MADISON, WIS. – May 2018 — Spherion Staffing Services, a local recruiting, staffing and workforce solutions provider backed by the resources of a $2 billion global workforce leader, recently honored Madison franchise owner Diana Schafer with the company’s 2017 Owner of the Year Award. The annual award recognizes the individual owner or ownership team who best symbolizes the Spherion pillars of business growth, leadership and community involvement during the previous year.
Studies show that more than half of Americans reach their mid-twenties without the skills and credentials needed for success in today’s demanding economy. To address this skills gap, Schafer and Vice President of Operations Margaret Leitinger, have made it their mission to advance job seekers and the local community through employment opportunities for the past 28 years. Beyond filling temporary and Direct Hire positions, their experienced staff of professionals act as “career agents,” providing personalized service to ensure top talent are fitted with rewarding and meaningful career opportunities.
Their commitment to the betterment of their clients and candidates is shown by their efforts to provide critical job training and coaching, as well as develop training to fill specific industry needs. For instance, to address a severe shortage of pharmacy technicians, the Madison office partnered with two local training programs to offer accelerated training for pharmacy tech prep. In 2017 alone, the dedicated team successfully placed 284 candidates into permanent positions, in addition to meeting their daily staffing goals of placing 350-400
people in Dane County companies.
“Every year, Diana Schafer, Margaret Leitinger and their team continue to set the standard for exceptional customer service, which has resulted in consistent growth and an ongoing legacy of providing first-class job opportunities to the Madison workforce,” said Sandy Mazur, Spherion Division President. “Their dedication, innovative approach and positive attitude are reflected both in their sales results and glowing partner feedback. We are thrilled to honor Diana as Owner of the Year, and are fully confident that she and her team will continue to enjoy great success moving forward.”
The Madison office leverages more than 50 years of collective experience and expertise in staffing and recruiting to provide exceptional support and service to their clientele. Using data and trends from Spherion’s emerging workforce studies, they are able to provide employers insights into what workers seek and expect in their employment, which has proven critical to their clients’ success strategy. By providing customized service for every client, the team strives to ensure local businesses increase efficiency and have the skilled staff necessary to operate at peak performance.
The team attributes their success to a guiding philosophy that embraces a larger purpose – improving lives, strengthening the organizations they serve and making positive contributions to the local community. Team members currently serve on advisory boards for the local YWCA (Board) and the Madison College Career Employment Center, as well as support the Urban League and the United Way’s Higher Initiative program. Additionally, the organization participates in initiatives to help students in the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD) transition into the workforce, such as Personalized Pathways, a skills and career-building program that creates new opportunities for young people, provides employers with a talent pipeline of young professionals, and strengthens state and regional economies.
About Spherion
Spherion (spherion.com) is a leading recruiting and staffing
provider, specializing in temporary and direct hire placement of
administrative, clerical, customer service, light industrial and professional job candidates. To help clients attract, engage and retain a high-performance workforce, Spherion offers in-depth market knowledge, outstanding customer service, a strong network of talent and unique insights from its groundbreaking Emerging Workforce® Study, now in its 20th year. As an industry pioneer, Spherion has, for more than 70 years, matched candidates to clients in virtually every industry across the U.S. Today, each Spherion office is independently owned and operated by a team of local specialists, dedicated to delivering great experiences, powered by technology but always with a personal touch. To learn more about one of the nation’s fastest-growing industries, visit spherion.com/franchise and explore how Spherion is
actively expanding into new territories, with more than 75 franchise markets available.