With more people working as temporary staff than the entire population of Germany, the global staffing industry is a $685 billion powerhouse that's fundamentally reshaping how the world gets work done.
Key Takeaways
- The global staffing industry generated $652.5 billion in revenue in 2022, marking a 7.9% year-over-year increase driven by demand in IT and industrial sectors.
- In 2023, the worldwide staffing market reached approximately $685 billion, with North America contributing 38% of total revenue.
- Europe's staffing industry revenue hit €149 billion in 2022, accounting for 25% of the global market.
- The global staffing market is projected to grow from $670 billion in 2023 to $785 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 5.5%.
- Europe's staffing market expected to reach €170 billion by 2025, with 3.2% CAGR from 2022-2025.
- US staffing industry forecasted to hit $200 billion by 2025, growing at 4.1% annually.
- North America holds 38% of global staffing market share in 2023, expected to maintain dominance through 2030.
- Europe accounts for 27% of worldwide staffing revenue in 2023, with Germany leading at €35 billion.
- Asia-Pacific represents 22% of global staffing market in 2023, Japan contributing 40% of regional revenue.
- Global temporary workers numbered 88 million in 2022, up 2.5% from 2021.
- Women comprise 42% of global staffing workforce in 2023, higher in office roles at 68%.
- IT staffing employed 12 million temps globally in 2023, 14% of total temps.
- Global staffing industry segment for IT holds 22% market share in 2023.
- Healthcare staffing segment revenue $42 billion globally in 2023, 6% of total.
- Industrial/Production staffing 30% of global market revenue in 2023 at $206 billion.
The global staffing industry is growing strongly, driven especially by IT and industrial hiring.
Employment & Workforce Data
- Global temporary workers numbered 88 million in 2022, up 2.5% from 2021.
- Women comprise 42% of global staffing workforce in 2023, higher in office roles at 68%.
- IT staffing employed 12 million temps globally in 2023, 14% of total temps.
- Healthcare staffing filled 8.5 million positions worldwide in 2022.
- Industrial staffing workers totaled 28 million globally in 2023, 32% of market.
- Gig platform workers in staffing reached 15 million in 2023, 17% growth YoY.
- Average tenure of temp workers globally is 4.2 months in 2023.
- 65% of staffing workers are under 35 years old globally in 2023.
- US staffing industry placed 16.2 million temps in 2023, 11% of workforce.
- Europe's temp workforce 6.5 million in 2022, penetration 2.8%.
- APAC temp employment 45 million in 2023, led by China at 20 million.
- 22% of global temps work in permanent placements via staffing firms.
- Average hourly wage for temps globally $15.50 in 2023, 12% above minimum wage.
- Healthcare temps average 1,200 hours/year globally vs 1,800 for permanents.
- 18% of staffing workers are skilled tradespeople globally in 2023.
- Global staffing firms employed 4.2 million direct staff in 2022.
- IT staffing bill rates averaged $65/hour globally in 2023.
- 35% of temps transition to permanent roles annually worldwide.
Employment & Workforce Data Interpretation
The global staffing industry is a dynamic engine of mostly young, adaptable workers, efficiently fueling everything from tech booms to hospital shifts, yet its true power lies in being a revolving door that often spins temp workers into permanent careers.
Financial & Operational Metrics
- Global staffing gross margin averaged 21.5% in 2023.
- Top 50 global staffing firms generated $240 billion revenue in 2023, 35% market share.
- Average staffing firm revenue per employee $450,000 globally in 2023.
- Global staffing net profit margin 3.2% in 2023, up from 2.8% in 2022.
- IT staffing gross margins 25.8% vs industrial 18.2% in 2023 globally.
- Staffing industry pays $120 billion in global payroll taxes annually.
- Average account receivable days for staffing firms 45 days in 2023.
- M&A activity in staffing: 250 deals globally in 2023, total value $18 billion.
- Global staffing bad debt rate 0.8% of revenue in 2023.
- Top staffing firm Adecco Group revenue $23.4 billion in 2023.
- Randstad NV global revenue €27.5 billion ($29.8B) in 2023.
- ManpowerGroup revenue $18.9 billion in 2023.
- Global staffing marketing spend 1.2% of revenue on average.
- Tech investment in staffing firms averages 4.5% of revenue.
- Employee turnover in staffing firms 28% annually global average.
- 72% of staffing firms use VMS (Vendor Management Systems) in 2023.
- Global staffing worker safety incident rate 1.2 per 100 workers.
- Allegis Group revenue $14.5 billion, #4 global staffing firm 2023.
- Global staffing industry paid out $450 billion in worker wages in 2023.
Financial & Operational Metrics Interpretation
The staffing industry is a trillion-dollar, high-volume game of razor-thin profitability, where a firm's own employees are just as likely to leave as a client's invoice is to get paid, but at least the robots haven't figured out how to take our jobs yet.
Growth Rates & Projections
- The global staffing market is projected to grow from $670 billion in 2023 to $785 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 5.5%.
- Europe's staffing market expected to reach €170 billion by 2025, with 3.2% CAGR from 2022-2025.
- US staffing industry forecasted to hit $200 billion by 2025, growing at 4.1% annually.
- Asia-Pacific staffing market CAGR of 7.2% projected from 2023-2030, reaching $210 billion.
- Global IT staffing segment to grow at 6.8% CAGR to $280 billion by 2028.
- Healthcare staffing market worldwide expected to expand from $42 billion in 2023 to $65 billion by 2030 at 6.4% CAGR.
- Industrial staffing global growth rate of 5.9% YoY in 2023, projected to continue through 2025.
- The gig economy staffing segment to surge 8.5% CAGR globally to 2030.
