) The best way to handle such behaviour is to be unemotional, to try to smile and avoid confrontational behaviour.

ii) If relevant, you should highlight that you are undertaking a vital safety role and are legally obliged to follow certain procedures.

iii) If a situation persists, try to enlist the help of a nearby colleague. iv) Try also to bring the situation to the attention of the person in charge of the event. If you cannot do

this ask someone else to do it on your behalf. v) If all else fails summon security and the individual concerned is likely to be asked to leave. vi) The circumstances should then be fully reported

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Hiring of Stewards to other departments

Background We offer to hire stewards out, at an hourly rate, to any departments within LSE. This will usually be in order to work at departmental events or conferences, whether as a steward or perhaps working at a cloakroom. Sometimes departments will hire you to do admin work, such as stuffing envelopes. The nature of the shift should be made clear to you before you agree to work the shift. Departments are charged a flat rate for stewards, which includes a contribution towards the amount of time Events Office staff spend arranging the booking. At present the charge is £14.50 per hour. Departments are asked to hire stewards for a minimum of 3 hours- so regardless of how long you work less than this, you will always be paid for a minimum of 3 hours. Departments are also asked to cancel stewards with 24 hours notice. If they cancel later than this, you will be paid for a 3 hours shift regardless.

Signing up for the shift Once you have agreed to work a non-Events Office shift, Becky/Emma will send your email address to the department hiring you and they should be in touch with instructions for the event. If you don’t hear anything please contact Becky/Emma and ask her to chase up the department. You should always wear your red polo shirt unless otherwise advised.

Departmental requests There are other services that departments can hire from our office- tablecloths, for example. But the things that usually go with a public lecture, the trimmings like water, glasses, reserved signs, press signs, posters, slides, lectern logos, banner stands, CPD clipboards- these are only for use at our events, and departments cannot ask you to bring any of these items with you. If they do, please tell them you are not able to do so and refer them to the Events Office. If a department asks you on the night of the event itself, tell them that it is up to them, not you, to provide these things- catering has complained about stewards going into the kitchen in NAB, for example, and I think this has many times been because a non-Events Office event has asked a steward to find some water and glasses. Catering can only provide these if ordered in advance. The department would have to buy bottles of water from a nearby shop (e.g. Wright's Bar) if they have not sorted this out in advance. If a department has hired a tablecloth from the Events Office it is up to them to collect it and return it, they should not be asking the stewards to do this. Other requirements such as AV equipment and any special furniture should also have been arrange in advance by the departments- be as helpful as possible (go looking for a table if they haven't requested one from the porters, advise them to contact AV, e.g), but again remember that this is not part of the service they hired you for.

Your health and safety role If you have been hired to steward an event, you are there (as with our events) for an essential health and safety role- to protect the health and safety of the audience by ensuring that venues are not overcrowded, by looking out for potential hazards and by being aware of the evacuation procedures. The department will let you know what the entrance policy of the event is- whether first come, first served or by pre registration etc. You should follow their instructions in terms of who to let in. However, regardless of what a department say, you should not fill a venue beyond its capacity. If the department ask you to let people stand at the back, tell them that this is against the health and safety policy of the School and should not be allowed. If you cannot stop them, which may be the case, tell them that you will have to tell us in the Events Office, as they are not respecting their responsibilities as room bookers.

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Breaks This is what we tell the departments: “Under the Working time regulations, workers aged 18 and over have the right to be provided with a minimum rest break of 20 minutes in the course of any working day that exceeds six hour. Therefore, should an hourly paid staff member be working 6 hours or more, they are entitled to a 20 minute break. However, the School provides permanent, full time staff with a longer period, normally an hour so it may be helpful to consider aligning hourly paid staff breaks with the norm across the school. These breaks are unpaid.” So make sure you get breaks when you need them but remember that you will not get paid for them.

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Venue Information In addition to the general guidance given above, it is important that stewards are aware of the detailed and specific procedures relating to each of our key events venues. Before working at a venue, particularly if you have not worked there before, you should read the information below.

