‘Clients cannot do nothing forever’: Randstad CEO on recruiting in a stalled market

“You need to be recruiting where the puck is going” — Randstad CEO Sander van’t Noordende

By Bethan Staton | Financial Times | June 4, 2025

The chief executive of one of the world’s biggest recruitment and staffing companies is talking ice hockey.

“As they say in Canada, skate where the puck is going to be,” says Sander van’t Noordende of Randstad. “If the jobs are moving there, we need to make sure we are there.”

Van’t Noordende has led Randstad since 2022, after missing out on the top job at Accenture. Now, he’s navigating a labour market in turmoil.

Employers are struggling to find staff in an era of low post-pandemic unemployment. Yet political and economic uncertainty is leaving many applicants without work. Artificial intelligence is also beginning to upend demand for human workers—and it’s already making hiring more difficult.

“I’m in the business of listening to the market, the client... We point our efforts where demand is, and will be.”

Randstad has identified growth areas in biotech, logistics, and healthcare. The goal: better match worker supply with employer demand.

Still, Van’t Noordende admits the hiring market feels stalled.

“Things are, let’s say, somewhat stuck,” he says. Hiring is muted. Quit rates are low. “Clients are saying... I’m going to sit on the fence for a little while. They are reluctant to invest.”

In its Q1 earnings report, Randstad posted a 5% drop in revenue year-over-year—on par with other global staffing firms. But its CEO remains optimistic, citing the company’s long history, size, and reputation in a “sticky” industry where client relationships last.

Founded in 1960, the Amsterdam-listed firm generated €24bn in 2024 and helped 1.7 million people find work.

A Digital Shift

Van’t Noordende is betting on innovation. Randstad recently acquired:

• Torc: an AI-driven tech talent platform

• Zorgwerk: an app that connects healthcare workers to temp jobs

These acquisitions have paved the way for a new hiring app that Van’t Noordende compares to Uber.

“You go on the app, you sign up, you get validated... and you basically are ready to work within the next 24 hours,” he explains.
“It’s really a model with no human intervention whatsoever. It sort of takes care of itself.”

Since launching in the US last year, the platform has already attracted 500,000 users.

On AI, Jobs, and What Comes Next

Recruitment, like many industries, is being disrupted by tech. AI-driven mass job applications are making it harder for employers to identify the right candidates. Platforms like LinkedIn and Upwork are adding features traditionally offered by recruiters.

Should workers be worried?

“I’m an AI optimist,” says Van’t Noordende. “Jobs will change, not disappear.”
“Talent is scarce. Unemployment is at record lows across much of the West. The world needs a productivity boost, and AI can help with that.”

He cites the example of industry research.

“You ask 10 questions, press a button, and the AI tool says, ‘I’m looking at 150 websites for you.’ You get a neat report—it’s amazing. When I was younger, it would have taken me weeks.”

Still, he doesn’t foresee fewer people working—just more productivity.

As for whether AI agents might ever join Randstad’s staffing roster?

“There might be, in the somewhat distant future,” he says, before adding that Randstad is sticking to its core business.
“Services and technology don’t gel well. Services is about people. Technology is about developing something and selling it.”

From Accenture to Randstad

Van’t Noordende spent over 30 years at Accenture. He began as a consultant at what was then Andersen Consulting, held several division CEO roles, and exited after losing the global CEO role to Julie Sweet in 2019.

“I found myself in a situation where the only job I still aspired to—I was not going to get,” he says.

After traveling with his husband and joining Randstad’s board, the CEO position opened up. He interviewed and got the job.

“Straightforward,” he says with a smile.

He sees clear overlap between recruitment and consulting. Randstad’s services now include cybersecurity, HR consulting, and helping companies manage layoffs.

A Focus on Equity and Inclusion

Though based in the Netherlands, Van’t Noordende also owns a home in Miami. He’s a vocal advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion—something he sees as vital both personally and professionally.

Coming out as gay at work was, in his words, “one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.” He’s served on the board of Out & Equal, a global organization for workplace LGBTQ+ representation.

His LinkedIn bio highlights his “particular passion for advocating for workplace equity with a strong focus on supporting the LGBTQI+ community.”

“When you want to recruit the right people, you need to be recruiting everyone—from the widest pool you can find.”

Even political backlash—like Trump’s threats to DEI policies—hasn’t changed this belief.

“The whole situation is settling down,” he says.

Looking Ahead

Trump’s shifting stance on tariffs, however, has created new uncertainty. Van’t Noordende says clients are “managing their short-term options” but not yet making long-term decisions on manufacturing or supply chains.

In the end, he knows there’s only so much a staffing company can do without a stronger economic backdrop.

“For that to change, we need an economy that is flourishing a bit more than it does today,” he says.
“Clients cannot do nothing forever.”