- Latin America staffing market projected CAGR 6.1% to $38 billion by 2027.
- Global RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) market to grow from $15 billion in 2023 to $25 billion by 2030.
- Temporary staffing in APAC expected 7.8% growth in 2024 alone.
- Europe's office clerical staffing to decline -1.2% in 2024 but rebound to 2.5% CAGR post-2025.
- Global staffing penetration rate (temp workers as % of workforce) to rise from 2.1% to 2.5% by 2030.
- North America staffing CAGR 4.5% through 2028, driven by tech and healthcare.
- UK staffing market forecast to grow 3.8% in 2024 to £40 billion.
Growth Rates & Projections Interpretation
While the robots aren't taking all the jobs just yet, the global scramble to secure human talent—from gig workers to healthcare heroes—is fueling a gold rush that's projected to add over a hundred billion dollars to the industry's coffers in just a few short years.
Industry Segments
- Global staffing industry segment for IT holds 22% market share in 2023.
- Healthcare staffing segment revenue $42 billion globally in 2023, 6% of total.
- Industrial/Production staffing 30% of global market revenue in 2023 at $206 billion.
- Office-Clerical staffing 18% share, $123 billion revenue worldwide 2023.
- Engineering staffing segment $85 billion in 2023, 12% market share.
- Finance/Accounting staffing $35 billion globally, 5% of total in 2023.
- HIRED (Scientific/Lab) staffing 4% share, $27 billion revenue 2023.
- Legal staffing segment worldwide $12 billion in 2023.
- Education staffing $18 billion globally, growing 5% YoY in 2023.
- Hospitality staffing segment $22 billion in 2023, 3% market share.
- Logistics/Transportation staffing $40 billion, 6% global share 2023.
- Marketing/creative staffing $15 billion worldwide in 2023.
- RPO segment within staffing $15 billion in 2023, 2% of total.
- MSP (Managed Service Provider) staffing $8 billion globally 2023.
- Gaming/Esports staffing emerging at $2 billion in 2023.
Industry Segments Interpretation
While the industrial sector flexes its muscles with a colossal $206 billion revenue, the clever IT crowd quietly commands the strategic high ground as the largest segment by market share, proving that in the modern economy, brains and brawn are equally lucrative—just ask the healthcare workers bringing in $42 billion or the engineers building $85 billion worth of solutions.
Market Size & Revenue
- The global staffing industry generated $652.5 billion in revenue in 2022, marking a 7.9% year-over-year increase driven by demand in IT and industrial sectors.
- In 2023, the worldwide staffing market reached approximately $685 billion, with North America contributing 38% of total revenue.
- Europe's staffing industry revenue hit €149 billion in 2022, accounting for 25% of the global market.
- The Asia-Pacific staffing market size was valued at $120.3 billion in 2023, growing due to manufacturing resurgence.
- Global temporary staffing revenue stood at $485 billion in 2022, representing 74% of total industry revenue.
- In 2021, the global staffing market was $603 billion, with a CAGR of 5.2% from 2017-2021.
- US staffing industry revenue reached $185.5 billion in 2023, the largest single-country market globally.
- Japan's staffing market generated ¥6.2 trillion (about $45 billion) in FY2022.
- The Latin American staffing market was valued at $28 billion in 2022, led by Brazil and Mexico.
- Australia's staffing revenue hit AUD 55 billion ($36 billion USD) in 2023.
- Global staffing revenue per capita was $83 in 2022 across a population of 7.9 billion.
- The Middle East & Africa staffing market size was $15.2 billion in 2023, growing at 6.8% YoY.
- Canada's staffing industry revenue was CAD 25 billion ($18.5 billion USD) in 2022.
- India's staffing market reached INR 45,000 crore ($5.4 billion) in FY2023.
- South Korea's staffing revenue was KRW 20 trillion ($15 billion) in 2022.
Market Size & Revenue Interpretation
Despite the constant anxiety about robots taking our jobs, the global staffing industry’s colossal $685 billion revenue in 2023—largely propped up by temporary placements and a voracious appetite for IT and industrial workers—proves humanity remains stubbornly, and expensively, necessary.
Regional Breakdowns
- North America holds 38% of global staffing market share in 2023, expected to maintain dominance through 2030.
- Europe accounts for 27% of worldwide staffing revenue in 2023, with Germany leading at €35 billion.
- Asia-Pacific represents 22% of global staffing market in 2023, Japan contributing 40% of regional revenue.
- Latin America staffing market share globally is 4.5% in 2023, with Brazil at 45% of regional total.
- Middle East & Africa combined hold 2.3% global staffing share in 2023, UAE leading MENA at $4.2 billion.
- US dominates North America with 92% of regional staffing revenue ($185B out of $202B in 2023).
- China’s staffing market is 18% of APAC total, valued at $22 billion in 2023.
- Germany’s staffing revenue €35 billion in 2022, 23% of European market.
- India contributes 4.5% to APAC staffing, with 25% YoY growth in IT staffing.
- Australia's share in Oceania staffing is 85%, with $36B revenue dominating region.
- Brazil leads Latin America with $12 billion staffing revenue, 43% regional share in 2023.
- France's staffing market €50 billion in 2023, second largest in Europe after Germany.
- South Africa's staffing industry $3.5 billion, 65% of African market share.
- Japan's staffing penetration rate 2.3% of workforce, highest in APAC.
- Mexico's staffing revenue $8 billion, 28% of Latin America total.
- UK's staffing £38 billion in 2023, 12% of European market.
Regional Breakdowns Interpretation
For all its global reach, the staffing industry's map is still decisively drawn by a few familiar economic heavyweights, who continue to politely but firmly remind the rest of the world that they hold the lion's share of both the jobs and the revenue.
Sources & References
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