The Hard Hat Temporary Supply Process
Our temporary labour supply process has been refined through thousands of placements across London and the South East. It is designed to deliver compliant, capable workers to your site as quickly as possible while maintaining the vetting standards demanded by principal contractors and Tier 1 supply chains.
Brief & Requirements Capture
Your temporary labour request begins with a detailed briefing. Our consultants capture the specific roles required, quantities, skill levels, certifications needed, site location, start dates, shift patterns, and any site-specific requirements such as drug and alcohol testing policies or additional training. We also confirm your principal contractor requirements, induction processes, and any supply chain compliance standards that must be met. This briefing typically takes 10-15 minutes and can be done by phone, email, or through our online request form. For established clients, standing requirements can be set up so that repeat orders are processed even faster.
Candidate Matching & Selection
Once we have your brief, our recruitment team searches our vetted workforce database to identify candidates who match your requirements. We prioritise operatives who have previously worked on similar projects, hold the exact certifications required, and are based within commutable distance of your site. For specialist roles, we may also conduct targeted outreach to our wider network. Candidates are contacted, availability confirmed, and role details communicated. We assess willingness, travel logistics, and any potential issues before presenting candidates for deployment.
Compliance Verification
Before any worker is deployed, they must pass our six-point vetting process. This includes Right to Work verification against Home Office approved documents, photo ID checks, CSCS/CPCS/ECS card validation using Smart Check technology, employment reference screening, qualification verification, and a pre-deployment briefing covering your site-specific health and safety requirements. Workers with time-limited permission to work have their documents re-checked before expiry. No worker is ever deployed without completing this process in full — there are no provisional placements and no exceptions.
Deployment & Site Induction
Confirmed workers receive detailed joining instructions including site address, reporting contact, start time, PPE requirements, and any access or parking information. On their first day, workers report to the designated contact and complete your site induction. Where possible, we provide workers who have previously been inducted on your site or with your principal contractor to reduce onboarding time. All deployment details are confirmed to clients in writing, including worker names, CSCS card numbers, and emergency contact information.
Ongoing Management & Support
Your dedicated account manager maintains regular contact throughout the placement. We conduct performance check-ins with your site team, manage timesheets and approvals, handle any issues such as absence or performance concerns, and process rapid replacements when needed. For longer-term placements, we conduct periodic compliance reviews to ensure all documentation remains current. Weekly forecasting calls help us anticipate your labour requirements so we can pre-match candidates and reduce lead times as your programme progresses.
Payroll, Compliance & Invoicing
All workers are employed by Hard Hat on a PAYE basis. We process weekly payroll, handle all tax and National Insurance obligations, manage holiday pay accruals, and administer workplace pensions under auto-enrolment. Clients receive weekly consolidated invoices with full breakdowns by worker, role, and hours worked. All payroll and compliance documentation is maintained in our secure digital systems and available for client or auditor review on request.
Supply Performance Metrics
Average deployment time for standard roles across London
CSCS verification rate — every worker checked before deployment
Employer's Liability insurance on every temporary placement
All workers employed on PAYE — zero CIS, zero IR35 risk