Greg Hassler Shows How AtWork Franchisees Are Scaling Staffing Services In California

Greg Hassler's AtWork profile gives franchise buyers a practical look at why service brands keep attracting operators who want more than a single-location retail play. The California franchise owner told Franchising.com that he chose AtWork because staffing gave him a way to help employers and job seekers directly, while franchising gave the business credibility and scale that would have been difficult to build as an independent agency. Hassler owns four AtWork units and has been in franchising for 10 years, making the profile useful as a founder and operator story rather than just another brand growth announcement.

The key point in Hassler's account is that scale changed the kinds of clients the business could chase. He said a national brand made it easier to compete for larger contracts with municipalities, government entities, casinos and major employers. That is a familiar franchise argument, but the staffing sector makes it concrete: employers buying workforce services are often judging compliance, capacity, reach and response speed before they ever meet a local owner. A franchise system can provide the back-office confidence and brand frame that lets a local operator enter those conversations sooner.

AtWork's wider mid-year update helps explain why Hassler's experience is relevant beyond one market. The Knoxville-based staffing franchise reported a 6.8 percent year-over-year increase in franchisee sales revenue, nearly 300 new client partnerships, 19.7 percent gross margin, and more than 3 million hours worked across the network in the first half of 2026. The company also launched AtWork Professional, a division focused on skilled professional placements in fields including information technology, engineering, scientific and healthcare roles.

For franchisees, that professional-services move matters because it can widen the revenue mix. Traditional staffing has always been cyclical and local, shaped by factories, warehouses, healthcare facilities, offices and seasonal employers. Professional placement can give operators a way to serve higher-skill clients and diversify away from a single labour segment. AtWork has positioned Nancy Halverson, its vice president of professional services, as the leader of that division, while president and COO Jason Leverant has been active in national workforce conversations around hiring trends, Gen Z employment behaviour and AI's effect on employer-employee interactions.

Hassler's comments also show the operational side of the model. He emphasised that service franchise ownership depends on relationships, responsiveness and consistency, not just territory rights. He said the most effective marketing for his business has come through community trust, employer partnerships, referrals, networking and delivering strong service. That is an important reminder for staffing franchise buyers: a recognisable brand can open doors, but local reputation still determines whether employers keep calling and candidates keep referring friends.

The founder lesson is not that every staffing operator should buy more territories immediately. Hassler said multi-unit operators need to get one location right before they grow, then build systems, empower people and create consistent standards. In a year when franchisors are talking heavily about technology, AI, marketing funnels and national recognition, his profile puts the operator discipline back in the centre. The durable franchise story is not only AtWork's national growth. It is how local owners convert that platform into trust, repeat client work and leadership depth across multiple offices.