21 January 2026
Agency desk vs host HR — who owns which part of the transition
Temporary-to-permanent moves stall when workers send the same email to both sides. Split the asks so each office can actually answer.
In a typical German temporary assignment, the agency remains your formal employer while the host company directs daily work. A permanent hire usually means leaving the agency relationship entirely — which is why both offices care, and why mixed messages create delay.
What the agency can answer
- Status of your temporary employment agreement
- Whether they have been asked to quote a conversion or takeover fee
- End dates and notice on the temporary side
What host HR can answer
- Whether a permanent headcount exists for your function
- Internal application steps and required documents
- Start date and contract language for Festanstellung
What to avoid
Copying both parties on every emotional update. Employment consulting in this field often begins by sorting a tangled thread of emails into two clean lists of questions. Once each side has a list they can answer, the temporary-to-permanent path becomes visible again — even if the answer is “not this quarter.”