Spherion Staffing is a staffing and recruitment franchise that specializes in administrative, customer service, light industrial, and professional roles. The nature of these sectors means working with a lot of companies that have relatively high turnover and demand for temporary staff, creating plenty of business for recruiters.
While it’s been operating as Spherion since 2000, the company has existed under a variety of names since the 1940s, so has a track record of success in its sector and a wealth of experience to learn from. The company has seen expansion in recent years and was acknowledged as one of the leading companies in staffing and recruitment by both Forbes and the World Staffing Awards in 2025.
Its ethos as a franchisor puts emphasis on supporting new franchisees, directly through ongoing training both before and after opening a franchise and more indirectly through its community of mutually supportive franchisees.
🎯Find Best-Fit Franchises Still Available in Your Target Area (Free Tool)
When I owned a UPS Store, I learned firsthand how much your ZIP code shapes your outcome. I sold my store at a premium because my territory was in a high-value area. The best areas go first, and once they're gone, they're gone. Enter your ZIP code, and a territory specialist will walk you through the franchises still available near you, drawing on information that isn't publicly accessible, saving you months of wasted research.📈Dreaming of Multi‑Unit Success? Lock In Prime Territories Before They're Gone.
Colin started as a team member at 21 and now owns 6 locations in Tampa Bay. Lisa came from marketing and built 21 in San Diego. The most successful multi-unit owners move early and secure markets with room to grow. Use our free tool to search multiple ZIP codes and find franchises where you can still stack locations, before someone else does. A franchise specialist will be in touch to present what's available.The staffing sector is going through a turbulent period, and a shortage of staff in many sectors creates both challenges and opportunities for recruiters. Working with such a well-established firm could help create some stability while entering the industry at an uncertain time.
In this exclusive Franchise Chatter FDD Talk post, you’ll learn the following:
Section I – Estimated initial investment (franchise costs) for a Spherion Staffing franchise, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2024 FDD
Section II – Initial franchise fee, royalty fee, and marketing fee for a Spherion Staffing franchise, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2024 FDD
Section III – Number of franchised and company-owned Spherion Staffing outlets at the start of the year and the end of the year for 2021, 2022, and 2023, based on Item 20 of the company’s 2024 FDD
🎯Find Best-Fit Franchises Still Available in Your Target Area (Free Tool)
When I owned a UPS Store, I learned firsthand how much your ZIP code shapes your outcome. I sold my store at a premium because my territory was in a high-value area. The best areas go first, and once they're gone, they're gone. Enter your ZIP code, and a territory specialist will walk you through the franchises still available near you, drawing on information that isn't publicly accessible, saving you months of wasted research.🔴Free Webinar: 6 Under-the-Radar Franchise Concepts That Serious Buyers Should Know
Every month we feature 6 standout franchises that could be the opportunity you've been looking for, each evaluated on disclosed financials and matched to the type of buyer most likely to succeed with it. Can't attend live on October 27 at 6PM EST? Register now and we'll send you the full recording the next day. Reserve your spot here.Section IV – News updates on the Spherion Staffing franchise opportunity
Section V – Presentation and analysis of Spherion Staffing’s financial performance representations (average revenues and/or profits), based on Item 19 of the company’s 2024 FDD, including information on the:
- 2023 average, median, maximum, and minimum sales, gross profit, and gross profit percentage for the Spherion Staffing franchisees that have been in operation for the entire fiscal year, grouped by number of years that they have been operating (1-5 years, 6-10 years, 10+ years, and all franchisees operating at least one year)
Section VI – Key ratios, comparables, computations, and analyses for the Spherion Staffing franchise opportunity (exclusive content for Platinum subscribers)
Section I – Spherion Staffing Franchise Costs
- Spherion Staffing (General Staffing) franchise costs, based on Item 7 of the company’s 2024 FDD:
- Initial Franchise Fee: $40,000
- Computer System Hardware: $0 to $7,300
- Real Property: $3,500 to $7,000
- Furniture and Fixtures: $15,500 to $35,000
- Leasehold Improvements: $10,000 to $15,000
- Signs: $2,000 to $8,000
- Equipment: $500 to $15,000
- Opening Advertising: $7,500 to $12,500
- Training Expenses: $5,625 to $9,375
- Start-up Supplies: $510 to $1,050
- Insurance: $2,100 to $7,850
- Utility Expenses: $160 to $1,100
- Professional Fees: $1,050 to $5,200
- Business Licensees: $160 to $1,100
- Hardware Installation: $720 to $1,100
- Additional Funds for 11 Months: $125,000 to $176,000
- Total Estimated Spherion Staffing Franchise Costs: $214,325 to $342,575
Section II – Spherion Staffing’s Initial Franchise Fee, Royalty Fee, and Marketing Fee
- Spherion Staffing’s initial franchise fee, royalty fee, and marketing fee, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company’s 2024 FDD:
- Initial Franchise Fee: $40,000
- Spherion Marketing Fund: 0.25% of Sales
- Temporary Sales Fee: Spherion Staffing pays new franchisees 75% and retains 25% of the Temporary Gross Profits. For area with existing business sold to new franchisee, Spherion Staffing pays new franchisees 60% and retains 40% of the Temporary Gross Profits.
