02-01-2006 RANDSTAD SURVEY REVEALS ROMANCE IN WORKPLACE TRENDS

ATLANTA, February 1, 2006 – With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, love is in the air – and at your place of work. According to a romance-in-the-workplace-themed survey released today by Randstad USA, the workforce solutions company, 31 percent of employed U.S. adults believe it is appropriate to date a co-worker, 27 percent have kissed a co-worker and two percent said they have sent themselves flowers or a gift on Valentine’s Day. A total of 1,478 employed U.S. adults were surveyed by Harris Interactive® for Randstad’s inaugural monthly “Job Bites” survey on romance in the workplace. Throughout 2006, Randstad will commission a monthly survey on relevant and provocative workplace trends. “Randstad has its finger on the pulse of the American workplace, and these monthly surveys allow us to share our knowledge about what’s happening on the front lines in offices and jobsites around the country,” said Genia Spencer, Managing Director of Operations and Human Resources for Randstad USA. “Right now, based on our survey around romance in the workplace, adult Americans are telling us that they do mix business with pleasure, and that that’s not necessarily a bad thing. With Americans spending more and more time at their jobs, the workplace is increasingly becoming a source of social activity and a venue for romantic interaction.” Interesting Job Bites findings include: Love: * 30 percent of working adults said they have dated a co-worker. * 24 percent said they feel comfortable discussing their romantic relationships with their work colleagues. * 15 percent said they use work as a distraction from their personal lives. Valentine’s Day: * Three percent of employed adults have sent a secret Valentine to a co-worker. * Five percent feel pressured to send Valentine’s Day flowers or candy to their significant other at their work. * 10 percent bring Valentine’s gifts/cards to share with co-workers. * 20 percent wear red or other Valentine’s Day colors and symbols to work on February 14. Communication: * The majority, or 59 percent of employed adults, communicate (e.g., by phone, email, instant messaging, text messaging) with a significant other each day. * 35 percent said they spend up to 15 minutes a day communicating with a significant other. * One percent said they spend more than four hours each working day communicating with a significant other. Perception: * 35 percent of employed married adults said married workers are more reliable than their single, divorced, separated or widowed colleagues. * 19 percent of employed divorced/separated/widowed adults say that married workers are more reliable. * Nine percent of employed single adults said married workers are more reliable. * 26 percent of employed married adults said single workers spend more time socializing on the job while only 16 percent of single workers agreed. * 25 percent of single workers said single people are more fun to work with while only nine percent of married adults agreed. Survey Methodology Harris Interactive® fielded the study on behalf of Randstad USA from January 23-25, 2006, via its QuickQuerySM online omnibus, interviewing a nationwide sample of 2,066 U.S. adults aged 18 and over, among whom 1,478 were employed. Data were weighted to reflect the total U.S. adult population on the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity, and propensity to be online. In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the overall results have a sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points for results from employed U.S. adults, and sampling error for the various sub-samples of Married, Single, Divorced/Separated/ Widowed workers are higher and varied. This online sample is not a probability sample. About Randstad USA Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., Randstad USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding nv, a $7.1 billion global provider of professional employment services and the fourth largest staffing organization in the world. In 2004, Randstad USA''s 2,190 staffing professionals put 48,500 people to work in the U.S. each week through its 455 branches and client-dedicated locations. Randstad fulfills temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire opportunities in Office, Executive Office, Industrial, Call Center, Finance & Accounting, Technical and Creative. Randstad provides skills assessments, career counseling, training, health coverage, paid vacation and 401(k) matching contributions to eligible internal and external employees. More information is available at the company’s Web site, www.us.randstad.com. Investment information is available at www.randstad.com. About Harris Interactive® Harris Interactive Inc. (www.harrisinteractive.com), based in Rochester, New York, is the 13th largest and the fastest-growing market research firm in the world, most widely known for The Harris Poll® and for its pioneering leadership in the online market research industry. Long recognized by its clients for delivering insights that enable confident business decisions, the Company blends the science of innovative research with the art of strategic consulting to deliver knowledge that leads to measurable and enduring value. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe (www.harrisinteractive.com/europe) and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in Paris, France (www.novatris.com), and through an independent global network of affiliate market research companies. EOE M/F/D/V To become a member of the Harris Poll OnlineSM and be invited to participate in future online surveys, go to www.harrispollonline.com ###

Media Contact: cindi.kurczewski@us.randstad.com

Back to In the News