LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - Sep 22, 2015) - In anticipation of the changing talent needs of businesses, Kelly Services® (NASDAQ: KELYA) (NASDAQ: KELYB) is expanding its KellyOCG^® talent supply chain to include additional online talent platforms. KellyOCG is the outsourcing and consulting group of Kelly Services.

The online talent platform component within KellyOCG's talent supply chain has grown from one company in 2013 to nearly a dozen communities today. These partnerships help large organisations integrate free agents, working both locally and virtually, into their flexible workforce. KellyOCG's most recent online partner is the Freelancer Management System (FMS), Elevate Direct, which is headquartered in London and is Kelly's first such partner from the UK.

Established in 2010, the Elevate FMS works with contractors, freelancers and contingent workers, and businesses, to identify and match the precise talent for specific staffing needs. According to the 2015 "Free Agent" research conducted by Kelly Services, approximately 27 percent of workers in Europe identify themselves as contingent workers or "free agents" -- defined as individuals who consult; perform temporary or independent contract work; or have their own business. Organisations are no longer just turning to their own employees to get work done today. Contingent work models are becoming a more commonly accepted and sought-after work arrangement due to the flexibility and freedom provided to the worker and the organisation.

"Whether an organisation is hiring full-time or contingent staff, Elevate's technology combined with KellyOCG's offerings of labor market insights, workforce analytics, and supply chain management aims to provide businesses with a holistic view of their workforce, as well as the necessary tools to manage talent resulting in valuable time and cost savings," said Dan Collier, chief executive officer of Elevate.

Across Europe, Elevate enhances value by providing clients of KellyOCG direct access to their online talent community of skilled professionals, while KellyOCG provides clients the visibility and insight into their independent contractor (IC) spend, often a missing link when freelancers are procured outside of an outsourced program.

"The challenge for companies in recruiting top talent, is determining the best places to recruit and attract talent. If a significant percentage of the talent is in the contingent work space, organisations need an efficient way to reach that talent and online talent communities fit this niche," said Jim Bradley, senior vice president, KellyOCG. "Integrating Elevate, and others, into our supply chain helps our clients access the rapidly expanding online workforce."

Other online talent communities in KellyOCG's talent supply chain include Upwork and Work Market.

Elevate Direct

Elevate Direct combines innovative recruitment technology with experienced recruitment professionals in order to help clients source, engage and manage the right workers at the right time for their business. Visit elevatedirect.com for more information.

Kelly Services

As a global leader in providing workforce solutions, Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA) (NASDAQ: KELYB) and its subsidiaries, offer a comprehensive array of outsourcing and consulting services as well as world-class staffing on a temporary, temporary-to-hire, and direct-hire basis. Kelly^® has a role in managing employment opportunities for more than one million workers around the globe by employing 550,000 of these individuals directly with the remaining workers engaged through its talent supply chain network of supplier partners. Revenue in 2014 was $5.6 billion. Visit kellyservices.com and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.