- Full-Time Placement Fee: Spherion Staffing pays its Spherion General Staffing franchisees an 88% commission on (and it retains the 12% balance of) the Full-Time Placement Sales in each fiscal year.
Section III – Number of Franchised and Company-Owned Spherion Staffing Outlets
Franchised
2021
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 200
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 208
- Net Change: +8
2022
🎯Find Best-Fit Franchises Still Available in Your Target Area (Free Tool)
When I owned a UPS Store, I learned firsthand how much your ZIP code shapes your outcome. I sold my store at a premium because my territory was in a high-value area. The best areas go first, and once they're gone, they're gone. Enter your ZIP code, and a territory specialist will walk you through the franchises still available near you, drawing on information that isn't publicly accessible, saving you months of wasted research.📈Dreaming of Multi‑Unit Success? Lock In Prime Territories Before They're Gone.
Colin started as a team member at 21 and now owns 6 locations in Tampa Bay. Lisa came from marketing and built 21 in San Diego. The most successful multi-unit owners move early and secure markets with room to grow. Use our free tool to search multiple ZIP codes and find franchises where you can still stack locations, before someone else does. A franchise specialist will be in touch to present what's available.- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 208
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 215
- Net Change: +7
2023
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 215
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 209
- Net Change: -6
Company-Owned
2021
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 1
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 0
- Net Change: 0
2022
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 0
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 0
- Net Change: 0
2023
- Outlets at the Start of the Year: 0
- Outlets at the End of the Year: 2
- Net Change: +2
Section IV – News Updates on the Spherion Staffing Franchise
Section V – Financial Performance Representations (Average Revenues and/or Profits) for the Spherion Staffing Franchise (Item 19, 2024 FDD)
- Spherion believes it will be helpful for a prospective franchisee to know the average Gross Profit Percentage, the average per Franchise Agreement Sales, and the average per Franchise Agreement Gross Profit of its franchises for Fiscal Year 2023. The first set of below charts presents that data for franchisees grouped by the number of years that they have been operating, followed by a chart that combines the information for all of the represented franchisees.
- The following figures are for Spherion General Staffing franchises (many of which have the right to provide Professional Services through the Professional Services Addendum) for Fiscal Year 2023:
1-5 Years in Operation
- Number of Franchisees: 15
Sales
- Average: $1,892,661
- Median: $1,010,448
- Max: $8,961,615
- Min: $99,569
Gross Profit
- Average: $443,773
- Median: $244,440
- Max: $1,944,691
- Min: $65,024
Gross Profit %
- Average: 29.5%
- Median: 24.7%
- Max: 76.5%
- Min: 11.7%
6-10 Years in Operation
- Number of Franchisees: 12
Sales
- Average: $4,218,907
- Median: $2,613,467
- Max: $19,033,556
- Min: $849,673
Gross Profit
- Average: $843,845
- Median: $621,803
- Max: $3,488,062
- Min: $152,861
Gross Profit %
- Average: 21.1%
- Median: 20.4%
- Max: 27.1%
- Min: 16.0%
10+ Years in Operation
- Number of Franchisees: 40
Sales
- Average: $8,184,714
- Median: $3,863,996
- Max: $41,265,475
- Min: $311,832
Gross Profit
- Average: $1,786,038
- Median: $925,403
- Max: $9,328,290
- Min: $44,916
Gross Profit %
- Average: 22.3%
- Median: 21.6%
- Max: 47.5%
- Min: 14.0%
All Franchisees (at Least 1 Year)
- Number of Franchisees: 67
Sales
- Average: $6,004,383
- Median: $3,188,311
- Max: $41,265,475
- Min: $99,569
Gross Profit
- Average: $1,303,941
- Median: $764,398
- Max: $9,328,290
- Min: $44,916
Gross Profit %
- Average: 23.7%
- Median: 21.9%
- Max: 76.5%
- Min: 11.7%
- Some outlets have earned these amounts. Your individual results may differ. There is no assurance that you’ll earn as much.
- In order to be included in the above information, the Spherion franchise must have been in operation for the entire fiscal year.
- The information for Sales and Gross Profits is on a per franchisee basis. That is, if a franchisee has more than one Franchise Agreement with Spherion, then the numbers achieved under each Franchise Agreement are combined. If a franchisee has more than one office under the same Franchise Agreement, these offices are aggregated to determine the Sales and Gross Profit numbers for that Franchise Agreement.
