Where do references fit in temp agency onboarding?
Start them at registration, run them alongside everything else, and they stop being the check that holds up a first shift.
When should temp agency onboarding references be sent?
Send temp agency onboarding references at registration, as soon as the worker gives consent, not when they are booked for a shift. References are usually the slowest check, so starting them first lets right to work, ID, tickets and induction happen while referees reply. With RefAssure, half of references are back within 24 hours and the rest are chased automatically.
A temp onboarding flow that does not stall.
Register and consent
Take details, issue the key information document and send the reference request. The worker signs consent online.
Check in parallel
While referees reply, check right to work and ID, verify tickets and run a DBS check if the role is eligible.
Review and clear
Read each reference, explain any gaps in history, and record who cleared the worker and when.
Induct and book
Site induction and PPE, then the first shift. The reference PDF is already on file for the client.
Why references go first
Most onboarding checks are in your hands. You can check a passport or share code today. You can verify a forklift ticket with the provider. References depend on someone else finding time to reply, so they need the longest run-up.
Sending them at booking means the worker is waiting on a stranger's inbox the night before a shift. Sending them at registration means they are usually back long before the first booking, and you can place the worker the moment work comes in.
What to collect at registration
- Two referees with a named contact, a work email and, ideally, a mobile.
- Dates of each recent role, including agency assignments, so gaps can be explained.
- The role types the worker wants, so you use the right reference template.
Make clearance a recorded decision
The moment a worker becomes bookable should be a decision someone makes and records, not something that happens because the system let them through. Note who reviewed the references, what they checked and the date. If a client or the Fair Work Agency asks later, that one line answers a lot of questions. It also stops a busy consultant booking a worker whose second referee has not replied yet.
For a full list of checks across the first week, see our new starter checklist and guide to pre-employment checks.
Your onboarding, at a glance.
The dashboard shows which workers are complete, which are waiting and what happened most recently, for the whole team.
- Unlimited team members, shared credits
- 5 emails and up to 2 texts over 12 days per referee
- Bounced emails flagged, most within minutes
- You are told after day 12 so you can add another referee
Onboarding reference questions
More in the full FAQs.
Should references come before or after right to work checks?
Run them at the same time. Right to work must be checked before the work starts, and references take longest, so neither should wait for the other. See right to work checks.
Does RefAssure do right to work or DBS checks?
No. RefAssure handles references and employment history. Right to work follows Home Office guidance, and DBS checks go through the DBS or a registered body.
Can workers be placed before references are back?
For some commercial roles, with client agreement and a recorded risk decision. Not for roles with vulnerable people. See temp worker references.
How long does it take to set up a reference?
About two minutes per worker. RefAssure then handles consent, requests and chasing on its own.
Can I use my existing reference form?
Yes. Upload it as a PDF or Word file and it becomes a template on your account in about 20 seconds. Check it before you use it.
What does it cost?
Your first reference is free. Then from 99p down to 80p each, with no monthly fee and no VAT added. See pricing.
Related guides
References that are back before the booking.
Your first reference is free. Send at registration and let RefAssure chase.