How to choose a hospitality staffing agency in the UK

Start by defining what you actually need

Before you speak to any agency, write down the roles, skills and volumes you need. It makes quotes comparable and exposes agencies that cannot cover your mix of roles.

• Roles: room attendants, housekeeping supervisors, waiting and bar staff, banqueting, porters, concierge or reception
• Volumes: regular weekly cover, seasonal peaks, or one-off events
• Skills: silver service, cocktail bar, PMS or EPOS experience, languages
• Notice: how far ahead you can usually book, and how often you need short-notice cover
• Continuity: whether you want the same people each time

The rules that apply to agency staff

In Great Britain, agencies and employment businesses must follow the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003, which cover things like agreeing terms with hirers, checking workers are suitable for the role and the fees that can be charged. The Agency Workers Regulations 2010 give agency workers some rights from day one, such as access to your staff facilities and information about vacancies, and, after 12 weeks in the same role with the same hirer, the same basic pay and working conditions as if you had recruited them directly.

Other rules that matter in hospitality include:

• Right to work: whoever employs the worker must check they have the right to work in the UK before they start
• National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates apply to agency workers
• Tips: since 1 October 2024 the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 requires tips to be passed on to workers without deductions and allocated fairly at each place of business, and eligible agency workers must be included in that allocation
• Working time: workers are generally entitled to a 20-minute rest break if they work more than six hours
• Alcohol: in England and Wales, under the Licensing Act 2003, every sale of alcohol under a premises licence must be made or authorised by a personal licence holder, and your age verification policy applies to agency bar staff too
• Food hygiene: food handlers must be supervised and trained in food hygiene in line with their work, including allergen awareness

An agency should be able to explain clearly how each of these is handled and who is responsible for what. This is general information, so check the detail against official guidance for your situation.

What to check before you book

• How the agency recruits, interviews and checks references for its staff
• How it confirms skills, such as trial shifts or practical assessments
• Who carries out right-to-work checks and how records are kept
• Insurance: employer’s liability and public liability cover
• Fill rates and how no-shows and late cancellations are handled
• Whether a named account manager is reachable outside office hours
• Temp-to-perm terms if you may want to hire someone permanently

Briefing a temporary team

Temporary staff can only deliver your standard if they know what it is. Agree a short written brief with the agency and keep it updated:

• Arrival time, entrance, who to report to and where to change
• Uniform and grooming standards, and what you will provide
• Service style, menus, room standards or checklists for the shift
• Allergen procedures, alcohol service rules and age verification
• Fire procedures, accident reporting and lone working rules
• How hours are signed off and how timesheets are approved

Comparing quotes fairly

Agency quotes are usually an hourly charge rate that covers the worker’s pay plus the agency’s costs, such as holiday pay, employer’s National Insurance, pension contributions where they apply, and margin. When comparing quotes, check:

• Minimum shift lengths and booking increments
• Enhanced rates for nights, weekends, bank holidays and short notice
• Cancellation terms on both sides
• Whether supervisors or on-site managers are charged separately
• How rates change after the 12-week Agency Workers Regulations qualifying period

The cheapest rate rarely produces the lowest cost if staff need re-training each shift or fail to turn up. Ask for references from venues similar to yours.