Workforce Sector Research for Strategy & Investment Teams

Specialized research covering recruitment, staffing, and workforce solutions sectors — built for strategy consultants, growth equity investors, and corporate development professionals seeking proprietary market insights

Explore Workforce Data

18,000+

Workforce Firms Tracked

$700B+

Total Sector Coverage

300+

Research Engagements

96%

Repeat Client Rate

Workforce Sector Data Powering Smarter Investment Decisions

Demand10 delivers structured workforce sector research for strategy advisors, growth investors, and enterprise procurement teams. Our datasets support market sizing, vendor benchmarking, acquisition screening, and operational due diligence across the full spectrum of staffing and HR services companies.

Workforce Sector Market Data & Research Reports

Workforce Sector Revenue Expansion by Segment (2020-2024)
graph LR A[2020: $450B] --> B[2021: $520B] B --> C[2022: $580B] C --> D[2023: $620B] D --> E[2024: $650B] subgraph "Market Composition 2024" F[Healthcare: 38%] --> G[IT/Tech: 25%] G --> H[Industrial: 22%] H --> I[Office/Admin: 15%] end

Sector Spotlight: Clinical Workforce Services Lead Growth

Clinical and allied health workforce services account for the largest share of sector revenue, underpinned by persistent talent shortages and structural demand from an aging global population. This segment continues to attract premium valuations and consolidation activity.

Workforce Sector Operating & Financial Benchmarks

Staffing VerticalAvg. Gross MarginAvg. EBITDA MarginRevenue/EmployeeValuation Multiple (EBITDA)
Healthcare Staffing25-30%12-15%$250K-$350K8-12x
IT/Tech Staffing20-25%10-13%$300K-$400K7-10x
Industrial Staffing15-20%6-9%$150K-$200K4-6x
Office/Admin Staffing18-22%8-11%$180K-$250K5-7x
Executive Search35-40%20-25%$500K-$750K10-15x
Staffing M&A Activity & Deal Multiples (2020-2024)

Healthcare Staffing

2020$12M
2021$18M
2022$22M
2023$25M
2024$28M

IT/Tech Staffing

2020$8M
2021$12M
2022$15M
2023$18M
2024$20M

Industrial Staffing

2020$5M
2021$7M
2022$9M
2023$10M
2024$11M

Demand10 Insight: Clinical workforce sector transactions grew substantially from 2020–2024, with average deal values rising as PE platforms prioritized specialty niche providers over generalist staffing models.

Workforce Sector Competitive Landscape & Share Analysis

Leading Workforce Firms by Global Revenue Share (2024)
#1

Adecco Group

12%

Global Market Share

#2

Randstad

11%

Global Market Share

#3

ManpowerGroup

9%

Global Market Share

Allegis
8%
Kelly
5%
Robert Half
4%
Insperity
3%
Korn Ferry
3%
ASGN
3%

The Fragmented Opportunity

The remaining market is highly fragmented, with 5,000+ smaller firms accounting for the largest single share. This presents a massive consolidation opportunity for PE.

42%
Other 5000+ Firms

Geographic Concentration & Deal Flow by Region

RegionTop 3 Firms Market ShareMarket Growth Rate (2024)Avg. Deal SizeNotable Recent Transactions
North America28%8.2%$85MKorn Ferry acquires Salo LLC ($150M)
Europe35%6.5%$65MRandstad acquires Ausy ($480M)
Asia-Pacific22%11.8%$45MRecruit Holdings acquires Indeed Japan
Latin America18%9.3%$30MAdecco acquires Vitae ($120M)

Fragmentation Remains an Investor Opportunity

Despite global expansion, the workforce sector remains highly fragmented at the mid-market level. The top firms collectively hold a minority of total market value, leaving substantial room for targeted acquisitions, regional consolidation plays, and specialty vertical build-outs.

How Investors & Advisors Use Demand10 Data

Engagement Snapshot: Workforce Vendor Optimization for a Large Industrial Client

Business Challenge: A global logistics operator sought to rationalize its contingent labor program, which spanned multiple workforce providers and lacked unified performance benchmarks.

Demand10 Data Delivered:

MetricClient CurrentMarket BenchmarkOptimization Opportunity
Avg. Bill Rate Markup42%28-32%10-14% reduction
Time-to-Fill (days)21147 days improvement
Fill Rate78%85%7% improvement
Vendor Count156-8 optimalConsolidate 7-9 vendors

Outcome: Workforce program restructuring delivered measurable cost improvements and improved time-to-productivity across critical operational roles.

