Manpower Inc. announces the worldwide celebration of the company's one-year anniversary in Second Life. The celebration kicked-off with a multi-media convening of virtual world gurus on Manpower Island to reflect on the ways leading brands can attract a creative and diverse pool of talent and leverage virtual worlds to further real-world social responsibility programs.
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"The World of Virtual Work is morphing into something that will become very productive and an integral part of how companies get work done, and we are excited to be at the forefront, defining this new frontier," said Jeff Joerres, Manpower Inc. Chairman and CEO. "By treating virtual worlds like Second Life as a platform for R&D, we can focus on real issues related to the world of work, such as multiculturism, improved access and flexibility for geographically dispersed workforces."
Virtual worlds were initially viewed as a creative escape, but now many people are taking them more seriously. Avatars of prominent collaborators who participated in Manpower's celebration included Philip Rosedale, Founder of Second Life, George Kell, Executive Director for the United Nations Global Compact, Lynda Applegate, Distinguished Professor at Harvard Business School, Rita King, Carnegie Council Fellow, among others.
"Second Life offers a new world of opportunity for job seekers and for companies looking for a cost-effective, innovative and environmentally friendly way to recruit talent from around the world," said Philip Rosedale, Founder and Chairman of the Board, Linden Lab. "The virtual world is changing the way business is done -- from recruiting to conferencing to market research -- and Manpower's success in-world is a testament to the growing importance of Second Life to the enterprise."
"Our presence in virtual worlds is a key element in our innovation strategy, as we engage with the Net Generation and workforce of the future," said Tammy Johns, Manpower Inc. Senior Vice President of Global Workforce Strategy. "Our mission is to explore and understand what's next, and we continue to further define work practices, helping clients and candidates navigate the World of Virtual Work."
Thousands have visited Manpower Island, and typical visitors average nine years of work experience, hail from more than 50 countries and speak more than 40 languages. The most frequent question asked by avatars visiting the Island is, "How can I get a job in the virtual world?"
"Although resident avatars may arrive at our virtual office wearing halos, horns or smokestacks on their heads, these alter-egos who visit Manpower Island are artistic, collaborative, tech-savvy and represent some of the most in-demand job candidates around the world," said Johns. "We have learned that people in virtual worlds have skills that have been developed and grown from a social and personal perspective that can evolve into real life job skills. The flexibility that is created by virtual worlds allows people of certain demographics -- such as women, students and retirees -- to work on more flexible terms."
As part of the month-long celebration, held on Manpower Island, the company has released several machinima videos and a special report on the Power of Collaboration, which highlights lessons learned in Second Life, and the potential for virtual world programs to further social responsibility efforts. The event replay / highlights, videos and report are available at http://www.manpower.com/SecondLife
Manpower Island was developed as a place where job seekers, employers and entrepreneurs can come together in an interactive forum to learn about and explore the World of Virtual Work. The island features a variety of virtual work resources, including an orientation trail to teach "newbies" how to move around, interact and teleport around Second Life; and a series of work-related stations offering advice on creating a virtual resume, preparing for both Real Life and Second Life job interviews, obtaining appropriate attire and finding a job in the virtual world. Manpower Island is staffed by full-time Manpower employees who maneuver avatars and welcome visitors to the Island, personally answering questions about Manpower and the World of Virtual Work.
Second Life (http://www.secondlife.com/) is an online virtual community where residents live and work in a variety of 3D environments. An avatar is a person's digital altar-ego; a machinima is a computer-generated three-dimensional film.
About Manpower Inc.
Manpower Inc. (NYSE: MAN) is a world leader in the employment services industry; creating and delivering services that enable its clients to win in the changing world of work. Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2008, the $21 billion company offers employers a range of services for the entire employment and business cycle including permanent, temporary and contract recruitment; employee assessment and selection; training; outplacement; outsourcing and consulting. Manpower's worldwide network of 4,500 offices in 80 countries and territories enables the company to meet the needs of its 400,000 clients per year, including small and medium size enterprises in all industry sectors, as well as the world's largest multinational corporations. The focus of Manpower's work is on raising productivity through improved quality, efficiency and cost-reduction across their total workforce, enabling clients to concentrate on their core business activities. Manpower Inc. operates under five brands: Manpower, Manpower Professional, Elan, Jefferson Wells and Right Management. More information on Manpower Inc. is available at http://www.manpower.com/.
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: linda.granrose@na.manpower.com
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SOURCE: Manpower Inc.
CONTACT: Britt Zarling of Manpower Inc., +1-414-906-7272, mobile,
+1-414-526-3107, Britt.Zarling@manpower.com
Web site: http://www.manpower.com/
