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Manpower
How did Manpower begin reshaping work in 1948?
When two Milwaukee lawyers needed a last-minute typist in February 1948, they launched a solution that addressed workforce volatility. That small fix grew into a global staffing model offering flexible, scalable labor without long-term hires.
From a local secretarial fix, the firm expanded into a Fortune 500 workforce solutions leader present in over 75 countries, generating about $19 billion in 2024 and operating brands like Manpower, Experis, and Talent Solutions. See Manpower Porter's Five Forces Analysis
What is the Manpower Founding Story?
Manpower began on February 18, 1948, when Milwaukee lawyers Elmer Winter and Aaron Scheinfeld converted a staffing need into a business supplying temporary stenographic and secretarial labor to professional firms.
Founding Story
Faced with a high-volume typing project and no short-term clerical providers, the founders created a contingent labor model that addressed postwar administrative demands.
- Official inception: February 18, 1948, in Milwaukee — key date in Manpower company history.
- Founders: Elmer Winter and Aaron Scheinfeld — lawyers who saw the opportunity to supply temporary clerical staff.
- Initial model: temporary stenographic and secretarial services for professional firms, leveraging a screened pool of women seeking flexible work.
- Seed funding: bootstrapped from law practice earnings; early lenders were skeptical of this novel staffing concept.
Winter and Scheinfeld emphasized rigorous screening and quality control for their 'Manpower girls,' a term reflecting the gendered labor market of the 1940s, and chose the name Manpower to convey collective workforce capability; this origin marks the start of the History of ManpowerGroup and the broader evolution of Manpower staffing agency.
Early figures: within the first decade the firm expanded regionally; by 1955 temporary staffing demand rose nationally as clerical employment grew — U.S. clerical workforce increased approximately 20–25% in the 1950s, underpinning Manpower company timeline growth. See Mission, Vision & Core Values of Manpower for related context.
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What Drove the Early Growth of Manpower?
Manpower's early growth in the 1950s and 1960s transformed a local staffing broker into a global workforce solutions leader through franchising, international offices, and strategic diversification.
Franchising for rapid expansion
In 1952 Manpower opened its first franchise in Chicago, pioneering franchising in the service sector to scale geographically without heavy capital expenditures.
First international offices
Between 1956 and 1957 the company launched London and Paris offices, becoming the first international vocational staffing agency and initiating the History of ManpowerGroup's global footprint.
Service diversification
By the late 1950s Manpower expanded beyond clerical placements into industrial and blue-collar staffing, broadening its total addressable market and shaping the Manpower company history timeline.
Public listing and scale
Manpower went public in 1962; proceeds funded acquisitions of training firms and supported multi-state manufacturing contracts in the mid-1960s that proved temporary labor scalable for heavy industry.
By 1970 the company had grown to over 500 offices worldwide and shifted positioning from a 'supplier of help' to a 'partner in productivity', a key milestone in the Manpower company timeline and the Brief history of Manpower; see Target Market of Manpower for related context.
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What are the key Milestones in Manpower history?
Milestones, Innovations and Challenges chart Manpower company history through technological firsts, major ownership shifts and strategic pivots that shaped the History of ManpowerGroup and its role in global staffing.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1948 | Founding of Manpower in Milwaukee, marking the beginning of the Manpower company timeline. |
| 1980s | Launch of the Skillware program, a proprietary computer-based training system for temporary workers. |
| 1987 | Hostile takeover by Blue Arrow, representing a major foreign ownership episode in ManpowerGroup origins. |
| 1991 | Spin-off and return to U.S. public company status, restoring strategic focus and independence. |
| 2008 | Global financial crisis caused sharp declines in temporary staffing demand, testing operational resilience. |
| 2011 | Rebranding to ManpowerGroup and formation of specialized brands including Experis and Talent Solutions. |
| 2020 | COVID-19 pandemic produced volatile temporary staffing demand and accelerated digital transformation needs. |
| 2021 | Acquisition of Ettain Group for $925,000,000 to expand IT staffing and Experis capabilities. |
Manpower introduced Skillware in the 1980s to train temps on early word processing, securing leadership during office digitization; later innovations included forming Experis for IT/professional resourcing and scaling Talent Solutions for RPO. The company also invested in green jobs and continuous reskilling programs, aligning workforce solutions with sustainability and digital demand.
