Temporary employees
Need some extra help in the workplace? Temporary workers such as students, interns or agency workers can be a life-saver, bringing fresh energy and lightening the workload just when you need it. The downside is that they tend to have less experience and are unfamiliar with your company, which makes it hard for them to assess situations properly. As a result, they’re at higher risk of work accidents, increased stress and other problems. But don’t let that deter you: Mensura can help you ensure their wellbeing, to create a genuine win-win situation.
Who are these temporary team-mates?
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Temporary employees give your organisation a boost for a limited period. There are various categories:
Student workers: young people aged 16 and over (15 under certain conditions) who temporarily work at a company under a student contract. They are allowed to work a maximum of 650 hours per year and cannot take on absolutely any role.
Interns: work as part of an official course program organised by an educational institution.
Agency workers: recruited through a temporary employment or temping agency. The agency remains the legal employer, but as the ‘user’ you are responsible for their wellbeing at work.
Article 60 employees: people receiving benefits from the public welfare centre can gain work experience while continuing to receive their payments. This makes it easier for them to return to the job market, for example after a long period of unemployment. The public welfare centre remains the legal employer, but as the ‘user’ you are responsible for their wellbeing at work.
Plus: flexi-workers, seasonal workers, employees on fixed-term contracts and others.
What do they have in common? They’re new to your workplace and often a bit inexperienced. As a result, they’re more at risk of a work accident, stress and so on. This means that an extra focus on risk prevention is needed, with clear onboarding, extra guidance and clear agreements.
Do you need support? Our will be happy to help.Relevant training courses
With our extensive range of training courses, you can build a safe, healthy and productive workplace in various fields.
Temps: our top tips
Just because someone’s in the workplace temporarily, it doesn’t mean that wellbeing is temporarily less important. Your extra hands are just as much a part of your wellbeing policy as your permanent employees.
- Start with the basics: your .
You should explicitly include temporary employees in your risk assessment. What are the pitfalls for them? List the specific risks – by doing so you can gain a proper overview.
Get your occupational physician to assess the temporary employee’s if your assessment indicates this is necessary.Make clear agreements about tasks, risks, preventive measures and emergency procedures using a workstation sheet. Make sure everyone knows about this. Not just your temporary employee, but the public welfare centre, the college, the temporary employment agency and so on.
Forewarned is forearmed: provide suitable training and guidance. Consider a welcome brochure or mentoring.
Be aware of what is and isn’t allowed. Temporary workers – especially students – aren’t allowed to do absolutely any job. For example, they can’t do work involving exposure to toxic radiation or to extreme cold or heat. So be sure to check the restrictions before hiring a temporary employee.
For more detailed information per employee category, you can check our handy information sheets on MyMensura.
Mensura can help with your temporary employees
With Mensura, you can ensure a safe workplace where every employee – permanent and temporary – also feels genuinely happy.
What our experts have to say