a socially engaged organisation

Work is crucial to our lives. By helping people find the right employers and helping employers find the right people, Randstad plays a pivotal role in shaping the world of work and, at the same time, making a positive contribution to society.

However, Randstad’s commitment to social engagement does not stop there. It has always been aware that its success depends on society as a whole benefiting from the positive effects of everyone working together.

tackling youth unemployment

In an economic downturn, the youngest members of the workforce are hit hardest. Labour market conditions have generally improved for young people in Australia since the global financial crisis, although the recovery has been uneven across labour market regions and age groups, according to research by the Parliament of Australia. 

The effects of reduced, short-term, vulnerable and low skilled employment at the start of a working life can have negative repercussions for a whole career. The impact of reduced access to fulfilling employment prospects for a generation, known as ‘scarring’, is prompting the government and agencies to vigorously fund and promote schemes to galvanise youth employment. These include active labour market programs (ALMPs), although outcomes and effectiveness are not widely seen to have been effective. Many of today’s young people are caught in a vicious cycle where they can't get a job because they don't have the experience needed, but can't gain the experience because nobody will give them a job.

Randstad’s Shaping Young Futures program aims to break this cycle. By using its network of employers and working in partnership with charities and welfare groups such as The Smith Family, Randstad helps young Australians gain a clearer understanding of the modern world of work, develop their job-seeking skills, and create pathways to employment by connecting them with employers.

building better communities

Randstad believes that work has a profound impact on the state of society. That’s why it makes every effort to find roles where people can be happy and fulfil their potential. It participates in a scheme – WithYouWithMe – which focuses on improving outcomes for veterans, who experience low employment rates compared to the national average, often based on misconceptions about veterans’ suitability for civilian roles. In order to be able to help our clients deliver on their diversity policies and veteran recruitment strategies, we have embraced and created opportunities within our own business to this end.

Randstad is also the natural global employability partner for Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), the development charity that fights poverty through people, matching volunteers’ skills with the needs of communities in the developing world. By capitalising on Randstad’s core competencies and making use of its expansive network, VSO stimulates positive change and empowers disadvantaged or marginalised people to lead more fulfilling lives.

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