Temporary workers play a vital role in keeping operations moving, especially during peak seasons, special projects or rapid-growth periods. But, because these workers are often new to your facility, your equipment or the processes you follow, the risk of safety incidents increases when the right guardrails aren’t in place.
Reinforcing safe habits is best practice, primarily for preventing injuries, but secondarily for minimizing downtime, protecting your brand and creating a workforce that is confident, capable and productive from day one. With the right approach, temporary staff can integrate seamlessly into your culture of safety.
Here are five proven ways to reinforce safe habits among your temporary workforce.
1. Deliver clear, job-specific safety training on day one
The first shift is your most important opportunity to set expectations and build trust. Every new employee should receive:
- Detailed, task-specific safety instructions
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) demonstrations, including how to properly use and maintain equipment
- A walkthrough of emergency procedures, reporting protocols and who to go to with questions
- A warm, intentional welcome that helps them feel part of the team
According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), host employers are responsible for providing work-specific safety training to temporary workers, and doing so significantly reduces workplace incidents. The American Staffing Association reinforces that staffing agencies share responsibility for ensuring a safe environment, in addition to making placements. When both sides commit to thorough onboarding, safety outcomes improve.
2. Check in daily
Daily engagement is one of the simplest and most effective ways to maintain safety. Quick touchpoints like morning huddles, walk-throughs or short start-of-shift conversations can help:
- Reinforce expectations
- Surface concerns early
- Ensure workers understand new tasks or changes
- Build rapport and trust
Temporary staff who feel seen and supported are more likely to follow safe protocols and speak up when something feels off.
3. Include temporary hires in all safety communications
Temporary workers must receive the same safety communication that your full-time staff gets. This consistency helps establish a unified culture and reduces the “outsider” feeling that can lead to mistakes. It’s important to make sure temps are included in:
- Safety newsletters and bulletins
- Digital alerts or dashboard updates
- Team huddles, briefings and talks
- Visual reminders posted throughout the facility
When expectations are visible and repeated, temporary employees learn faster, retain more, and feel empowered to report hazards without hesitation.
4. Partner closely with your staffing agency
Your staffing agency should be a true partner who helps you ensure safety. Through close collaboration, you can:
- Share site-specific safety needs ahead of placement
- Provide the agency with training materials, updates and changes
- Conduct on-site or virtual safety reviews
- Reinforce safe habits with follow-up conversations
At WorkSmart, we see safety as a shared responsibility. We work hand-in-hand with employers to make sure every temporary employee arrives informed, prepared and supported throughout their assignment.
5. Recognize and reward safe behavior
Positive reinforcement is one of the strongest tools for building lasting safety habits. Simple actions make a big difference:
- Thank workers who identify hazards or ask clarifying questions
- Celebrate teams for proactive safety wins
- Offer small incentives when safe protocols are consistently followed
- Treat mistakes as learning opportunities; don’t use a one-off mistake as grounds for punishment
SHRM notes that transparency and reporting are essential. Workers need to feel that speaking up is appreciated and should be assured they will not be penalized.
Final thoughts
Temporary staff bring flexibility, energy and new perspectives to your workforce, but integrating them safely requires intention. When companies combine strong onboarding, daily engagement, open communication, agency partnership and recognition of safe behavior, they create an environment where every worker, regardless of employment type, feels valued and protected.
Investing in the safety of your temporary employees is compliant, but more importantly, it’s true leadership, operational excellence and the foundation for a workforce who shows up confidently and performs at its best.