Investment Evaluation: Specialty Healthcare Staffing Platform Acquisition

Target Profile: A clinician placement platform operating across multiple regional markets with a focus on travel nursing and allied health.

Research Findings:

Target Company Performance vs. Market Benchmarks
Gross Margin
Target
26.5%
Benchmark
25-30%
EBITDA Margin
Target
13.2%
Benchmark
12-15%
Revenue Growth
Target
18.4%
Benchmark
12-15%
Outperforms Market
Client Retention
Target
92%
Benchmark
85-90%
Outperforms Market

Research Value: Demand10 benchmarking validated the platform's above-market performance profile, supporting a compelling investment narrative and informed valuation approach.

Segment-Level Research: Workforce Verticals Explored in Depth

Clinical & Healthcare Workforce

graph BT A[Travel Clinicians] --> B[High CAGR 2020-24] C[Allied Health] --> D[Sustained Demand] E[Physician Locums] --> F[Premium Segment] G[Home-Based Care] --> H[Fastest Growth]
  • Estimated Value: $250B+ globally (2024)
  • Annual Expansion: Mid-teens percentage growth
  • Regulatory Factor: Staffing ratio mandates in multiple jurisdictions
  • Tech Adoption: AI-assisted matching increasingly standard

Technology & Digital Talent Workforce

graph LR A[Distributed Work] --> B[Majority of Placements] C[Talent Scarcity] --> D[Millions of Open Roles] E[AI Specialist Demand] --> F[Rapid Expansion] G[Cloud Expertise] --> H[Rate Premium Segment]
  • Estimated Value: $170B+ (2024)
  • Supply Gap: Significant unfilled technical roles globally
  • Work Flexibility: Majority of engagements are hybrid or remote
  • Specialist Premiums: Advanced AI and cloud roles carry outsized bill rates

Light Industrial & Operations Staffing

graph TD A[Process Automation] --> B[Reshaping Role Mix] C[Labor Cost Pressure] --> D[Rising Since 2020] E[Compliance Tech] --> F[Widely Deployed] G[Platform Models] --> H[Gaining Share]
  • Sector Value: $145B+ (2024)
  • Structural Shift: Automation changing required skill profiles
  • Wage Pressure: Sustained increases across light industrial roles
  • On-Demand Models: Growing platform-based fulfillment

Research Access Plans for Advisory & Investment Teams

FeatureAnalyst TierPartner TierEnterprise Tier
Market Reports5/yearUnlimitedUnlimited + Custom
Data Analyst SupportEmail OnlyDedicated AnalystTeam of Analysts
Excel Data ExportsLimitedUnlimitedUnlimited + API
PPT Template Access✓ + Custom Branding
Due Diligence Packages1/year4/yearUnlimited
Quarterly Briefings✓ + Executive Sessions
Monthly Price$2,500$7,500Custom Quote

Research Efficiency & Return on Insight

Documented Research Savings: Demand10 datasets reduce the time advisors spend on primary data collection, allowing teams to focus on analysis and client value rather than raw information gathering.

Research Standards & Data Integrity Framework

How We Gather Market Intelligence

SourceCoverageUpdate Frequency
Executive Interviews200+ annuallyQuarterly
Industry Surveys5,000+ responsesSemi-annual
Financial Filings15,000+ companiesReal-time
Regulatory Databases50+ countriesMonthly

Our Data Quality Standards

MetricTargetCurrent
Data Accuracy>95%97.3%
Update Timeliness<30 days22 days avg.
Coverage Completeness>90%92.8%
Client Satisfaction>90%94.2%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is staffing industry intelligence?

Staffing industry intelligence provides comprehensive market data, competitive analysis, and due diligence insights on staffing firms across healthcare, IT, and industrial sectors. It helps consulting firms and PE investors make informed decisions about M&A, market entry, and portfolio optimization.

Who uses staffing industry market data?

Management consulting firms, private equity investors, corporate strategy teams, and investment banks use staffing industry data for M&A research, market sizing, competitive benchmarking, and due diligence on staffing companies.

What data is included in staffing industry reports?

Reports include staffing company profiles, revenue and employee data, market share analysis, technology adoption, M&A activity, vertical specialization (healthcare, IT, industrial), geographic coverage, and competitive positioning.

How is staffing industry data verified?

Data is verified through multi-source aggregation, public records, business registries, manual validation, and continuous refresh cycles to ensure research-grade accuracy for strategic decision-making.

Can I get custom staffing industry research?

Yes, Demand10 provides custom CSV datasets and PDF research reports tailored to specific staffing verticals, geographies, or company segments. Contact our research team to discuss your requirements.