75 Years of Innovation

William Russell Kelly invented the staffing industry when he founded Kelly® in 1946, and we’ve reinvented it ever since.

How it all started.

In the beginning, the Russell Kelly Office Service connected women, who had kept America’s economy moving forward during World War II, with office work in Detroit. The postwar economic boom was just beginning, and employers had more positions available than workers to fill them.

The company was renamed Kelly Girl Service, Inc. in 1957 and became Kelly Services, Inc. in 1966 after expanding into light industrial, marketing, and technical roles. Kelly opened its first international office in Toronto in 1968 and its first European office in Paris in 1972. The rest, as they say, is history.

Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, Kelly today provides temporary staffing services in 30 countries in the Americas, APAC, and EMEA. Our Managed Service Provider solutions are available in 70 countries. With a network of suppliers and partners around the world, we connect more than 450,000 job seekers with work every year.

Becoming a specialty workforce solutions provider.

In 1996, Kelly established the industry’s first Managed Service Provider (MSP) program. Three years later, we launched specialized lines in engineering, IT, and education. Strategic acquisitions over the years included the Ayers Group, Teachers On Call, GTA, NextGen, Greenwood/Asher & Associates, Softworld, RocketPower, and Pediatric Therapeutic Services.

Today, we operate as four specialty business units—Kelly Education; KellyOCG; Kelly Professional & Industrial; and Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology & Telecom—each laser-focused on our clients’ and candidates’ needs.

Our full history

1946

William R. Kelly opens a service bureau in Detroit.

1960s

Kelly expands to place thousands each year in light industrial, marketing, and technical roles.

1972

First European office opens in Paris, France.

1986

Sales exceed $1 billion.

1995

Kelly is first listed on the Fortune 500^®.

1999

Kelly launches specialized lines: Kelly Engineering Resources, Kelly IT Resources, Kelly Healthcare Resources, and Kelly Educational Staffing.

2006

Kelly acquires the Ayers Group™, a New York-based career management firm.

2017

Kelly acquires Teachers On Call^®, expanding K-12 market presence.

2019

Kelly expands engineering and telecom footprint with the acquisitions of Global Technology Associates, LLC and NextGen Global Resources, LLC.

2020

Kelly acquires Insight^®, expanding its education specialty business. Greenwood/Asher & Associates is also acquired, moving Kelly^® Education into the higher education space.

2021

Kelly celebrates its 75th anniversary as a global workforce solutions company.

Kelly acquires technology staffing and solutions firm, Softworld—furthering the specialty strategy and growth of Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology & Telecom.

2022

Kelly strengthens its RPO practice with the acquisition of RocketPower, a Silicon Valley provider of RPO and other outsourced talent solutions

Kelly expands education business through the acquisition of Pediatric Therapeutic Services (PTS).

Awards

It’s nice to be recognized.

When it comes to staffing, MSP, BPO, and RPO solutions—we’re among the best in the business. But don’t take our word for it. See what others have to say about what we have to offer.