Written by Jeff Joerres, ManpowerGroup Chairman and CEO
ManpowerGroup is celebrating a very special milestone this year — our 65th anniversary. Our company was founded with a clear mission; to power the world of work and help the communities in which we live. The world of work has changed dramatically since 1948, but throughout that time our commitment to building talent sustainability for the good of companies, communities, countries and individuals themselves has not wavered. For 65 years, ManpowerGroup has helped people from diverse backgrounds unleash their full potential through meaningful work and achieve what’s humanly possible.
All over the world — and ManpowerGroup has approximately 30,000 employees in 80 countries and territories, the largest global footprint in our industry — our people have been celebrating our history of connecting millions of people to opportunities and purpose, helping hundreds of thousands of companies achieve their business objectives. Last month, we marked our 65th birthday in style at our global headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin — the city where the first Manpower office opened all those years ago.
Our employees take tremendous pride in the fact that our business changes lives and provides people from all walks of life with sustainable livelihoods. So many, in fact, that we have collected examples of powerful stories from our colleagues, associates, clients and community partners to share how we help them achieve what’s humanly possible as part of our anniversary celebrations.
That ability to do good while we do well is why we have been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for three consecutive years by the Ethisphere. Being the most trusted brand in our industry is not a designation that is easily earned, and it is a massive badge of pride for our employees. An ethical approach to business is not only important to our suppliers, clients and candidates, but also means we can attract and retain the best employees internally.
As experts in the world of work, we know how critically important it is to be able to find and keep the best talent. Our annual Talent Shortage Survey finds that employers struggle to find people with the skills they need (35% of organizations globally in 2013), and that such shortages impact their ability to serve clients. Similarly, we know that our company contains highly talented people who could choose to work anywhere they want. But they choose to work for ManpowerGroup because they have an emotional connection to the work that we do in an ethical and sustainable way to help clients and individuals alike navigate this continuing global economic environment of certain uncertainty. As talent becomes an increasingly scarce and critical resource, no other company knows how to identify, cultivate and sustain human potential like ManpowerGroup.
Without the talent and passion of our people, we know it would not be possible to be successful and to connect people to the honor and dignity of work. That is why we make sure we take time out to thank our colleagues for their hard work and contributions to make us the number one global provider of innovative workforce solutions. In addition to marking our company’s birthday, we have held several other employee appreciation events that allow our people to mingle with their co-workers in an informal setting and re-energize.
Attracting the best talent requires innovation and contemporary workplace strategies What will help companies power through certain uncertainty will be their ability to be agile and harness human potential. A company committed to helping job seekers find their ideal employment match, ManpowerGroup knows what makes a great place to work. Workplace flexibility, in combination with other aspects of an effective workplace — such as development opportunities, exposure and experience — can have a powerful impact on employee engagement. Successful workplace effectiveness is about building trusting colleague-to-leader relationships based on performance.
I’m proud to lead an organization that connected 3.4 million people to opportunities last year alone. Our colleagues tell us our workplace is empowering because they find great meaning in the work they do every day, and their satisfaction is boosted through the flexibility, clarity and accountability deeply embedded into our culture.
