The staffing industry was on a tear a year ago in January, not merely recovering but soaring following the alarming losses amidst the global pandemic. Shepherding this development were the executives of the 2023 Staffing 100, who led their companies through staggering 14% growth in 2022 to $212.8 billion — not just improving over but shattering pre-pandemic performances. To place this in context, the US staffing industry generated $153.1 billion in revenue in 2019.
But it was not all roses and revenue along the way; 2022 posed challenges of its own with the continued effects of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and steep global inflation. The ecosystem had already been grappling with the Great Resignation when quiet quitting reared its head, underscoring the importance of empathetic leadership. In the staffing industry, the temporary penetration rate began to slide downward.
With 2023 seeing mass layoffs at some of the largest US companies, staffing executives face a more moderate 2% growth. At the same time, workers are still demanding more of leadership. The different generations in the workforce want equity in the workforce and a versatile management style that caters to a mission beyond profits. Diversity, equity and inclusion are more than buzzwords to today’s workers. They want diversity of thought and experience both from their peers and the C-suite. Leaders need to juggle varying and often paradoxical demands.
Today, the temporary or contingent workforce — 33 million strong in 2021 — continues to gain in importance. Corporations rely on these contingent workers — independent contractors, SOW consultants, temporary workers and freelancers — to get the job done. It is the Staffing 100 honorees, however, who are shepherding many of these workers and helping shape a new world of work.
As we look forward to an uncertain period, we salute those who guided the ecosystem through an often turbulent 2022. We are proud to list the 2023 Staffing 100 honorees, sponsored by Indeed, on the following pages. Their profiles are available at si100. staffingindustry.com.
