Randstad | Building a skills-first, inclusive future through language

Randstad is actively evolving into a more equitable, inclusive, and skills-based organization. A cornerstone of this transformation was the refresh of its EVP – centered around five pillars: Growth, Purpose, Culture, Wellbeing, and Rewards.

Language training, under the Growth pillar, emerged as a powerful enabler of career progression and internal mobility. Partnering with EF Corporate Learning, Randstad offered all employees free access to foundational language learning, ensuring equitable opportunities for everyone, regardless of location or role.

EF’s impact survey revealed that nearly nine in ten employees saw limited English skills as a barrier to performing effectively in their roles. Many employees reported losing valuable time each week due to language challenges, while also expressing frustration at being unable to contribute fully in meetings or pursue more complex roles. As a global organization, ensuring a consistent standard of communication was essential – not only for operational success but for employee morale and development.

As the company shifted toward a skills-based approach to talent development, it became increasingly important to offer clear proficiency benchmarks to align training with future job mobility and development paths. Beyond just language training, there was a need for a transformative solution that embedded communication skills as part of Randstad’s global culture of growth.

Together with EF Corporate Learning, Randstad launched a flexible, high-impact English training program under the EVP banner “Together We Grow.” The offering combined self-paced online learning with personalized, teacher-led classes, tailored to the real-world communication needs of professionals in a wide range of roles. 

Designed to be inclusive and scalable, the program was rolled out across 39 countries and integrated into local and regional development plans. Employees could choose the pace and format that best suited their schedules, while EF provided global program management and learner engagement support. 

Since its launch, the program has reached thousands of Randstad employees, with more than 10,000 courses delivered at peak enrollment. Employees report feeling more confident in meetings, better able to express themselves in emails and calls, and more prepared to take on leadership responsibilities. The average teacher rating of 4.9 out of 5 and year-on-year learner satisfaction of 80% reflect the consistently high quality of the learning experience.

Notably, those enrolled in premium teacher-led courses reported the highest gains in both confidence and clarity about their career development paths, underlining the importance of personalized, guided learning. Beyond language, the program has come to symbolize Randstad’s commitment to inclusion, fairness, and growth for all.

As Randstad continues its evolution into a skills-based, data-driven organization, language learning is being integrated into its global job architecture and employee development pathways. Their goal is to have proficiency benchmarks aligned with roles and promotion criteria, making progress more transparent and actionable. Language is no longer seen as “nice to have” but as a strategic skill required for equitable talent mobility and leadership growth.

Randstad’s partnership with EF Corporate Learning stands out as a model, as it further embeds its EVP across global and local markets, for scalable, inclusive learning that delivers real impact.