Kelly Earns No. 2 Spot on Forbes' 2026 Best Temporary Staffing and Professional Recruiting Lists

Kelly has been ranked second on Forbes' 2026 lists for both America's Best Temporary Staffing and Best Professional Recruiting Firms. The recognition, based on a comprehensive survey of nearly 14,000 industry participants, highlights the company's significant market presence as it nears its 80th anniversary. For the staffing and recruiting sector, these rankings underscore the continued dominance of established global providers that successfully integrate specialized expertise with modernized, AI-powered workforce solutions.

Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) secured the runner-up position on two prestigious Forbes lists for 2026, covering temporary staffing and professional recruiting. The rankings were developed in partnership with Statista Inc. and derived from a survey of 13,800 recruiters, HR managers, and job seekers. CEO Chris Layden noted that the recognition validates the company’s ability to solve complex workforce challenges across high-demand sectors including life sciences, engineering, technology, and education.

The achievement coincides with a period of strategic expansion for the Troy, Michigan-based firm, which reported $4.3 billion in revenue for 2025. In preparation for its 80th anniversary in October 2026, Kelly has made key leadership appointments and invested in a modernized technology stack featuring AI-powered tools. These investments are designed to enhance the speed and precision of talent matching while maintaining a human-centric approach for the 375,000 individuals the company connects with work annually.

Kelly’s market influence is particularly pronounced in specialized niches, where it currently ranks as the nation’s largest provider of education workforce solutions and the second-largest engineering staffing firm. It also holds the fourth-largest position in life sciences staffing and the 11th-largest in technology staffing. Beyond traditional recruitment, the company’s KellyOCG division continues to be recognized by industry analysts like Everest Group for its managed service provider (MSP) and recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) capabilities.

This latest recognition adds to a series of accolades Kelly has received in 2026, including spots on Forbes’ lists for Best Midsize Companies and Best Employers for Company Culture. The firm’s comprehensive service suite—which spans business process outsourcing and total talent management—aims to address the full spectrum of contingent and permanent hiring needs. By leveraging deeper workforce data and insights, Kelly continues to position itself as a leader in the evolving global workforce strategy and solutions market.