How a Milwaukee secretarial service grew into a global workforce solutions powerhouse
In short: Founded in 1948 to help file a legal brief, ManpowerGroup evolved from a local staffing storefront into a multinational corporation. By navigating hostile takeovers, rebranding as a workforce solutions provider, and strategically acquiring IT and consulting firms, it transformed the nature of modern employment across the globe.
The origins of Manpower are subject to two distinct narratives. One version suggests law partners Elmer Winter and Aaron Scheinfeld founded the company in 1948 after struggling to find secretarial help for a tight deadline. Another account, documented by James D. Scheinfeld, posits that Aaron Scheinfeld conceived the idea while working on military equipment contracts after World War II, later inviting Winter to invest. Regardless of the exact genesis, the company quickly expanded from its Milwaukee roots, reaching international markets in France, Canada, and the UK by the late 1950s.
During the 1960s, the company pioneered a marketing strategy to overcome union resistance by framing temporary work as feminine and respectable. Through the 'White Glove Girl' campaign, Manpower advertised thousands of images of young, white, middle-class women to symbolize quality and efficiency. This era also marked the company's transition to a public entity, listing on the New York Stock Exchange in 1962. By the late 1980s, the firm faced a dramatic hostile takeover by British company Blue Arrow, leading to a complex period of leadership changes, including the ousting of CEO Mitchell S. Fromstein and the eventual return of the corporate headquarters to Milwaukee.
In the 21st century, the company shifted its identity from a traditional employment agency to a comprehensive workforce solutions provider. Rebranding as ManpowerGroup in 2011, it consolidated its operations into four primary pillars: Manpower, Experis, Right Management, and ManpowerGroup Solutions. This evolution involved significant acquisitions, such as the $925 million purchase of Ettain Group in 2021 and the integration of various IT and HR service firms. Today, the organization operates through hundreds of subsidiaries and joint ventures, maintaining a global presence that spans specialized sectors from aviation to banking.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: ManpowerGroup
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/nature-manpowergroup.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Air · More in Nature · Latest · A–Z · All topics
