Join Our Staffing Agency Franchise & Change Lives
Start your journey with AtWork. Build a staffing franchise that helps you grow while empowering others.
Who Is AtWork?
For over 30 years, AtWork has been a leading staffing franchise in some of the largest markets across the nation. As one of the most recognizable brands in temporary and permanent staffing, AtWork has more than 90 locations — and we are continuing to grow every year.
On average, AtWork franchises generated $3.5mm gross revenue in 2024, growing their careers while supporting their communities. In business since 1986 and franchising since 1992, our corporate leaders and support staff have spent decades being AtWork for successful franchisees.
Take the next step toward business ownership and financial freedom with AtWork.
Our Staffing Franchise Opportunity
Our franchise structure gives you a proven revenue stream with an affordable investment. Learn more about our franchise opportunity and all the benefits you can take advantage of when you work with us.
Is an AtWork Franchise Right for You?
An AtWork franchisee is an outgoing professional who is passionate about relationship building. Do you have what it takes to excel? Explore some of the qualities we are looking for in a franchisee to see if our franchise opportunity is right for you.
Leverage Your Interpersonal Skills
Strong communication and relationship skills are imperative for successful AtWork franchisees. Many of our franchise owners have experience in B2B sales, management, staffing, and customer service. We also look for leaders in their community and those who have a passion for nonprofit work.
Connect With Your Local Community
Staffing is highly rewarding work. AtWork franchisees support people in finding jobs, and in turn, they help businesses fill gaps. As a franchisee, you can be a part of helping your local economy and those who live there thrive.
Your Franchise Investment
AtWork provides a low startup cost and the support necessary to find success.
A $156,000 to $213,000 estimated initial investment includes:
$40,000 Initial Franchise Fee
Office lease, rent, deposit, and/or improvements
Office equipment and supplies, including computers
Advertising, printed marketing materials, and signage
Professional services such as an attorney to review contracts
Initial training costs
Insurance deposit
$5,000 risk management reserve deposit
Utilities, including telephone
Additional funds for the first six to nine months of business
Potential Return On Investment
Average Annual Revenue in 2024
$3,564,139
Average Annual Gross Profit in 2024
$604,397
The above information is from reporting locations as documented in Item 19 of the 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document and should not be construed as a guarantee of financial performance of your own AtWork office.
Reasons to Invest in this Booming Industry
High Demand
Demand for employees is at an all-time high, and more employers are turning to staffing agencies to fill those gaps. In 2021, U.S. employers paid $168B to staffing companies.
The global staffing market is expected to continue growing in the coming years. Market Reports World projects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.96% over six years, leading to a $568B total market valuation in 2028.
Dependable Growth
While current growth is rapid, the ASA Staffing Index proves long-term stability in the staffing industry. Outside of a pandemic-related dip in the last six months of 2020, the number of people in the U.S. employed temporarily has remained incredibly stable over the past decade.
This creates a dependable business opportunity for aspiring franchise owners. Companies will continue to need qualified candidates and increasingly turn to staffing agencies for help. Motivated entrepreneurs can thrive in this business with the right relationships — backed by a recognized brand.
Scalability
AtWork’s franchise concept is known for its scalability and high earning potential over time. Our nationally recognized brand and best-in-class support will help you grow faster.
By partnering with an established franchisor like AtWork, you can expand into hiring for more industries, start providing direct hire services, and more as your business grows. We provide you with the expertise and tools you need to take advantage of the opportunities in the continuously expanding staffing industry.
Profitability
Compared to spending as much as 15.5% of gross revenues on payroll funding and processing alone as an independent staffing agency, our full suite of support costs only 7.5% — including 7% for royalties and .5% for marketing.
Our team handles essential functions like:
Payroll funding and processing
Ongoing training and development
Credit and risk management
Full IT services
Marketing support
We will also pair your franchise location with two dedicated field operations managers to advise on business decisions, recruiting strategies, and operational improvements. With our services, you can dedicate more energy and focus to business growth.
Tax Benefits
After you launch your new business, the corporate support continues throughout your franchising journey.
Ongoing franchise owner support from AtWork includes:
Expert training and development
Payroll funding and processing
Top-tier tech stack
Full IT department
Credit and risk department
Marketing
Performance team
Payroll funding and processing alone would cost as much as 15.5% of gross revenues for an independent staffing agency. Our franchisees receive all the above services and more for just 7% for royalties and .5% for marketing.
Support That Fuels Your Success
AtWork’s franchise support fuels your success every step of the way. We provide ongoing franchise performance support, top-notch marketing resources, and more.
Kick Start to Opening
As soon as the franchise agreement is signed, your Franchise Performance team immediately provides a roadmap to follow to get you to opening day. Assigning your territory, providing training to you and your staff, and advising on marketing and advertising strategies are just the start of our corporate team’s support.
Extensive Training & Onboarding
Prior to a new franchise office opening, we provide three different preparation and learning programs to ensure you and your team feel completely prepared. Our best-in-class training will get you up to speed in every way. AtWork also provides continued in-person, virtual, and self-directed learning and development opportunities. We also host annual conventions and regional meetings to support your continued growth and success.
