Workday announces Partnership with Randstad to Infuse AI in Talent Acquisition

Workday announced a new strategic partnership with talent company Randstad. This collaboration aims to transform the way businesses find and hire talent by integrating Workday’s Recruiting Agent, powered by AI-based Illuminate, with Randstad’s extensive talent network. The partnership is expected to significantly reduce the time and effort required to connect recruiters with qualified candidates, leading to faster, smarter hiring decisions and improved business outcomes through talent acquisition.

“Finding qualified talent in today’s job market is one of the biggest challenges for companies. By combining Workday’s Recruiting Agent with Randstad’s unmatched talent network, we’re making hiring easier and more efficient than it’s ever been. This is the future of work – where AI and people collaborate to drive better outcomes,” said Matthew Brandt, senior vice president, global partners, Workday.

The integrated AI-powered solution is now available to Workday Recruiting Agent customers in the U.S., with plans for broader global expansion. This partnership marks a pivotal shift in recruitment by harnessing AI and deep talent networks to streamline hiring, optimize workforce planning, and drive business success.

AI-Powered Hiring for the Future

The 2025 World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report indicates that 42% of employers anticipate a decline in talent availability by 2030. Workday’s Recruiting Agent, already helping businesses streamline hiring, will now leverage Randstad’s massive talent database, making it easier to identify and engage specialized professionals. AI is projected to play a growing role in talent acquisition in the near future by driving hiring efficiency in some critical ways:

• AI-driven talent sourcing: Workday’s Recruiting Agent surfaces qualified leads from past applicants, internal databases, and Randstad’s talent network.
• Reduces manual work: Instead of recruiters manually sorting through resumes, AI instantly identifies top talent, allowing them to focus on candidate engagement.
• Improves hiring decisions: AI predicts which candidates are most likely to apply and be a good fit, boosting efficiency and success rates.

Impact of the Workday-Randstad Partnership

Workday’s Recruiting Agent processed over 700,000 job requisitions in 2024, increasing recruiting capacity by 54%. With Randstad’s network added, Workday aims to provide its customers with some of the following benefits:

• Expanded Talent Access – Recruiters will have immediate access to a large network of skilled professionals.
• Smarter Candidate Matching – AI will match recruiters with top candidates who are most likely to apply.
• Seamless Workflow Integration – Recruiters can source candidates within Workday’s system, eliminating inefficiencies.
• Faster Hiring & Cost Reduction – Companies can quickly fill roles, enhance productivity, and lower hiring costs.

“We are excited to partner with Workday to accelerate the matching of our specialized talent with meaningful opportunities. At Randstad, we believe AI enhances human expertise while driving efficiency and innovation, and this partnership is a great example of how we’re combining AI with our deep understanding of talent to transform the world of work,” said Mike Smith, chief executive at Randstad Enterprise.

Workday, founded in 2005, has long been known for its AI and machine learning innovations, integrating intelligent automation into HR and finance functions to enhance productivity. The company has consistently infused AI and automation into its Human Capital Management (HCM) suite, which helps businesses streamline talent acquisition, payroll, workforce planning, and employee experience. Companies rely on Workday’s AI-powered recruiting, performance management, and skills-based talent marketplace to attract and retain top talent.

What This Means for SAPinsiders

AI is expanding its reach to HR. The Workday-Randstad collaboration exemplifies how AI complements human expertise rather than replacing it. Workday research found that 93% of employees believe AI enables them to focus on strategic and high-level tasks. However, implementation has been uneven. As of late 2024, between 35% and 45% of companies have integrated AI into their hiring processes. Yet another survey indicates that nearly 70% of employers plan to incorporate AI into their recruitment processes by the end of 2025. This means that organizations that are not currently planning to adopt AI into their recruitment strategies risk falling behind.

AI may be the key to overcoming skills gaps. With the Baby Boomer generation heading off to retirement, skills gaps are becoming a growing issues across a wide range of industries. Different studies show that anywhere from 70-90% of business leaders report struggling to fill critical positions with qualified applicants within their remit. Companies need better strategies to find and hire potential new hires, namely by leveraging AI offerings. These solutions can expand the access recruiters have to skilled professionals, match them with candidates who are likely to apply, and reduce the time and cost associated with hiring.

Successful hiring managers want all of their needs met on one platform. Like many other areas, HCM functions need centralized platforms and dashboards in which they can find data and perform all the essential functions of their job. The new solutions from Workday and Randstad aims to provide this service by streamlining hiring, optimizing workforce planning, and driving business success all in one solution.