Do Temporary Employees Cause a Rise in Work Injury Rates During Peak Seasons?

Written by: Concentra

In industries that experience significant fluctuations in demand, peak seasons are a critical time for some businesses to maximize productivity and revenue. For example, during the holiday season, employers in industries such as retail, transportation and logistics, and warehousing have to balance heightened productivity demands, longer hours of operation, and increased workforce stress. To brace for these business challenges, some employers scale up their workforce by hiring temporary staff.

The addition of seasonal employees provides a valuable opportunity for companies to enhance their operations during a busy and highly profitable period; however, the influx of temporary staff could present significant workplace safety challenges. Some businesses may even experience a rise in work-related injuries, as new employees may not be fully acclimated to the safety protocols and operational procedures. Feeling the pressure to perform, these employees may feel inclined to take shortcuts that could affect workplace safety. Because of the whirlwind environment a busy season like the holidays can create, it's not surprising to see a notable rise in workplace injuries in some sectors.1

The timing of these injury cases and seasonal hiring raises some intriguing questions. Are temporary employees responsible for any significant uptick in workplace injury cases? Should a rise in injury rates be considered a mere coincidence or consequence? To answer these questions, several factors that can influence workplace safety during peak seasons should be considered.

Peak seasonal hiring: A double-edged sword

Whether they’re providing extra hands in the weeks leading up to peak season or providing daily support throughout the season, businesses such as retailers, warehouses, and delivery services hire seasonal employees with several advantages in mind, including:

• Customer demand: Businesses experience a heightened demand during peak seasons and require additional employees to handle the increased workload and ensure customer satisfaction.
• Cost-effectiveness: Hiring temporary workers can be more economical than maintaining a larger, permanent workforce year-round. The flexibility helps business manage their labor costs more efficiently.

While seasonal staff provide much-needed help, which can help reduce the risk of stress and fatigue for permanent employees, an influx of new employees could introduce new risks, including higher injury incidences. An uptick in occupational injuries — especially involving seasonal employees — could be linked to several factors, including:

• Workload volume: One of the primary reasons for a rise in workplace injuries could be workload volume. It’s common for seasonal employees to work long hours in unfamiliar roles and environments. Until an employee becomes acclimated to the working conditions, their activity level could cause fatigue. Tired employees can make mistakes, which could result in work injuries. The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that fatigue is estimated to be a contributing factor in roughly 13 percent of workplace injuries.2 Even experienced employees can suffer from fatigue due to increased workload or longer hours during peak seasons, also placing them at greater risk of injury.
• Inadequate training: Another critical issue with seasonal hiring is the limited time available for training. Unlike permanent employees, seasonal employees often receive only the most essential training, focusing on immediate job tasks rather than comprehensive safety protocols. Whether hired on a temporary or permanent basis, these employees are technically in their first year of employment — new to either the industry, company, or both. In either case, a recent Travelers Injury Impact Report reveals that 35 percent of all workers’ compensation injuries occur during an employee’s first year.3 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) emphasizes that proper training is crucial in preventing workplace injuries.4 Inadequate training leaves seasonal employees less prepared to handle the hazards associated with their roles, thereby increasing the risk of accidents.

More data on work injuries and temporary employees

While data concerning injuries among temporary employees during specific peak seasons like the holidays is scarce, there is available evidence that suggests a notable pattern of higher injury rates among temporary employees compared to full-time employees.5 This trend is particularly evident during peak seasons when many businesses ramp up their staffing levels.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a study that highlighted how temporary and seasonal employees are at greater risk of injury than their full-time counterparts.5 The study found that seasonal and temporary employees often lack the training and support necessary to navigate the busy and sometimes dangerous work environments typical of these high-demand periods. As a result, this short-term workforce may face increased physical demands and stressful situations that can lead to accidents. This information underscored the need for more attention to the safety and training of temporary staff, especially during times of heightened activity.

Understanding peak season work hazards

During peak seasons, employees in various industries face many hazards that can affect their physical and mental health. Tasks like assembling orders, delivering packages, loading trucks, and stocking shelves can cause fatigue. Fatigue can become a greater concern when the workload increases or work hours get longer; there’s also the stress that comes with meeting performance benchmarks. These workplace challenges can create physical and mental fatigue, reducing an employee’s focus or attention to detail.6 Consequently, both regular and seasonal employees can sustain or experience a wide range of conditions related to peak season work, such as musculoskeletal injuries, burnout, anxiety, and depression.6

Understanding how peak season work — especially performed by temporary staff — can impact work injury rates is vital for businesses that want to optimize their operations without compromising workforce safety. Employers should be mindful of how to structure safety training, communication, and supervision when integrating seasonal employees into their teams. By understanding the risks, businesses can help reduce the likelihood of workplace injuries while still benefiting from the increased labor force during the busiest times of the year.