Accounting & Operations Support
Each AtWork branch is assigned a personal field operations executive to provide professional coaching as you grow your business. This includes meeting annually in person with you and your team, finding unique training opportunities that address your needs on an ongoing basis, and consulting on sales, recruiting, and marketing strategies. Our accounting team also handles your payroll processing, client payment processing, garnishment management, tax filing, payments, and more. This frees up your time and limits staffing needs so you can focus on sales and growth.
Top-Tier Marketing Tools
Our marketing team will provide a custom website, internal office signage, collateral, and digital marketing assets to create an audience for your services before your office even opens. On a continuing basis, AtWork offers access to industry-leading marketing tools, blogs and ongoing content for digital platforms, collateral to attract clients and candidates, and an annual marketing calendar. We will educate and empower you to maximize visibility and reach within your specific market to maximize profitability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about franchising with AtWork
Tell me about the franchisor. Who is AtWork?
For more than 30 years, AtWork has been a leading staffing franchise. We have been empowering entrepreneurs for decades with unparalleled training, strategy, and support. Our long and profitable history has led to more than 90 successful offices across the nation.
Why should I join the staffing industry?
The staffing industry has shown decades of stability and recent spikes in growth. Now is the perfect time to capitalize on the opportunities in this growing industry. With a franchisor who knows how to navigate common challenges and mitigate your expenses and risks, you can find immense success with a staffing franchise.
Do you offer any franchise fee discounts?
Yes! We offer a 20% discount on the initial franchise fee for U.S. veterans.
Do you cover payroll funding and processing?
Yes, our in-house team provides accounting support that includes both of these essential functions. These alone would be as much as 15.5% of gross revenues for an independent staffing agency, compared to the 7.5% (7% in royalties and .5% for marketing) our owners pay for an entire suite of support.
Do I need a brick and mortar office?
Yes, we require each franchisee to have a brick-and-mortar office location in their approved franchise territory. We consider the following factors when choosing an office location:
Demographic characteristics
Traffic patterns
Parking
Character of the neighborhood
Proximity of competition
Size, appearance, and other physical characteristics of the premises
How do your territories work?
We offer protected franchise territories in every state, from coast to coast. You will work with our executive team to determine a specific operating territory prior to signing the franchise agreement. This territory will be described by reference to specified ZIP codes.
Every protected territory has a population of approximately 200,000 individuals. The exact geographic area of each is decided on a market-by-market basis, and we divide major metropolitan markets into multiple territories. Once decided, your physical office will have to be within your assigned territory.
How long does it take to open?
It typically takes 90 days to open your franchise from the time the franchise agreement is signed. During this time, our team will assign your territory, provide thorough training to you and your staff, and advise on marketing strategies.
Do I need to have prior staffing experience?
Prior staffing experience helps to create a strong foundation for AtWork franchisees, but it is not required. Any outgoing, entrepreneurial-minded person with a sales, management, customer service, or communications background can succeed with AtWork.
How many employees will I have to hire?
Running an AtWork staffing franchise does not require many employees. Expect to run your own business operations or hire a dedicated branch manager. Our preferred model includes at least two additional employees — a sales professional and a recruiter — at the outset.
Our Franchise Award Process
1. Initial Inquiry
Fill out an online contact form to start the formal process toward AtWork Franchise ownership. In the comments section of the form, you can include details about your proposed location, experience, and more to help us understand your goals.
2. Brand Overview
Once we receive your information, a member of our team at Quantum Franchise Group will meet with you via Zoom to take you through a brand overview, discuss your financial qualifications, and position you as a high-priority candidate with the franchise development teeam.
3. Introduction Call
An AtWork Franchise Development Representative will contact you to discuss some major areas associated with becoming a franchisee, including timing, work experience, funding/available capital, and goals. Additionally, we review the entire AtWork opportunity, discussing everything from support to the path to ownership that suits you best.
4. Application Submission
Next, you will complete a confidential franchise questionnaire. This gives us a better understanding of your ability to open a business and how we can best support your specific needs.
5. Due Diligence
By law, every franchisor must deliver to its prospective franchisees a copy of its updated FDD (Franchise Disclosure Document) to ensure that the franchise prospect has all pertinent information about the company, business model, and every other aspect of the business relationship with franchisees. After you have gone through the FDD, we will set up another call with your franchise development representative to review it and discuss any questions you still have. We know this is a big decision that requires a lot of due diligence on your part. To help you with this, in the last stage of the due diligence process, we connect you with existing owners who have been right where you are.
6. Leadership Call
Next, we will schedule a call with you and a senior member of our leadership team. You will have an opportunity to revisit many topics previously discussed, such as your goals, budgets, geographic territory, and, of course, next steps.
7. Discovery Day
One last step before awarding the franchise is Discovery Day. Here, you will get all your questions answered and meet the operations staff that will help guide you toward success as an AtWork franchisee. We will discuss the industry, the franchise, training, support, territory, and the next steps.
8. Franchise Award
After we have all the legally required documentation from you, we will draw up the franchise agreement for you to sign. Once signed and returned to AtWork’s corporate office, it is official! You are a part of the AtWork family as a franchisee!
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Submitting this form qualifies you for a FREE $3,000 Grand Opening Advertising Package compliments of Quantum Local Media when you become a new AtWork owner.
