How Randstad has been building a fear-free reporting culture for 15+ years

At Randstad's headquarters in Diemen, near Amsterdam, Senior Compliance Counsel Dieuwke Visser, a 25+ year veteran at Randstad, shared her insights on the integration and success of SpeakUp within their operations.

Randstad and SpeakUp have been working together to create a safe and compliant work environment, reflecting both companies' commitment to employee well-being and ethical practices.

The challenge of empowering thousands of employees to feel safe

Randstad's primary challenge for which they started using SpeakUp was to establish an effective and trustworthy internal reporting system for compliance and ethical concerns. They needed a solution that would empower employees to report misconduct or unethical behaviour in a safe and anonymous manner, thereby overcoming the fear of repercussions or being identified.

This challenge was about ensuring that all employees, regardless of their position, felt comfortable and secure in voicing their concerns, which is crucial for maintaining integrity and ethical standards within the organisation. SpeakUp was implemented to address this need, providing a platform that encouraged open communication.

The results of using low-barrier whistleblowing software at Randstad

As Visser tells us, there has been a significant shift in creating a culture of transparency and an ethical workplace at Randstad over the 15 years of implementing SpeakUp. Here are some key results:

Enhanced communication and trust

SpeakUp enabled a secure and anonymous way for employees to report issues, which significantly improved the level of trust and openness within the organisation. The platform was effectively backed by Randstad’s leadership, particularly in regions like APAC, ensuring that core values were not just communicated but also actively practiced and reinforced.

Increased awareness of compliance and ethics

‍Through integration into the onboarding process and regular e-learning modules, SpeakUp® helped in keeping the employees consistently aware of the company’s misconduct reporting procedures and ethical standards.

Empowerment and engagement of employees

Employees felt more comfortable and empowered to report unethical behaviour, knowing they could do so anonymously and safely. SpeakUp® assisted in fostering a more positive approach to compliance, focusing on behaviour and values rather than just rules, which is crucial for a healthy workplace environment.

Effective resolution of reports

The success of the platform was seen not just in the number of messages received but, in the ability, to address and resolve issues, improving the organisation overall.

High employee familiarity with reporting procedures

A high score (8.6/10) in the annual employee survey of 2022 at Randstad indicates that a significant number of employees were aware of where and how to report issues, which is a strong indicator of the effectiveness of SpeakUp’s integration into the company.

One compliance professional to another: what are the best practices in a speak up program?

Visser tells us about the truth of building a speak up culture and a program in line with it. Here is what she uncovers.

1. Leadership’s role matters

Visser emphasises the importance of top management in promoting core values across all operations, ensuring a uniform understanding and adherence to ethical standards.

2. Awareness and training

Randstad incorporates their core values and the Misconduct Reporting Procedure in every employee's onboarding program.

Additionally, a global e-learning program, including SpeakUp information, is undertaken biennially to reinforce awareness.

3. Choosing integrity officers

Randstad looks for trusted individuals within their legal, HR, or audit teams to serve as local integrity officers, valuing personal credibility over specific job functions.

4. Compliance culture advice

She advises new compliance officers to be visible and supportive within their organisations, focusing on positive engagement rather than strict rule enforcement.

5. SpeakUp’s assurance

Visser affirms that she would use SpeakUp herself, stressing its safety and encouraging employees to voice their concerns either directly or through the platform.

“SpeakUp becomes a success when people know how to find the tool and how to use it for the right purposes.”

Randstad and SpeakUp: a partnership strengthening compliance and integrity

Dieuwke Visser describes SpeakUp as an essential compliance tool within Randstad, which has become deeply integrated into their organisational culture.

SpeakUp, according to Visser, excels in the role as a partner due to their personal and accessible approach.

Celebrating 15+ years of partnership, Randstad and SpeakUp have grown together in an evolving compliance landscape.

“We would rather receive too many messages then miss the one that is essential. So, please come forward.”