From Overloaded to Outstanding: BC Place’s Journey to World-Class Status
BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, BC, Canada
The Drive for Transformation at BC Place
BC Place is more than just a stadium: it’s a landmark in Vancouver, British Columbia – a state-of-the-art venue renowned for hosting an array of sports and cultural events. As a Crown Corporation and a unionized entity working with the BC General Employees' Union, it operates within a uniquely complex structure as part of the larger PavCo network, meaning that several parties need to be involved in many decision-making processes.
When the Director of Events & Guest Experience began experiencing rapid departmental growth and an ever-growing workload, it was clear something needed to change.
With BC Place gearing up to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, the stakes were high. To further establish BC Place’s reputation as a world-class leader in event management and delivery, in line with the organization’s vision, a strategic overhaul was necessary.
Enter Gen, who was called in as an organizational design consultant and team performance expert here at Grow Better Together to conduct a thorough organizational review. The goal? To realign the team’s structure and processes so the stadium could meet the ambitious goals and expectations that lay ahead, and that it deserved to ace.
Overcoming Growing Pains
BC Place was undergoing an exhilarating yet demanding transformation in the wake of the global pandemic. As the events industry surged back to life, the stadium aimed to solidify its status as a top-tier global event venue, leading to a rapid expansion of the Events & Guest Experience Team – from just 3 members to 15 in a mere 2-3 years. While this growth signaled success and was definitely a good business problem to have, it also brought its own set of challenges.
The increased volume of events and the swift pace at which they were scheduled left the team in reaction mode, making it harder than ever to prioritize proactive planning. This made it difficult to focus on strategic initiatives or continuous improvements, which are vital for sustaining world-class standards.
As dedicated team members worked around the clock to deliver high-quality events, the boundaries between their roles began to blur. Their collective effort to meet client needs resulted in confusion over responsibilities and made career growth within the department more difficult to identify. This affected efficiency and the ability to implement necessary changes, while putting talent retention at risk in the absence of growth opportunities.
The upcoming FIFA World Cup added another layer of complexity. Preparing for such a prestigious event required detailed planning and ample time for strategy, but the Director of Events & Guest Experience was finding it difficult to do so while working from 60-70 hours a week. This demanding workload was not sustainable in the long-term.
Meanwhile, the sales team had also achieved a substantial 25% increase in sales – another positive problem but, equally, another source of pressure. Given that the Events & Guest Experience Team was already operating at full capacity, balancing the influx of additional events without compromising the stadium’s renowned quality became a challenge. Turning away customers was not an option, but neither was sacrificing the high standards that BC Place is known for.
Addressing these challenges was crucial for BC Place to continue establishing itself as a global leader in event management and delivery. The organization needed a strategic approach to transition from a reactive to a proactive stance and continue delivering exceptional events.
Gen’s experience has shown that although the road to transformation is rarely easy, the long-lasting benefits far outweigh the challenges. As she noted, “People are skeptical sometimes, but the Director was incredibly supportive of this approach, even if it wasn’t the easy road.” This commitment to embracing change made all the difference in BC Place’s successful transformation.
“People are skeptical sometimes, but the Director was incredibly supportive of this approach, even if it wasn’t the easy road.”
Strategy for Transformation: The GBT Game Plan
1. Assessing the Situation
Gen began by diving deep into the challenges facing BC Place. She met with the Director of Events & Guest Experience to understand the pressing issues, and reviewed job descriptions to identify potential role confusion. To get a comprehensive view, Gen surveyed all team members and conducted one-on-one interviews. Using Gallup’s CliftonStrengths assessment, she was able to tally individual strengths with roles and pinpoint any areas of misalignment.
2. Aligning with Organizational Goals
With BC Place’s ambitious goals in mind – such as enhancing community involvement, creating meaningful employee experiences, becoming a global leader in event management, and increasing sustainability – Gen developed a strategic framework. These goals served as the guiding star for her recommendations and ensured that proposed changes would contribute to BC Place’s overarching vision.
