Robert Half Explained

Robert Half Inc. is an international human resource consulting firm founded in 1948, based in Menlo Park and San Ramon, California.^[4] It is among the world's largest accounting and finance staffing firms, with over 345 locations worldwide.^[5]

Through its Accountemps, Finance & Accounting, and Management Resources divisions, the company provides staff in the fields of accounting and finance. Other divisions include Robert Half Technology, providing software, application, IT infrastructure and operations professionals; Office Team, which specializes in administrative and customer service staffing; The Creative Group, which focuses on design, artistic, and creative talent; and Robert Half Legal, which provides staffing for legal professionals. In 2002, Robert Half founded a subsidiary, Protiviti Inc., a subsidiary, to provide internal audit, financial, operations, technology, governance, and risk consulting services.

History

Robert Half and his wife Maxine founded the Robert Half Personnel Agency in New York City in 1948.^[6] He also created Accountemps, a company founded to supply temporary accountants.^[7]

The firm went public in 1987, then expanded its operations into Europe in 1993.^[8] In addition to the Accountemps brand, the firm expanded to include specialty groups focusing on technology, legal and creative services personnel.^[8] In 1991 the company acquired The Affiliates, renaming it as Robert Half Legal.^[8]

Robert Half also provides independent risk consulting, internal audit and information technology consulting services via its Protiviti subsidiary, founded in 2002 with the acquisition of former employees of Arthur Andersen.^{[8] [9]} In 2003, the company bought back the last of the few remaining independent franchise operations.^[8]

In 2006, the company, through its subsidiary Protiviti Inc., acquired the assets of PG Lewis & Associates, a provider of data forensics and cybersecurity services founded in 2003. The financial terms were not disclosed.^[10]

In April 2022, Robert Half moved its legal consulting service line to Protiviti, allowing the subsidiary to expand its legal consulting practice.^[11]

See also

• Protiviti
• Human resource consulting
• Arthur Andersen

Further reading

Verified sources

• AT Staff, "Staffing Firm Founder Robert Half Dead at 82," Accounting Today, September 24, 2001, p. 56.
• Brandstrader, J.R., "It's an Ill Wind," Barron's, March 25, 1996, p. 18.
• Byrnes, Nanette, et al., "The Good CEO," Businessweek, September 23, 2002.
• Caldwell, Douglas E., "The New Economy's Gold Digger," Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, March 16, 2001, p. 38.
• Desloge, Rick, "Robert Half, Kelly Services Share in Temp Firm Growth," St. Louis Business Journal, December 1, 1997, p. 24.
• Fleming, Eric C., "Job-Recruiter Blues: Will Paltry Demand Drain Robert Half Shares?," Barron's, November 11, 2002, p. T8.
• Jordon, Steve, "New Risk-Consulting Firm Lures Ex-Andersen Employees," Omaha World Herald, June 6, 2002.
• Lenz, Edward. "Flexible Employment: Positive Work Strategies for the 21st Century," Journal of Labor Research, 1996.
• Marsh, Ann, "We're Your Talent Agent," Forbes, August 10, 1998, p. 104.
• Morningstar Staff, "Morningstar Names Max Messmer of Robert Half International as 2003 CEO of the Year," Morningstar, January 6, 2004.
• Murphy, Victoria, "Robert Half International: Everyone Need Apply," Forbes, January 8, 2001, p. 106.
• NATSS Staff, "Temporary Help Services Continue Growth; Several Factors Cited," Alexandria, Va.: National Association of Temporary Staffing Services, June 17, 1996.
• Robson, Douglas, "Half's Measures: Robert Half Harnesses Outsourcing Trend to Prove that Even Big Businesses Can Grow Quickly," San Francisco Business Times, April 18, 1997, p. 5A.
• Siwolop, Sana, "Renting the Workers, But Buying the Stock," The New York Times, December 15, 1996.
• Svaldi, Aldo, "California-Based Staffing-Services Firm Hires 760 Andersen Accountants," Denver Post, June 6, 2002.

Notes and References

1. Web site: RH Intl. Staff . 2013 . History and Values . company web page . RobertHalf.be . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130621082120/http://www.roberthalf.be/robert-half-international-history . June 21, 2013 . February 27, 2017 .
2. Web site: Company Overview of Robert Half International Inc. . Bloomberg . Bloomberg L.P. . 18 December 2018.
3. Web site: Robert Half Annual Report 2021 . 2022 Annual Report . 19 June 2023 . Robert Half International Inc. . 19 June 2023.
4. Web site: Robert Half International. Fortune 500.
5. Web site: Locations . Robert Half . 10 April 2017 . 18 December 2018.
6. News: 8 September 2001 . Robert Half, 82, Founder of a Job Agency . 16 September 2024 . The New York Times.
7. Web site: Archives . L. A. Times . 2001-09-02 . Robert Half; Founded Employment Agency, Temp Firm for CPAs . 2024-09-16 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
8. FU Staff [Wernick, E., et al.] . 2005 . Robert Half International Inc. History . FundingUniverse.com . February 27, 2017. This information is derived from the following source: Book: Wernick, Ellen . Gariepy, Jennifer . Grant, Tina . 2005 . International Directory of Company Histories (IDCH) . Robert Half International Inc. . 70 . IDCH, Gale Reference Library (Derdak, Thomas, series ed.) . Detroit, MI . Gale/St. James Press . 1558625453 . February 27, 2017. Note, this compilation reports, to a significant degree, information self-reported by the company, and so constitutes information not strictly third-party in nature.
9. News: Jordon, Steve . June 6, 2002 . New Risk-Consulting Firm Lures Ex-Andersen Employees . Omaha World-Herald . Omaha, NE . Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News . https://web.archive.org/web/20170228084948/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-87029742.html . dead . February 28, 2017 . subscription . February 27, 2017 .
10. Web site: 2006-03-03. Protiviti Acquires P.G. Lewis & Associates. 2020-10-14. Accounting Today. en.
11. Web site: Robert Half moves legal solutions practice to subsidiary Protiviti . consulting.us . April 2022 . Consultancy.org network . 24 April 2022.