Skillware training system
Computer-based training in the 1980s that taught temporary workers early word processing and increased placement rates.
Creation of Experis
Dedicated IT and professional resourcing brand that scaled to meet rising demand for tech talent globally.
Talent Solutions and RPO
Expanded high-level recruitment process outsourcing services to serve enterprise clients.
Digital transformation investments
Platform and analytics upgrades to improve matching, upskilling and remote staffing capabilities.
Green jobs initiatives
Programs to align staffing services with sustainability trends and renewable energy sector hiring.
Strategic acquisitions
Notably the $925,000,000 Ettain Group deal in 2021 to bolster IT staffing scale.
Challenges included the disruptive 1987 takeover and operational strain during the 2008 financial crisis and 2020 pandemic, which revealed the volatility of temporary staffing demand. These events forced repeated restructuring, stronger risk management and a focus on agility and continuous upskilling to stabilize revenues.
Hostile takeover impact
The 1987 Blue Arrow takeover led to cultural and governance disruption and a multi-year recovery process culminating in the 1991 spin-off.
Demand cyclicality
Revenues and placements have fluctuated sharply during economic downturns, requiring flexible cost structures and diversified services.
Skills gap
Persistent mismatch between available talent and employer needs drove investment in upskilling and reskilling programs.
Integration of acquisitions
Large acquisitions required rapid integration of systems and cultures to realize expected synergies and revenue growth.
Regulatory and compliance complexity
Operating across 80+ countries necessitates robust compliance frameworks for labor laws and tax rules.
Competitive pressure
Competition from global and niche staffing firms has driven continuous service innovation and pricing pressure.
For more context on market positioning and competitor dynamics see Competitors Landscape of Manpower
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What is the Timeline of Key Events for Manpower?
Timeline and Future Outlook: a concise timeline of Manpower company history from its 1948 founding through 2025 milestones, and a forward-looking view on AI, skills-first strategies and projected growth.
| Year | Key Event |
|---|---|
| 1948 | Manpower is founded in Milwaukee by Elmer Winter and Aaron Scheinfeld, marking the founding of Manpower and start of its staffing services. |
| 1952 | First franchise office opens in Chicago, beginning national franchising and expansion in the early years of the company. |
| 1956 | International expansion begins with the London, UK office, the first major step in ManpowerGroup international expansion history. |
| 1962 | Manpower goes public on the New York Stock Exchange, providing capital for growth and acquisitions. |
| 1976 | Elmer Winter retires as president and the Parker Pen Company acquires a stake, reflecting shifts in ownership and strategy. |
| 1986 | Launch of Skillware, the industry’s first large-scale computer training program, advancing workforce training services. |
| 1987 | Blue Arrow PLC acquires Manpower in a $1.3 billion hostile takeover, one of the largest ManpowerGroup acquisition history events. |
| 1991 | Manpower becomes an independent, publicly traded U.S. company again after restructuring and divestiture. |
| 2001 | Acquisition of Jefferson Wells expands services into internal audit and tax, diversifying revenue streams and professional services. |
| 2011 | Rebranding to ManpowerGroup introduces four primary brands, reflecting a broader workforce solutions strategy. |
| 2021 | Acquisition of Ettain Group for $925,000,000 to strengthen IT resourcing and technology talent capabilities. |
| 2024 | Launch of AI-driven talent matching platforms reported to reduce time-to-hire by 30%, accelerating digital transformation. |
| 2025 | Company achieves an ESG milestone with 50% of placements in sustainable sectors, reflecting sustainability commitments. |
AI-enabled Talent Matching
ManpowerGroup is deploying proprietary AI assessment tools to improve candidate-job fit and reduce hiring friction, supporting a reported 30% faster time-to-hire in 2024.
Skills First Strategy
Leadership emphasizes a 'Skills First' economy, shifting focus from degrees to verified competencies to address the widening global skills gap and drive placements.
Power of Choice
The 'Power of Choice' strategy prioritizes personalized career paths and data-driven workforce planning, aiming to increase retention and client outcomes.
Projected Growth
Analysts project ManpowerGroup growth of 4–6% annually based on AI investments and expansion in IT and sustainable-sector placements; see related analysis on Revenue Streams & Business Model of Manpower.
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