3. Implementing Strategic Enhancements
Gen identified the need for a more robust management layer to relieve the Director and introduce clear career progression opportunities. The solution was to reshuffle team members who were strong in strategic and influential themes (Gallup) to have 1.5 FTE dedicated to continuous improvement. The role of Manager, Guest Experience was also clarified to entail a stronger leadership and training profile, enhancing frontline staff training and guest satisfaction. Keeping the team FTE neutral, this restructuring exercise aimed to address role confusion and empower team members.
To improve clarity and efficiency, Gen redefined a sub-team’s department title to better reflect their raison d’être, and cut down an unnecessary supervisory layer, allowing for more direct reporting and improved communication flow. She also introduced a RACI Matrix to delineate roles and responsibilities clearly, removing any ambiguities.
The final piece of the puzzle was to meticulously navigate the approval process, ensuring that Gen’s recommendations integrated smoothly with BC Place’s broader organizational structure. This careful consideration was crucial to prevent disorder and allow the changes to benefit the entire organization.
“I was the bottleneck before, and now I’m not”
Results: Transforming BC Place for Global Success
A Revitalized Team
Introducing new roles and redefining responsibilities has alleviated the team’s heavy workload and clarified their functions. New career development pathways are now boosting employee engagement, keeping performance levels high. “We questioned the ‘this person has been doing this for 20 years’ mindset. Titles are now more aligned with responsibilities, and that’s been helpful in the dynamic,” said the Director of Events & Guest Experience.
The RACI Matrix has streamlined communication processes, bringing another level of clarity and empowering the team to become more proactive. “It’s cleared up who does what and defined people’s roles. We’ve eliminated the blurring of job responsibilities, and that has had a positive impact on productivity,” she explained. These changes have not only improved day-to-day operations but have set the team on a path toward sustained growth and excellence.
“It’s cleared up who does what and defined people’s roles. We’ve eliminated the blurring of job responsibilities, and that had a positive impact on productivity.”
Improved Guest Experience
With a focus on leadership and training within the Manager, Guest Experience role, BC Place has further enhanced its guest experience. The implementation of effective training programs and satisfaction surveys have set a solid foundation for continuous improvement going forward.
Strategic Preparation for FIFA
The organizational changes have helped position BC Place to meet the rigorous standards required for hosting the FIFA World Cup. With strategic enhancements in place, the team is well-prepared to handle increased demands and reach its targets.
Long-Term Impact
Gen’s work at BC Place was more than just a minor tweak. By digging deep into the team’s dynamics and realigning its structure, she tackled the big issues head-on and set the team up for long-term success.
Her strategy flipped the team from constantly putting out fires to being proactive, focusing on what’s next and always improving.
That shift was key – moving from maintaining operations to actively striving toward BC Place’s goals for sustained growth.
To hit those big objectives – boosting community involvement, crafting memorable employee experiences, leading globally, and ramping up sustainability – Gen put a solid framework in place.
“I now see my role as someone who can help my team take ownership, rather than someone who fills every gap.”
This wasn’t just about efficiency and collaboration; it was about giving the team clear paths for growth, boosting morale, and driving engagement. With this new structure, the Director could finally step back from the day-to-day grind and lead with vision, steering the team towards those big ambitions.
“I was a bottleneck before, and now I’m not,” said the Director, reflecting on how things had changed after Gen’s involvement. “I now see my role as someone who can help my team take ownership, rather than someone who fills every gap.”
In retrospect, this transformation did more than simply ease immediate pressures. It laid down a foundation for what’s to come. With a more focused team, strengthened leadership, and more engaged employees, BC Place is ready for anything, including hosting the FIFA World Cup. Gen’s knack for organizational transformation made all the difference, proving that with the right approach, big, lasting changes are possible.
For anyone facing similar challenges, Gen’s approach is a roadmap to realigning strategy, ramping up performance, and building a culture that’s always looking to get better. Get in touch today to see how Gen and her team can help transform your organization, drive meaningful change, and set you on the path to achieving your biggest goals.