Randstad was founded in 1960 by Frits Goldschmeding and Ger Daleboudt. Both were studying economics at the time at VU University Amsterdam. Goldschmeding was supposed to write a thesis at the VU University Amsterdam and his professor advised him to write a thesis on temporary employment since there was hardly any literature at the time. After completing his thesis, Goldschmeding decided to turn the subject of his idea into a company. The first flyers for the firm were typed in Goldschmeding’s attic room in the student house on Sloterkade in Amsterdam.
Today, Randstad is one of the largest international HR management and temporary employment agencies in the world.
In 2019, Google contracted Randstad to provide facial recognition services for its Pixel 4 authentication feature. Google’s end goal with the project was to make the feature more inclusive by collecting facial data from people with dark skin, and those participating in the research were given a $5 gift certificate. However, the New York Daily News reported that Randstad project leaders allegedly directed its workers to maximize data collection by deceiving participants and targeting homeless people in Atlanta, Georgia.
Randstad stated that, after hearing concerns about how information was presented to participants and obtaining consent, the project was temporarily suspended and project leaders were retrained. After the Daily News published its report, Google said it had shut down its field research and was investigating the allegations.
The company recently stated that it believed that unemployment would continue to grow in 2023, despite a strong labor market at the end of 2022.
Randstad maintains a corporate office in the USA in Atlanta, Georgia.
