Is feedback such as “this worker isn’t working out” enough? Definitely not. In that situation, the staffing agency cannot tell whether the issue concerns work quality, pace, attendance, communication, difficulty understanding instructions or a poor fit for the specific role. The more specific the feedback the client provides, the easier it becomes to identify the cause and decide whether the next step should be a conversation with the worker, additional guidance, an organisational change or, if necessary, a replacement.
In this article
- Why “this worker isn’t working out” tells the agency too little
- What information helps a staffing agency assess the situation
- When should you contact the coordinator?
- Is the worker always the source of the problem?
- How to turn a general opinion into useful feedback
- What can the staffing agency do after receiving feedback?
- FAQ
1. Good feedback describes the situation, not the person
When a company works with temporary workers, the team leader or supervisor should pass this type of information to the person responsible for contact with the staffing agency. The way they describe the situation matters. The details they provide help determine whether the agency should act immediately or first establish what actually happened during the shift.
Statements such as “he is too slow”, “she doesn’t listen” or “he isn’t suitable for warehouse work” only express an opinion about the worker. They do not explain what actually happened. A comment such as “after three shifts, the worker still has difficulty picking according to location, even after the team leader explained the process again” gives the agency much more useful information.
The key difference lies in separating facts from interpretation. For example, “during two shifts, the worker placed a product in the wrong location three times” describes observable behaviour that the agency can verify and discuss with the worker. Saying “the worker is careless” does not provide the same context.
This additional information does not make the assessment less critical. On the contrary, constructive feedback makes it easier to identify exactly what needs to change instead of relying on a general judgement.
2. A staffing agency needs context, not just information about a mistake
Useful feedback should help the staffing agency answer several questions. What exactly happened? Which task was the worker performing? Did the situation occur once or several times? What standard did the company expect, and did the worker know that standard?
It also matters what happened after the team leader addressed the issue. If the worker corrected the mistake after receiving feedback, the situation looks very different from one in which the same error continues despite repeated instructions.
The same applies to statements such as “the worker is too slow”. Does the worker know the expected pace? How long have they performed the task? Did they receive proper onboarding and instruction?
Companies can prevent some problems before recruitment starts by describing the role and its requirements accurately. If the actual working conditions differ from the information used during recruitment, replacing the worker may not solve the issue. We explain this in more detail in our article on what a staffing agency needs before recruitment.
3. Not every problem requires immediate escalation, but waiting too long does not help
Mistakes happen, particularly when someone has just started a new job. They form a normal part of learning a new process. However, if the same situation keeps occurring, the company should inform the coordinator before the problem becomes established.
This does not mean that every mistake deserves the same response. Some situations require immediate action. Issues involving safety, serious breaches of procedures, leaving the workplace without permission or an unexplained absence should reach the staffing agency as quickly as possible.
Reporting every minor mistake will not improve cooperation. At the same time, the agency needs to hear about a meaningful problem early enough to act while there is still a realistic opportunity to correct it.
4. A problem at work does not always mean there is a problem with the worker
Sometimes one worker may struggle with one particular task. In that case, it makes sense to review the onboarding process, look at how the worker performs the task and then assess whether the role suits them.
The situation changes when several new workers experience the same difficulty.
If eight people make the same mistake, the cause may not lie solely in recruitment or individual employee performance. An unclear instruction, insufficient training or a difference between the actual duties and those described during recruitment may also explain the problem.
A worker may have the right abilities for the role but still lack experience with a specific machine, procedure or standard used at the client’s site.
Before deciding to replace someone, it is therefore worth asking one question: Will the next person who starts in the same position face exactly the same problem?
5. Specific information makes it easier to choose the right response
The following feedback examples show how a small change in wording can give the staffing agency much more useful information.
| Feedback that is too general | Information the agency can work with | Possible next step |
|---|---|---|
| “The worker is too slow” | “After four shifts, the worker still does not reach the expected picking pace, even after the process was explained again” | talk to the worker and review onboarding and role fit |
| “The worker keeps making mistakes” | “During the last two shifts, four orders contained the wrong product even after the verification process was explained again” | identify the cause, repeat instruction or reassess the fit |
| “The worker doesn’t understand instructions” | “The worker handles standard tasks correctly but struggles to understand verbal instructions when the process changes” | check the communication barrier, instruction method and language requirement |
| “The worker doesn’t follow procedures” | “During two shifts, the worker started the task without completing the required check, despite having discussed the procedure earlier” | clarify the cause, reinforce the standard and assess the resulting risk |
| “The worker has a punctuality problem” | “This week, the worker started three shifts 15-25 minutes after the agreed time” | speak to the worker and determine the reason for the delays |
| “The worker isn’t suitable for this job” | “The worker handles packaging correctly but struggles with tasks that require terminal use and independently resolving discrepancies” | consider additional onboarding, another task or replacement |
Specific feedback also reduces the risk that the client and the worker describe the same issue in completely different ways.
6. The coordinator can respond once they know what actually happened
When the coordinator receives specific information, they can contact the worker, hear their perspective and compare it with the client’s account. This helps determine whether the problem comes from poor role fit, misunderstanding the rules, insufficient onboarding, the way the work is organised or another cause.
A general judgement gives the coordinator much less to work with than clear and factual feedback. The Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) model described by the Center for Creative Leadership provides a useful framework. It focuses feedback on a specific situation, observable behaviour and the impact of that behaviour. This gives both sides a much stronger basis for action than statements such as “the worker isn’t working out” or “the worker is careless”.
For example, if the client reports that a worker repeatedly skipped a required process step despite earlier instruction, the coordinator can address that exact behaviour during the conversation. If the client only says “the worker doesn’t listen”, the coordinator first has to determine what actually happened.
After speaking with both sides, the agency and client can decide on the next step. Sometimes another explanation or additional support during onboarding solves the issue. In other cases, the company may need to change the way it organises the task, move the worker to another activity or request a replacement when the problem cannot be corrected.
However, replacement should not automatically follow every piece of negative feedback. If an unclear instruction, a different scope of work than originally agreed or a problem affecting several new workers causes the difficulty, the next worker may face exactly the same situation.
Companies should also share positive feedback with the staffing agency. If a worker becomes independent quickly, performs particular tasks well or appears ready to take on more responsibility, that information can support further coordination and better decisions about their work.
FAQ
What should feedback about a temporary worker include?
It should describe a specific situation or behaviour, identify the expected standard and explain whether the problem happened once or keeps recurring. The company should also tell the staffing agency whether the team leader has already discussed the issue with the worker.
When should a company report a problem to the staffing agency?
Minor issues may first require observation and correction at the workstation. However, if the situation keeps recurring or involves safety, serious procedural breaches, behaviour or absence, the company should inform the staffing agency quickly.
Does negative feedback mean the worker needs to be replaced?
No. The client and staffing agency should first identify the source of the problem. The worker may not fit the role, but insufficient onboarding, unclear instructions, different duties than originally agreed or communication problems can also cause difficulties. The next step should depend on what the assessment shows.
