Staffing Franchise AtWork Posts Strong Mid-2026 Growth

AtWork, a staffing agency franchise based in Knoxville, Tennessee, closed the first half of 2026 with franchisee sales up 6.8% year over year and gross margins at 19.7%. The system also launched AtWork Professional, a new division targeting IT, engineering and healthcare placements, and logged more than 3 million work hours across its network.

A Second Channel, Not a Pivot

AtWork Professional runs alongside the brand's original commercial staffing model rather than replacing it, giving existing franchisees a second revenue line without a new office or added headcount. AtWork hired Nancy Halverson, a 30-year staffing and franchising veteran, as Vice President of Professional Services to build the division, a sign the brand is treating it as a real business unit rather than a marketing add-on.

What the Numbers Signal for Operators

A 6.8% revenue increase and a 0.4-point margin gain sound modest in isolation, but they matter because they came during a stretch when staffing demand nationally has been uneven. Nearly 300 new client partnerships and more than 3 million hours worked point to a system gaining share rather than just holding steady, which is the more relevant signal for anyone evaluating the brand's open territories.

The Franchisee Angle

For current AtWork owners, the professional division raises an obvious question: add it to an existing territory or treat it as a separate investment. Franchisee David Walker, who operates two AtWork branches in South Carolina, was named Franchisee of Excellence by Franchise Business Review this year, and operators watching the brand's expansion will be looking at whether that kind of performance holds up as more owners add the professional division.