Randstad USA Survey Identifies Biggest Office Flirts: Westerners and Men.

ATLANTA -- Looking for love or just someone to talk to? Try walking around your office, especially if you work out West.

According to a socializing-in-the-workplace-themed survey released today by Randstad USA, a leading workforce solutions company, the flirtiest co-workers reside in the Western United States, and men are most likely to be the culprit. Forty-five percent of working adults residing in the Western U.S. said they have flirted with a colleague, compared with respondents in the Midwest (32%), Northeast (34%) and South (37%).

Nationwide, 41 percent of working men admitted that they have flirted with a co-worker, compared to 32 percent of women. Men are also twice as likely as women to be set up on a date by a colleague (12% of men indicated a colleague has played matchmaker for them) and three times as likely to have a secret crush at work (12% of men, compared to 4% of women).

For some employees, the workplace is as much a pool for dating as it is a reservoir for social activity. The survey shows that two-thirds (66%) of working adults enjoy socializing with co-workers outside of the workplace. Overall, the preferred environments for socializing with co-workers outside the workplace suggest a close tie to work, either a work-related event or activities in conjunction with the work day. In fact, those in the South (41%) and Midwest (35%) like socializing with co-workers at company parties and Northeasterners favor dinner (37%). Happy hour was also a popular response for working adults nationwide (28%).

However, when it comes to mixing work friends and private lives, the Randstad survey indicates that nearly 78 percent of respondents do not feel obligated to invite co-workers to personal events.

"Randstad's survey suggests that, for many American workers, the workplace can be a social outlet through which employees create a positive rapport with co-workers that manifests in and out of the work space," said Eric Buntin, managing director, marketing and operations for Randstad USA. "The definition of work-life balance blurs as employees establish deeper relationships and experiences with co-workers."

While men, according to the survey, may be the office flirts, women tend to establish more meaningful relationships. Of the women surveyed, 53 percent have had an "office spouse" or someone at work with whom they confide about personal matters and relationship issues, compared to 42 percent of men.

Other interesting Randstad survey findings include the following:

* Thirty-seven percent of all working adults have flirted with a colleague and eight percent currently have a secret crush at work.

* Seventeen percent of all working adults have secretly dated someone from work.

* Twenty-five percent of men, nearly twice the percent of women (12%), have rated co-workers with terms such as "most datable" or "best looking."

* Midwesterners are more than twice as likely to say they have played matchmaker to a co-worker (14%) than to have been matched for a date by a co-worker (6%).

* Working adults in the South (14%) are most likely among the different regions to be set up by their co-workers.

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Survey Methodology

Harris Interactive([R]) fielded the study on behalf of Randstad USA from January 22-24, 2007, via its QuickQuery(SM) online omnibus, interviewing a nationwide sample of 2,383 U.S. adults aged 18 and over, among whom 1,522 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 3 percentage points and the employee results have a sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. 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 $8.25 billion global provider of professional employment services and the fourth largest staffing organization in the world. In 2005, Randstad USA's 1,900 staffing professionals put 48,500 people to work in the U.S. each week through its 419 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([R])

Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world's largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiary Novatris in France and through a global network of independent market research firms. The service bureau, HISB, provides its market research industry clients with mixed-mode data collection, panel development services as well as syndicated and tracking research consultation. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com.