The Power of Employee Experience in Temporary Work
In Portugal, as in other European countries, companies face growing challenges in attracting and retaining talent. Competition for qualified professionals is intense, expectations have shifted, and traditional employment models no longer meet every need for flexibility, wellbeing, and development.
In light of this, temporary work has gained relevance as a solution for team reinforcement, seasonality, or cover for absences. But for this model to succeed, it’s essential to invest in the experience of the temporary worker.
Employee experience has become a decisive factor: it helps companies not only meet immediate needs, but also build an environment of motivation, engagement, and trust—one that encourages recommendations and long-term loyalty.
In this article, we explain why employee experience matters, how temporary work operates in Portugal, and which practical actions help value and retain talent within temporary teams.
Why Is Employee Experience Crucial for Talent Retention?
What is Employee Experience?
Employee experience is the sum of how people feel at work and the quality of their relationship with the company – from first contact and recruitment, through onboarding, day-to-day work and development.
It covers areas such as the welcome and induction, organisational culture, working environment, internal communication, recognition, and growth.
In temporary roles, even short assignments benefit hugely from a strong employee experience—it lifts motivation, builds trust, and fosters real belonging.To learn more about “employee experience”, take a look at this article.
How does Employee Experience Drive Talent Retention?
Feeling valued
When a temporary worker is treated with respect and included in the company’s day-to-day, they feel part of the team – not just an extra pair of hands.
Higher commitment and performance
A good experience leads to greater effort and better results, benefiting both the host company and the staffing agency.
Lower turnover and costs
Keeping temporary staff for longer—or making future collaborations easier—cuts recruitment, training and onboarding costs.
Talent ready for the future
Many temporary workers look for stability. By offering a positive experience, the company opens the door to continuity, conversion to permanent roles, or positive word-of-mouth in the market.
What Is Temporary Work in Portugal?
Temporary work is an employment arrangement with three parties:
- the worker, who performs the role;
- the temporary work agency (ETT), which recruits, hires, pays, and ensures all legal obligations;
- the host company, where the worker actually performs their day-to-day duties.
This model lets the host company strengthen its team for a set period or to meet a specific need—such as covering absences, seasonal peaks, or short-term projects.
In Portugal, the legal framework for temporary work is set out in Law No. 19/2007, which governs this type of contract.
Practical example: In a fixed-term contract signed between the ETT and the worker, the activity is carried out at the host company, with a defined start and end date.
How does a temporary employment contract work?
A temporary employment contract must always be in writing and include the following:
- Identification of the parties involved;
- The justification for entering into the contract;
- The role to be performed;
- Place of work and working hours/period;
- Pay;
- Start date and end date.
In Portugal, the employment law for temporary contracts states that this type of contract cannot exceed two years, including any renewals.
In addition, the contract’s duration must not outlast the justification provided by the host company.
Renewals also follow specific rules: the maximum number of renewals has been reduced from six to four, and each contract should not be shorter than six months, except where the law states otherwise.
Equal rights and transparent management
Temporary workers have the same rights as other employees at the host company, particularly in terms of pay and working conditions.
When a business needs to reinforce its team—whether to cover an absence or respond to a surge in activity—it can work with a temporary work agency that formalises the contract and ensures all legal obligations are met.
Managing this process openly and transparently is vital for a better employee experience and stronger talent retention.
When expectations are well defined and respected, the relationship between company and worker gains value and is built on trust.
At Timing, we believe every temporary placement can be an opportunity for growth.
Explore our Temporary Work solutions and see how we create positive experiences for both companies and people.
5 Advantages of Hiring a Temporary Worker
For host companies, bringing in temporary staff offers benefits that go far beyond flexibility.
This model lets you respond quickly to business needs while building trust and adding value for professionals.
Team flexibility
Adjust team size to cover activity peaks, new projects or temporary absences without creating a permanent role.
This agility makes temporary work an effective solution for companies that need to adapt fast to market demands.
Faster recruitment
Temporary work agencies like Timing have specialised recruitment processes and up-to-date talent pools, speeding up the selection of qualified professionals and easing the pressure on in-house recruitment.
Efficient resource management
Temporary work supports a balanced approach to people and budgets, especially in periods of volatility or seasonality.
Through a temporary work agency, you can right-size teams as needed while ensuring quality, legal compliance and sustainable investment in talent.
Assessing performance in the workplace
A major advantage is the ability to evaluate performance and cultural fit on the job before moving to a permanent hire.
This model helps companies make safer decisions based on real results and alignment with organisational culture.
Indirect talent retention
When temporary workers have a positive experience (good conditions, solid onboarding and recognition) they are more likely to return, recommend your company, or seek a permanent role.
In this way, temporary work strengthens the employee experience and helps reduce talent waste in the market
5 Practical Strategies to Value Temporary Workers and Retain Talent
Valuing temporary staff is an investment in motivation, productivity and trust.
These simple, effective strategies improve the employee experience and strengthen the bond between company and team. Here are five you can adopt:
Onboarding plan for new starters
Even for temporary staff, you need to ensure a proper onboarding plan in place.
Introduce the company and its values, the team, the role and objectives. A warm welcome is the first step to helping someone feel included and motivated from day one.
Make them part of the team
Bring temporary workers into day-to-day routines: meetings, updates and team moments.
Assigning a mentor or go-to colleague reduces isolation and builds a sense of belonging and collaboration.
Training and development
Offer learning opportunities, even on short assignments.
The chance to build new skills boosts motivation, improves performance and reinforces personal and professional value.
Regular feedback
Create ongoing opportunities for evaluation and recognition.
Giving constructive feedback and celebrating wins builds confidence and shows appreciation, two pillars of talent retention.
Equivalent working conditions
Ensure temporary workers have fair, comparable working conditions, where applicable, to the rest of the team: a healthy environment, the right resources, equipment and compatible benefits.
Equal conditions signal respect and transparency, which are essential for a positive work experience.
Treating a temporary worker as a true member of the team pays off: higher productivity, greater satisfaction and a stronger reputation for the company, and increased motivation and confidence for the professional.
For leading agencies like Timing – Temporary Work Agency, this appreciation is more than best practice.
It’s a strategy that turns every assignment into an opportunity for mutual growth and a competitive edge in the Portuguese market.
– Did this topic help you?
If you’re looking for your next opportunity, explore our current vacancies and register on our site to access roles across Portugal, from north to south and the islands.
If your company needs to strengthen teams with transparency and speed, discover Timing’s solutions and see how we turn temporary work into shared growth.
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