Note 11. Segment Disclosures (Detail)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	The Company's segments are based on the organizational structure for which financial results are regularly evaluated by the Company's chief operating decision maker to determine resource allocation and assess performance. The Company's seven reporting segments are: (1) Americas Commercial, (2) Americas Professional and Technical (“Americas PT”), (3) Europe, Middle East and Africa Commercial (“EMEA Commercial”), (4) Europe, Middle East and Africa Professional and Technical (“EMEA PT”), (5) Asia Pacific Commercial (“APAC Commercial”), (6) Asia Pacific Professional and Technical (“APAC PT”) and (7) Outsourcing and Consulting Group (“OCG”). The Commercial business segments within the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions represent traditional office services, contact-center staffing, marketing, electronic assembly, light industrial and, in the Americas, substitute teachers. The PT segments encompass a wide range of highly skilled temporary employees, including scientists, financial professionals, attorneys, engineers, IT specialists and healthcare workers. OCG includes recruitment process outsourcing (“RPO”), contingent workforce outsourcing (“CWO”), business process outsourcing (“BPO”), payroll process outsourcing (“PPO”), executive placement and career transition/outplacement (“CTO”) services. Corporate expenses that directly support the operating units have been allocated to the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions and OCG based on a work effort, volume or, in the absence of a readily available measurement process, proportionately based on revenue from services. The following tables present information about the reported revenue from services and gross profit of the Company by segment, along with a reconciliation to consolidated earnings before taxes, for the 13 and 39 weeks ended 2012 and 2011. Asset information by reportable segment is not presented, since the Company does not produce such information internally, nor does it use such data to manage its business. Our segments themselves did not change from prior periods, however, effective with the first quarter of 2012, we changed the manner in which we evaluate and internally report segments, such that our primary measure of segment performance is now gross profit. Historically, our primary measure of segment performance was gross profit less an allocation of SG&A expenses. We revised the prior period's segment results to conform to the current manner in which we evaluate segment performance.
Number of Reportable Segments	7

Note 11. Segment Disclosures (Detail)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

The Company's segments are based on the organizational structure for which financial results are regularly evaluated by the Company's chief operating decision maker to determine resource allocation and assess performance. The Company's seven reporting segments are: (1) Americas Commercial, (2) Americas Professional and Technical (“Americas PT”), (3) Europe, Middle East and Africa Commercial (“EMEA Commercial”), (4) Europe, Middle East and Africa Professional and Technical (“EMEA PT”), (5) Asia Pacific Commercial (“APAC Commercial”), (6) Asia Pacific Professional and Technical (“APAC PT”) and (7) Outsourcing and Consulting Group (“OCG”).

The Commercial business segments within the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions represent traditional office services, contact-center staffing, marketing, electronic assembly, light industrial and, in the Americas, substitute teachers. The PT segments encompass a wide range of highly skilled temporary employees, including scientists, financial professionals, attorneys, engineers, IT specialists and healthcare workers. OCG includes recruitment process outsourcing (“RPO”), contingent workforce outsourcing (“CWO”), business process outsourcing (“BPO”), payroll process outsourcing (“PPO”), executive placement and career transition/outplacement (“CTO”) services. Corporate expenses that directly support the operating units have been allocated to the Americas, EMEA and APAC regions and OCG based on a work effort, volume or, in the absence of a readily available measurement process, proportionately based on revenue from services.

The following tables present information about the reported revenue from services and gross profit of the Company by segment, along with a reconciliation to consolidated earnings before taxes, for the 13 and 39 weeks ended 2012 and 2011. Asset information by reportable segment is not presented, since the Company does not produce such information internally, nor does it use such data to manage its business. Our segments themselves did not change from prior periods, however, effective with the first quarter of 2012, we changed the manner in which we evaluate and internally report segments, such that our primary measure of segment performance is now gross profit. Historically, our primary measure of segment performance was gross profit less an allocation of SG&A expenses. We revised the prior period's segment results to conform to the current manner in which we evaluate segment performance.

Number of Reportable Segments