- The above charts exclude eight existing franchisees as of December 31, 2023 because they were not open and operating for the entire 2023 calendar year.
- In FY 2023, 4 of the 15 (26.7%) franchisees with tenure of 1-5 years under contract surpassed the average Gross Profit Percentage stated above. Five of the 15 General Staffing franchisees (33.3%) surpassed the average annual Sales stated above, and 5 of the 15 General Staffing franchisees (33.3%) surpassed the average annual Gross Profit stated above.
- In FY 2023, 5 of the 12 (41.7%) franchisees with tenure of 6-10 years under contract surpassed the average Gross Profit Percentage stated above. Four of the 12 General Staffing franchisees (33.3%) surpassed the average annual Sales stated above, and 3 of the 12 General Staffing franchisees (25.0%) surpassed the average annual Gross Profit stated above.
- In FY 2023, 18 of the 40 (45.0%) franchisees with tenure of 10+ years under contract surpassed the average Gross Profit Percentage stated above. Eleven of the 40 General Staffing franchisees (27.5%) surpassed the average annual Sales stated above, and 12 of the 40 General Staffing franchisees (30.0%) surpassed the average annual Gross Profit stated above.
- In FY 2023, 23 of the 67 (34.3%) franchisees of at least 1 year tenure under contract surpassed the average Gross Profit Percentage stated above. Eighteen of the 67 franchisees (26.9%) surpassed the average annual Sales stated above, and 18 of the 67 General Staffing franchisees (26.9%) surpassed the average annual Gross Profit stated above.
- The information in this Item 19 includes franchisees operating mature offices, and a number of franchisees who bought existing offices, either from the franchisor or from a franchisee, as opposed to starting a new office. The information is for all of the Spherion branded franchised operations. However, the information does not include any of the “Area-Based Franchise Agreement” program franchises, which operate under a fundamentally different relationship and agreement.
- Your results will likely differ from the results presented above, depending on your efforts and those of your staff, your particular market size and makeup, and the competition. Other factors that could impact your numbers include, but are not limited to, local, regional, national, and international general economic conditions, your business mix (temporary staffing vs. permanent placement, clerical vs. light industrial, and the amount of professional staffing you have, if you receive the right to offer professional staffing services), etc.
- The financial performance representations above do not reflect the costs of sales, operating expenses, or other costs or expenses that must be deducted from the gross revenues or gross sales figures to obtain your net income or profit.
- To help you analyze what your expenses might be on a monthly basis, Spherion Staffing has listed below what it believes to be your normal monthly expense items.
- Salaries and wages
- Commission/bonus accrual
- Employee benefits (including payroll taxes and health, life, and disability insurance)
- Franchise data processing allocation (MISTEF fee – Section 8 of the Franchise Agreement)
- Insurance
- SEM (Search Engine Marketing)
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Internet/online and social media advertising
- Email and text/SMS marketing
- Out-of-home/billboard advertising
- TV/cable/YouTube video advertising
- Radio advertising
- Grass roots marketing (flyers, posters, and other traditional and digital collateral)
- Meetings/seminars/courses/conventions
- Office supplies
- Equipment/software repair/maintenance
- Bank/credit card fees
- Rent (premises lease)
- Rent (equipment)
- Repairs and maintenance
- Depreciation and amortization expense
- Utilities
- Interest expense (includes interest on accounts receivable over 60 days charged by Spherion)
- Professional fees
- Telecommunications
- Automobile and parking
- Other travel
- Customer relations/development
- Bad debt expense
- Taxes and franchises
- Miscellaneous
- This expense listing may not be a complete listing for you, and Spherion Staffing does not make any representations to you as to what the actual expenses in each category will be.
Section VI – Spherion Staffing Franchise Ratios, Comparables, Computations, and Analyses (Exclusive Content for Platinum Subscribers) ⬇️
To Access the Rest of This Article and Other Premium, Income-Enhancing Content, Subscribe Now or Log In.
Gain the Insider Information (and Actual Earnings Data) You Need to Make a Safe and Smart Franchise Investment. Click Here to Learn More.
Gain
the Insider Information (and Actual Earnings Data) You Need to Make a
Safe and Smart Franchise Investment - See more at:
https://www.franchisechatter.com/register/#sthash.le7wKJKM.dpuf
The Best of Franchise Chatter
🥇The Most Profitable Franchises of 2026
🥈Franchises Ranked by Average Revenues
🥉Franchises Ranked by Average Profits
🏆Franchise Winners, Survivors & Losers
Subscribe Now or Log In
Franchise Chatter is reader-supported. We may receive a commission for leads generated from affiliate links and banners on our site.
Leave a Reply