Strategies for mitigating risks

Companies should implement effective injury mitigation strategies regardless of industry or time of year, but these strategies can be especially critical to workforce safety and efficiency during a period of heightened activity and demand. Examples of proactive measures employers can adopt and reinforce during busy seasons include the following:

• Training on job-specific safety procedures: Each employee must understand the safety rules that apply directly to their role. Whether handling equipment, interacting with customers, or managing products, seasonal employees need to be well-informed about best practices to keep themselves and others safe.
• Emergency protocols: Seasonal employees should know what to do in case of an emergency. This includes recognizing potential hazards, knowing how to react in various situations, and where to find emergency equipment. Clear guidelines help staff act quickly and confidently in stressful situations.
• Ergonomics and physical safety tips: Temporary employees benefit from learning how to minimize strain and avoid injuries related to lifting, repetitive motions, and prolonged standing. Tips on correct posture and safe lifting techniques can reduce the chance of workplace injuries.
• Proper use of personal protective equipment: Temporary staff should be trained on how to select, wear, and maintain personal protective equipment (PPE) suitable for their specific tasks. This ensures that seasonal employees understand the importance of protection and how to use equipment like respirators, gloves, and goggles more effectively.
• Regular check-ins and safety meetings: Supervise seasonal employees frequently, especially during their first few weeks on the job. Also, hold recurring meetings to reinforce safety protocols and discuss any incidents or near-misses. These steps can help reduce the chances of costly and dangerous errors.
• Encouragement of reporting: Foster an environment where employees feel comfortable — and understand the importance of — reporting unsafe conditions or practices. Establish clear reporting channels; make sure the communication process is straightforward and accessible to everyone.
• Mentorship programs: Pair new employees with experienced staff to share knowledge and practices. When the pressure is on to perform, a new employee may feel uncomfortable asking pertinent questions in a group setting. Mentors can share their insights through one-on-one interactions, helping new employees feel less overwhelmed and more confident in their roles.
• Implementation of safety technology: Technology solutions can help streamline processes and monitor performance, which can improve efficiency and resource management during peak season.

It’s essential for employers to have a comprehensive workplace safety program. And this is especially crucial while onboarding temporary staff. But even with proper onboarding, it could still take time for temporary employees to become familiar with a company's safety protocols or the specific duties required of them during the hectic peak season. Through careful planning, employee training, improved communication, and the implementation of technology solutions, employers can create a more resilient work environment that instills confidence in seasonal employees, minimizes potential disruptions, and maximizes company success.

What’s the verdict?

No data implicates temporary employees as the culprits to any rise in work injury cases during peak seasons. Injury data does draw a correlation between new employees and injury occurrence. Evidence suggests that a company could experience an uptick in work injury rates when employees are new to the job and not strongly familiar with job-specific hazards or proper safety protocols. Perhaps, injury incidences are more conspicuous during times when some companies hire temporary employees with limited or no industry experience. Again, is it a coincidence or consequence that work injuries may occur in this scenario? The answer is it’s likely both.

While it’s clear that workplace injury risks can increase during peak seasons, attributing any spikes in workers’ compensation cases to a greater presence of temporary employees would be an oversimplification. It would be nothing more than identifying a symptom of a problem rather than pinpointing its root cause.

By recognizing the unique challenges new employees face and implementing proper safety and training measures, companies can help mitigate work injury risks and ensure a safer work environment for all employees. Ultimately, a company’s goal should be to create a workplace where safety is prioritized irrespective of the time of year or an individual’s employment status.

Concentra offers occupational health solutions to businesses

Concentra can provide essential workforce injury care and prevention services to support businesses as they scale up their workforce and activity during busy seasons. Concentra’s workforce injury care and preventive health services offer many benefits and features, such as:

• Potentially reduced health care costs: Onsite health services help control spending by promptly addressing health issues that are often specific to a company and work environment.
• Improved employee productivity: Healthier employees are more productive, potentially taking fewer sick days.
• Customized solutions: Employers partner with Concentra to tailor workforce health services that are unique to their business for the best possible health and safety outcomes.
• Data-driven reporting: Concentra offers Compass Reports, detailed injury case outcomes reporting that reveals injury care effectiveness and improvement opportunities to help both Concentra occupational health clinicians and employers make more informed employee care decisions.

When employees are injured, Concentra’s injury care approach emphasizes the gradual return to normal work and life activities to support faster healing. This approach also includes addressing any biopsychosocial issues that could delay recovery. Concentra believes this approach leads to higher completion rates of return-to-work (RTW) treatment plans, helping to reduce unnecessary disabilities and lost workdays. Some key elements of Concentra’s injury care and prevention include:

• Functional restorative injury care: Concentra physicians and therapists may collaborate to improve return-to-work outcomes and employee recovery. Therapists assess the extent of injury and analyze the job tasks the employee performs before getting hurt. These assessments help track employee recovery and determine their activity level, allowing the employee to focus on functional ability over pain levels.
• Injury prevention and wellness: Concentra offers preventive health programs to help employees avoid injuries altogether. Physical therapists and certified athletic trainers teach employees how to improve health through exercise routines, proper lifting techniques, ergonomics, and workplace stretching to reduce injury risks.
• Specialty care for complex injuries: For work-related injuries that require specialized attention to help employees return to regular activities without setbacks, Concentra has a network of expert clinicians known as Concentra Advanced Specialists (CAS) who offer surgical and nonsurgical care for orthopedic and musculoskeletal issues.

Concentra’s occupational health solutions serve as a vital resource for employers seeking to ensure the health and safety of all employees, both permanent and temporary. Learn more or sign up for Concentra’s workforce injury care or preventive health services.

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References

1. U.S. Department of Labor. (2022, December 14). 9 tips to protect employees during the holiday [Video]. YouTube.
2. NSC Fatigue Reports. (n.d.). National Safety Council.
3. Travelers. (2023, March 17). The Travelers Injury Impact Report.
4. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). Safety Starts with Training. Training.
5. Menger‐Ogle, L. M., Baker, D., Guerin, R. J., & Cunningham, T. R. (2023). A staffing perspective on barriers to and facilitators of temporary worker safety and health. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 66(9), 736–749.
6. Long Work Hours, Extended or Irregular Shifts, and Worker Fatigue – Hazards. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.).