How it all started
Kelly® was founded by William R. Kelly in 1946 with two employees to meet local business needs. In the beginning, we offered Michigan-based office services—which soon expanded to include light industrial and electronic assembly staffing support across the country. Over the past 75 years, our range of specialty solutions and geographic coverage has grown exponentially.
Today, Kelly operates as five specialty business units—laser-focused on our clients’ and candidates’ needs. We partner with 75 of the Fortune 100 companies, and have a robust, global talent and supplier network. Our Equity@Work initiative stands to knock down unjust barriers to employment—because we believe more people deserve the opportunity to find meaningful work.
We're the partner you've been looking for.
Let our innovative, experienced team make a difference in your business. We’re here to help bold companies and bright people connect and work together. Our qualified workforce solutions will bring your vision to life.Celebrating 75 years of building better futures together.
Enabling new ways of working and growing
Kelly provides the world's best workforce solutions by going beyond the expected for clients and talent.
We are authentic, the industry founder. We believe in relationships, not transactions. We value teamwork, realizing that we are stronger together than as individuals. We take seriously the promises we make. We are passionate, dedicated and driven to excel. With us it has never been about being the biggest. It has always been about being the best and doing the right thing.
At our core, we are a community. Each day we welcome into our community the varied talents of all people who embrace our culture of service, teamwork, and integrity. We offer the opportunity to work with the best companies in the world, and to make a difference in the communities in which we live and work.
Our values
We are personally responsible for our actions, outcomes, and reputation.
We build strong relationships and create Kelly advocates for life.
We own and resolve customer and candidate issues with urgency.
We treat every customer, employee, and supplier with respect and integrity.
We continuously seek opportunities to innovate and improve the Kelly experience.
Our journey
Check out how we’ve grown:
1946 – William R. Kelly opens a service bureau in Detroit.
1953 – Sales exceed $1 million.
1960s – Kelly expands to place thousands each year in light industrial, marketing, and technical roles.
1972 – First European office opens in Paris, France.
1973 – Sales exceed $100 million.
1979 – Kelly has offices in all 50 states.
1986 – Sales exceed $1 billion.
1995 – Kelly is first listed on the Fortune 500®.
1996 – Establishes the industry’s first MSP program; now manages $7.2 billion in MSP spend.
1997 – Kelly opens 1,500th field office, and 500th Partnered Staffing office.
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.
2007 – Kelly now operates in many countries and territories and realigns into three global regions.
2015 – One million workers are connected with employment opportunities through our staffing solutions and talent supply chain network of supplier partners.
2017 – Kelly acquires Teachers On Call®, expanding K-12 market presence.
2018 – Aligned with focusing on specialty solutions, Kelly Healthcare Resources is sold to InGenesis® and Kelly Legal Managed Services (KLMS) is sold to Trustpoint.One®.
2019 – Kelly expands engineering and telecom footprint with the acquisitions of Global Technology Associates, LLC and NextGen Global Resources, LLC.
2020 – Kelly transitions to a specialty talent company focused on five unique business units: Science, Engineering, Technology & Telecom; Education; Professional & Industrial; Outsourcing & Consulting; and International.
2020 – Kelly acquires Insight®, expanding its education specialty business. Greenwood/Asher & Associates is also acquired, moving Kelly® Education into the higher education space.
2020 – CEO Peter Quigley works to end systemic barriers to employment by unveiling a new company initiative, Equity@Work.
2021 – Kelly celebrates its 75th anniversary as a global workforce solutions company.
2021 – For a fourth consecutive year, Kelly is named to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2021 Corporate Equality Index, scoring 100 on the annual assessment.
2021 – Kelly acquires technology staffing and solutions firm, Softworld—furthering the specialty strategy and growth of Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology & Telecom.
Awards and recognition
We’ve been recognized for our quality processes, management practices, supplier diversity, and community involvement with:
 Intel Corporation’s Certified Supplier Quality Award | Johnson & Johnson’s Supplier Diversity Partnership Award | Sara Lee Corporation’s Outstanding Service and Support Award | American Red Cross/Southeast Michigan Corporate Citizen Award |
Michigan Minority Business Development Council’s “Corporation of the Year” | Fortune Magazine’s “Most Admired Companies” list | Workforce Magazine’s “80 People, Events & Trends that Shaped HR” | IAOP Global Outsourcing 100® list |
Inavero's Best of Staffing® Client Award | | | |