Staffing Industry Grows Year-to-Year in the Second Quarter

Total Revenue Up by 3.3%, Total Employment by 0.6%

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Total staffing employment increased by 0.6% year-over-year in the second quarter of 2026, adding approximately 12,000 jobs, according to data released today by the American Staffing Association.

On a quarter-to-quarter basis, total weekly staffing employment grew by 5.0%, or approximately 94,000 jobs, compared to the first quarter of 2026.

Total staffing revenue increased by 3.3% compared to the second quarter of 2025. Total sales increased by 6.7% from the first quarter of 2026. Total payroll for temporary and contract employees increased by 3.8% year-to-year and 6.3% quarter-to-quarter. 

These gains within employment, sales, and payroll mark the first quarter of year-to-year growth recorded by the ASA Staffing Employment and Sales Survey since late 2022.

"Employers are facing significant uncertainty in the economy, and therefore are turning to the staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry to help their businesses grow," said Stephen Dweyer, Chief Executive Officer of the American Staffing Association.

"Our industry will continue to be essential to businesses' growth in future quarters."

Note: While the ASA Staffing Index and the quarterly Staffing Employment and Sales Survey use similar underlying methodology, the Staffing Employment and Sales Survey reflects average employment levels over a quarter, while the ASA Staffing Index calculates change in employment on a weekly basis.

As a result, the ASA Staffing Index may reflect emerging trends ahead of the Staffing Employment and Sales Survey. Nevertheless, both measures currently highlight a staffing industry that is showing signs of stabilization.

To learn more about the quarterly ASA Staffing Employment and Sales Survey, visit americanstaffing.net/quarterly-survey.

About the American Staffing Association
The American Staffing Association is the voice of the U.S. staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry. ASA and its state affiliates advance the interests of the industry across all sectors through advocacy, research, education, and the promotion of high standards of legal, ethical, and professional practices. For more information about ASA, visit americanstaffing.net.

Megan Sweeney [email protected]

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SOURCE American Staffing Association