AtWORK Group Franchise

AtWork Franchise, Inc. was incorporated in Tennessee on April 20, 1992, and has offered franchises since that time. Headquartered in Knoxville, the company initially offered AtWork Personnel businesses from 1992 through 2002. From 2003 through 2011, it also offered franchises limited to particular secondary staffing categories, including medical personnel. Its March 31, 2026 FDD introduces the AtWork Professional franchise format as of that document’s issuance.

AtWork Personnel supplies temporary clerical and light industrial workers and also has a non-exclusive right to offer full-time placements within its protected territory. A typical Personnel office occupies 1,000–1,250 square feet. AtWork Professional serves contract and project-based professional roles, including information technology, engineering and healthcare, plus executive direct hires in approved employment categories. The Professional investment estimate assumes an office in an owner’s residence.

The 2026 FDD estimates $165,000–$250,000 to open an AtWork Personnel business, including a $40,000 initial franchise fee. AtWork Professional is separately estimated at $95,000–$115,500, including a $60,000 initial franchise fee. Both estimates include a $5,000 risk-management reserve deposit and additional funds for six to nine months; the additional-funds allowance excludes the owner’s personal salary or draw. The financial overview on this page shows the Personnel format. AtWork does not offer direct or indirect financing or guarantee franchisee obligations.

The two formats also have different employment responsibilities. Personnel franchisees are generally the employer of record for assigned temporary workers, with the franchisor reserving the ability to change that arrangement. AtWork is the employer of record for Professional businesses’ assigned temporary workers. Franchisees remain responsible for their own internal staff. These distinctions matter when evaluating the staffing model and its ongoing obligations.

AtWork’s initial training combines self-paced learning, virtual department sessions and a five-day Foundational Learning Program at its Knoxville corporate office. The owner eLearning curriculum and budgeting instruction total 32 hours 45 minutes to 33 hours 45 minutes. The virtual Launch Program adds 15 hours 30 minutes for Personnel or 13 hours 50 minutes for Professional, followed by 32 hours of foundational instruction for either format. Topics include business development, recruiting and operations, finance, credit and collections, payroll, marketing, technology and risk management.

Owners and the manager, if applicable, must complete assigned learning and launch phases. The operating partner, manager and initially hired employees must complete the required programs to the franchisor’s satisfaction before opening. The franchisor may adapt the program, use virtual delivery or send trainers to an office. Franchisees pay attendee wages, travel and living expenses, as well as the franchisor’s travel and out-of-pocket costs when trainers visit their office.

Pre-opening assistance includes the operations manual, equipment specifications and supplier information. AtWork approves the Personnel office location and any Professional office outside an owner’s residence, but the franchisee secures the premises and negotiates the lease. The FDD requires full-time operations to begin after successful training and no later than 90 days after signing.

Ongoing support includes staffing software, customer invoicing and collections, account settlement and administration of the marketing fund. For Personnel businesses, AtWork processes assigned temporary-worker payroll and pays specified worker expenses on the franchisee’s behalf, with exceptions including workers’ compensation premiums and bonuses or fringe benefits. It does not process payroll for franchisees’ internal staff. Customer contracts are subject to franchisor review and approval.

New employees receive role-based learning resources, and franchisees must ensure required training is completed. Additional courses, refresher training and annual or regional owner meetings may be mandatory, with attendance requirements limited to ten days per calendar year under the FDD’s additional-training provision. The annual meeting currently costs $500 per attendee for the first two attendees and $250 for each additional attendee, plus travel and other attendance expenses.

AtWork offers a practical combination for a buyer interested in business-to-business services: local client development and recruiting supported by central staffing systems, billing and format-specific back-office services. The Personnel and Professional options let a prospective owner evaluate distinct staffing markets and office requirements. Choosing between them should reflect the owner’s experience, customer relationships and preferred employment categories.

The franchise requires a designated operating partner with at least 51% ownership and voting power. If that person will not supervise the business full time, a trained manager must do so. For an owner who enjoys building employer relationships, organizing a recruiting team and following through on client service, AtWork provides a defined process and a detailed training curriculum. The owner’s local execution remains central to developing the business.

Explore the operating model in AtWork Group Franchise: Staffing Formats, Training and Owner Responsibilities.