Bio
Karen Fichuk is CEO of Randstad North America and Executive Board Member for Randstad N.V. Established in 1960, Randstad is the largest HR services provider in the world, offering staffing and recruitment, outsourcing, consulting and total workforce management solutions for companies of all sizes and in nearly every industry.
As the leader of Randstad’s core business brands in the U.S. and Canada, Karen is responsible for the largest market by revenue in the company’s global portfolio. She joined the organization in 2019, bringing expertise in data, analytics and technology gained from over 25 years of experience outside of the staffing industry. This fresh perspective is proving to be an invaluable asset as the organization continues to strengthen its digital foundation in order to play a leading role in the larger ecosystem of people's working lives.
Karen is passionate about the mission of HR firms like Randstad to place people in jobs that afford them more flexibility or a means to permanent employment and the opportunity to develop new and transferable skills for the in-demand jobs of the future. She firmly believes that education and employment are key to driving systemic change for equality and has demonstrated her commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion both within and outside of Randstad - including implementing specific diverse slate targets, sponsoring new mentorship and upskilling programs, and cultivating a workplace environment where employees feel safe and empowered.
With the staffing industry sector viewed as a bellwether for economic up and downturn, Karen is often tapped for her insights on the labor market and workforce/workplace challenges that are facing employers, as well as workers. She has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal and featured on “Good Morning America” and on Bloomberg Business Radio. In 2020, Karen was named to Staffing Industry Analysts’ Global Power 100 List of Women in Staffing.
Currently, Karen serves on the Board of Trustees for the The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) and is a member of the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion coalition. She is proud to represent Randstad as a member of the Velocity Network Foundation, a cooperative nonprofit whose mission is to put people back in control of their career data and build the world’s network for verifiable career credentials powered by blockchain technology.
Karen is based in Chicago and is a graduate of Colorado State University. She completed a fellowship with the International Women’s Forum at Harvard Business School.