Staffing Issues

Temporary Staffing Industry Ranks Highly on Fortune List

Fortune magazine again published its prestigious list of America's Most Admired Companies in its March 8 issue. This is the 22nd year Fortune has published the list of America's Most Admired Companies. To determine the industry-specific rankings, Fortune hired the Hay Group, a global human resources and organizational consulting firm.

Hay has conducted research for the list since 1997 and determines the rankings by gathering the 10 largest companies by revenues in 64 industries. They then survey 10,000 executives, directors, and securities analysts, who rated the companies in their own industries according to the eight key attributes of reputation. Each company was evaluated in terms of innovation, quality of management, quality of products and services, long-term investment value, financial soundness, employee talent, social responsibility, and use of corporate assets.

Overall, companies' median scores rose 5 percent over the previous year, signaling a rebound in admiration. Many representatives on the list service the tri-county area, including a few from the temporary help industry. So let's take a closer look at the temporary help industry rankings.

For the second consecutive year, the top three corporations from the temporary help industry on the Most Admired list, in order of rank, are Manpower (7.46 score), RHI (6.88 score), and Kelly (5.49 score). In fact, these companies have held the top three spots in their industry over the last three years. Manpower took the top prize over the last two years after finishing second in 2001, while RHI has taken second place since claiming the top prize in 2001. Kelly has kept steady in third place.

Rounding out the rest of the temporary help industry rankings are the MPS Group (5.37 score), Spherion (5.29 score), Volt Information Services (4.84 score), and CDI (4.66 score). The rankings in each of the above eight key attributes is a mixed bag for all of the companies except for Manpower and RHI, which ranked number one and number two, respectively. More importantly, however, is that the overall score of all companies in the temporary help industry rankings increased.

As pointed out in previous articles, the temporary help industry has actually been in the area for nearly half a century. Moreover, our community benefits from having a representation of companies from the list providing services to the area. These companies determined the Peoria area to be a viable one and dedicated resources to it. They're built on people, values, and innovation and lend a hand in the success of other local companies and industries. When all's said and done, they help make our community work. IBI