Old Theatre, Old Building Capacity 462

o Ground level: 171 o First level: 289

Entrances/Emergency Exits: o Ground level – 2 main entrances plus two more exits o First floor level – One entrance/exit and one emergency exit

Specific stewarding details: o The ground level should always be filled up first with stewards on the first floor level ensuring no

one enters upstairs. o Once the ground level is nearly full the balcony can be opened. However, before doing so, please

check with a senior steward or staff member and advise the stewards upstairs. o Balcony stewarding is extremely important: Fill the central section first, starting at the front. Then

fill the far right hand section by the fire exit, followed by the left hand section. o It is important that any seats left at the start of the event are located in the left hand section which

is easily accessible. Disabled access:

o Disabled lift at main entrance, Old Building. Automated door to Old Theatre is in the corridor to the right hand side of the venue.

Wheelchair places: 2 downstairs on the right hand side of the auditorium.

Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House Capacity 234

o Ground level: 194 seats o Balcony: 40 seats

Entrances/Emergency Exits: o Ground level: 1 main entrance plus one more exit on the far side of the room next to the artificial

window (which can be used for latecomers). There is also a fire exit at back of theatre by the stairs to the balcony.

o Balcony: This is entered via the ground level at the back left of the theatre. There is also an emergency exit at the bottom of the stairs.

Specific stewarding details: o The ground level is to be filled up first, filling the middle section, the left hand section (nearest the

main entrance) and finally the right hand section. However if the event is going to be busy it is best to seat the audience in the balcony level before filling the final right hand section, as this area can be easily access by latecomers through the far door to the lecture theatre causing less disturbance. Once the event starts it is difficult to seat people upstairs as the only access to the balcony is via a door at the back of the ground floor of the theatre.

Disabled access: o Through the main entrance of Clement House. o No access to balcony.

Wheelchair places: Seats can be moved to accommodate wheelchair users if notified in advance.

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Sheikh Zayed Theatre, New Academic Building • Capacity 400 • Entrances/Emergency Exits:

o 2 x main entrances on the Lower Ground Floor o 2 x emergency exits at Basement level

• Specific stewarding details: o As NAB is a closed access building, a steward must always be positioned at the gate by the

security desk on the Lincoln’s Inn Fields side to allow public access to the building. o Middle section to be filled first, through one door only, then the side section accessible by the

open door, before switching to the other side. If an event is very busy, instead of switching sides, leave the back row of the middle section free and send audience members across the middle section over to the other aisle to be seated.

o Stewards should be extra strict on seating in this venue, as it is impossible to squeeze past seated members of the audience to access the middle of the rows.

• Disabled access: 2 at LG level, 2 at basement level

Wolfson Theatre, New Academic Building • Capacity 130 • Entrances/Emergency Exits:

o 1 main & 1 side entrance on the Lower Ground Floor • Specific stewarding details:

o As NAB is a closed access building, a steward must always be positioned at the gate by the security desk on the Lincoln’s Inn Fields side to allow public access to the building.

o Seat from front to back o As with the SZT, stewards should be extra strict on seating in this venue, as it is impossible to

squeeze past seated members of the audience to access the middle of the rows. • Disabled access: 1 at LG level

Peacock Theatre, Portugal Street Capacity 999 Entrances/Emergency Exits:

o One entrance on Portugal Street. o Emergency exits: several, as per signage. If you are new to working in this venue make sure you ask

Sam Gaid (Peacock Theatre manager) to advise you on emergency procedures. Specific stewarding details:

o Sam Gaid is the Peacock Manager and he or a designated deputy will always be present for events held in the Peacock. He will advise on all peacock theatre-specific stewarding issues.

o All events require seats with ticket numbers (when open to the public) as part of it’s theatre licensing.

Disabled access: o Main entrance to theatre, then to the Dress Circle via wheelchair route

Wheelchair places: three, on Dress Circle level. Subject to availability, 2 in the Stalls.

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Providing feedback Feedback from stewards is welcomed and encouraged at any time- by speaking to a member of Events Office staff in person, of if you prefer by emailing [email protected]. The Events Office will organise termly feedback meetings at which any issues (on both sides) can be discussed.

Concerns at work including bullying and harassment School is committed to providing a working environment in which all employees feel comfortable and in which everyone is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, transgender status, marital or family status, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, creed, culture, religion or belief, age, disability or any other personal factor or quality. Where possible concerns, problems or complaints should be raised at an early stage. You should if possible raise the concerns informally proposing a possible solution with Alan Revel or Louise Gaskell, or if you do feel it is not appropriate to speak to Louise or Alan you can contact Fiona Metcalfe (Head of External Communications). Further information can be found on the LSE HR website: http://www.lse.ac.uk/intranet/staff/humanResources/Home.aspx