4 Ways to Help Summer Temp Staff Contribute from Day One

By Shane McDuling, Managing Director, Workforce International (UK) Ltd

The CIPD’s Labour Market Outlook (May 2026) found that 58% of UK employers now see cost management as their top priority. With permanent headcount under cost pressure, temp staff are playing a bigger role in supporting businesses during peaks, so making those placements work well matters.

In practice, that usually comes down to four things: how you brief people, how you welcome them, how you support them through the shift, and whether you build for repeat.

This is a practical guide for operations leaders  across sectors like construction, logistics, hospitality and retail, who are employing temp staff over summer and want to build a more productive, collaborative relationship with the people supporting their teams.

A strong placement often starts before someone arrives on site.

When time is tight, it’s easy to brief only on numbers, “we need three drivers”, “two extra labourers”, “a pair of kitchen porters”. But even similar roles can call for different strengths. A Class 2 driver on multi-drop delivery needs something different from a Class 2 driver on trunk routes. A kitchen porter in a 200-cover wedding venue works at a different pace from one in a 40-seat restaurant.

A useful brief should cover:

• Shift pattern — start time, length, weekends, any unsocial hours
• The work itself — specific tasks, environment, pace
• The team they’ll join — who they report to, who they’ll work alongside
• Qualifications and tickets — CPC and FLT for logistics, CSCS for construction, food safety for hospitality — whatever applies to the role
• Location and access — site address, parking, transport links
• Pay and benefits — rate, overtime, benefits and any uplift; clear salary information can significantly improve application rates
• What a good day looks — the one most people skip

That final point often makes the biggest difference. When an agency or candidate understands what a good day looks like in your operation, it can match people more thoughtfully and accurately, not just against a job title, but against the way your team works.

It also helps to share the same information with the temp before they arrive. Someone who knows the address, the team, the dress code and the work is much more likely to arrive ready to contribute.

A thoughtful welcome can make a big difference to how quickly someone settles in.

When someone is only with you for a few weeks, it can be tempting to skip parts of the welcome you would give a permanent hire — the induction, the team introduction, the extra context around the role.

In practice, those first moments matter even more on a short placement. A temp who feels supported from day one is far more likely to settle quickly and stay engaged.

Four simple things help:

1. Make sure someone is ready for them. A named person meeting them at the start helps things feel organised straight away.
2. Introduce them to the team. A quick walk-round and a few first names can make the workplace feel much more approachable.
3. Explain how your operation works. Even experienced temps benefit from hearing how you like things done in your setting.
4. Be clear about where to go for help. Knowing who to ask builds confidence and helps small issues get resolved quickly.

None of this is complex, it just needs a bit of intention.

This is often where the biggest gains are made.

When temp staff are included in the rhythm of the team — shift briefings, feedback, small conversations, recognition for good work — they are usually able to contribute more quickly and more confidently. Often, the difference is less about the role itself and more about how supported people feel doing it.

Day to day, that can look like this:

• Include them in everyday team life. Small moments of inclusion help people feel settled and part of the team.
• Give clear, timely feedback. Let people know what is going well and where they can adjust.
• Ask for their perspective. Temp staff often bring useful insight from other sites and teams.
• Keep your agency in the loop. Sharing feedback early makes it easier to support a placement well.

One of the most effective things you can do is ask for the same people back.

When someone has already worked with you, their next placement with you is even smoother. They know the layout, the standards and the team, so they can settle in faster and add value sooner.

At Workforce International UK, we help regular clients build a reliable bench of vetted, available people for busy periods. That means the people returning to your site may already know your operation and how your team works.

If repeat placements are difficult to arrange, it’s worth asking your agency how they approach continuity. The organisations that handle seasonal demand well are often the ones that build familiarity over time.

And when someone is performing especially well, moving the conversation towards a permanent role should feel straightforward. That is one way short-term cover can become longer-term value.

If you’re using temp staff this summer, or preparing to, here are three useful actions for this week:

1. Write a fuller brief. A little more context up front can prevent a lot of avoidable friction later.
2. Plan the welcome. Decide who will meet each temp, introduce them to the team and answer questions on day one.
3. Ask about repeat candidates. Bringing back people who already know your operation can make busy periods much easier to manage.

Get those three things right, and summer temp staff can become a confident, dependable extension of your team.