Side

What Side does

Side is a France-based digital temporary staffing platform, headquartered in Lyon and operating as a subsidiary of the global staffing conglomerate Randstad. The company runs a mobile-first platform that connects businesses needing temporary workers with qualified candidates (called "Siders"), supporting end-to-end workflows including proprietary AI-based profile matching, eIDAS-compliant digital contract generation and signing, real-time timesheet validation, automated payroll processing, and a live business dashboard for mission, hour, budget, and invoice tracking. The platform has scaled to 500,000+ registered candidates and 10,000+ business clients across France, with 10,000+ active job offers spanning 150+ trades and professions, and operates four distinct service lines: Side Source (full-service temp staffing delegation), Side Flash (managed contract and payroll for company-sourced candidates), Side Horizon (permanent CDI recruitment), and Side Saisons (seasonal staffing leveraging Randstad's 850-agency physical network).

The business model combines a quote-based transactional pricing model for interim staffing (Side acts as employer of record with markup on hourly rates via a coefficient de facturation), tiered permanent placement commissions (10% down to 6% of annual gross salary based on prior mission duration, with a €500 minimum per placement), managed service fees for payroll administration, and seasonal staffing transaction revenue under Side Saisons, which promises a minimum 10% cost saving versus traditional interim. Candidate access is free; businesses self-register through team.side.co or are supported by dedicated account teams, and the company blends a PLG mobile-first approach for candidate acquisition with an enterprise field-sales motion for larger business clients. Strategic technology and financial partnerships include Stripe (payment processing), Qonto (banking), AWS (cloud hosting), Checkout and Ubble (video identity verification), FactoFrance (invoice factoring for enterprise payment terms), and Teamtailor (recruitment marketing).

Name

Side

Legal name

WeSlash SAS

Website

https://side.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Side is a French digital temporary staffing platform and Randstad subsidiary that connects businesses with qualified interim workers through a mobile-first app, offering four service lines: full-service delegation (Side Source), managed payroll (Side Flash), permanent placement (Side Horizon), and seasonal staffing (Side Saisons).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Temporary Staffing Services

NAICS

Temporary Help Services (561320), Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Professional Employer Organizations (561330)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Help Supply Services (7363)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & Regional Generalist Staffing Agencies (BPACACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seasonal & Peak Workforce Staffing (BPACACAE), Workforce Time, Attendance & Scheduling Administration (BPAAAIAI), Contingent Workforce / Contractor RPO (Contractor Recruiting) (BPACABAK)

Keywords

• Temporary staffing
• Interim recruitment
• Digital staffing platform
• Permanent placement
• Workforce management

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Interim Staffing Margins: Side acts as the employer of record for temporary workers, charging businesses a markup on the worker's hourly rate. The coefficient de facturation is determined through a quote system based on mission requirements. This represents the core revenue stream from the Side Source and Side Saisons products.
2. Permanent Placement Fees: Side Horizon recruits CDI candidates for businesses, earning placement commissions. Fees range from 10% of annual gross salary (for missions ≤1 month) down to 6% (for missions >3 months), with a minimum of 500€ per placement.
3. Managed Payroll Services: Side Flash provides administrative payroll and HR management services for businesses that have already sourced candidates themselves, charging service fees for contract handling and payroll processing.
4. Seasonal Staffing (Side Saisons): Flexible staffing solution for seasonal hiring needs, leveraging the Randstad agency network. Offers 10% minimum cost savings compared to traditional interim through legal absence compensation (IFM) structures.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Side operates a mobile-first digital staffing platform that matches businesses with qualified temporary workers (Siders) within approximately two hours, automating the full interim lifecycle from candidate matching and e-contracting to timesheet validation, payroll, and invoicing. It offers four service lines—Side Source (full delegation interim), Side Flash (contract and payroll management for company-sourced candidates), Side Horizon (permanent CDI placement), and Side Saisons (seasonal staffing via Randstad's 850-agency network in France).

Product overview

Side is a digital temporary staffing platform that operates as a portfolio of four interconnected services for businesses, backed by Randstad. The core offering consists of Side Source (full-service temp staffing delegation), Side Flash (contract management for company-sourced candidates), Side Horizon (permanent CDI recruitment), and Side Saisons (seasonal staffing), all supported by a mobile application through which temporary workers (Siders) manage their profiles, apply to missions, sign contracts digitally, track hours, and access pay services. The platform automates administrative processes 24/7 and leverages Randstad's network of 850+ agencies across France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Side Source: Full delegation staffing service for companies, with experts selecting the best profiles within 2 hours and automating all administrative procedures.
• Side Flash
• Side Horizon
• Side Saisons

Products and services

• Side Source Full-delegation interim staffing service in which Side's recruitment experts select and present qualified temporary worker profiles to client businesses, typically within two hours of mission publication, and Side handles contract generation, signature, payroll, and HR administration as employer of record. Targeted at companies needing rapid interim coverage across logistics, retail, administrative, industrial, pharmacy, and events roles.
• Side Flash Custom contract and payroll management service for businesses that have already sourced their own candidates; Side handles rapid e-contracting, payroll processing, HR administration, and invoicing. Targeted at companies that want administrative outsourcing for pre-identified workers without delegating sourcing.
• Side Horizon Permanent (CDI) recruitment and placement service in which Side handles CV pre-screening and interview management to deliver shortlists of qualified candidates for direct hire by the client business. Placement commissions range from 10% of annual gross salary (for missions ≤1 month) down to 6% (for missions >3 months), with a €500 minimum.
• Side Saisons Seasonal staffing service that leverages Randstad's 850-agency network across France to source local talent for predictable activity peaks (retail, agriculture, tourism, holidays). Promises a minimum 10% cost saving versus traditional interim through optimized IFM (legal absence compensation) structures.
• Side Mobile Application Free iOS and Android mobile app for temporary workers (Siders) that provides profile management, mission search and application, digital eIDAS-compliant contract signing, real-time hour logging and validation, payslip access and storage, advance payment requests, and 24/7 access to 10,000+ available missions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Minimum 10% cost savings versus traditional temporary staffing through Side Saisons
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing partner for secure credit card and SEPA direct debit transactions between businesses and Side. Handles payment collection from business clients and worker salary payments.
• QontocoreTechnology or IntegrationBanking partner for wire transfer payments from business clients to Side. Provides the bank account infrastructure for the payment ecosystem.
• CheckoutsupportingTechnology or IntegrationVideo identification service provider enabling remote identity verification for Siders during onboarding, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
• UbblesupportingTechnology or IntegrationAlternative identity verification provider referenced in Terms of Service for Sider identity validation via video chat.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreTechnology or IntegrationCloud hosting provider for the Side platform and website, infrastructure hosting partner based in Seattle, USA.
• TeamtailorsupportingTechnology or IntegrationRecruitment marketing and applicant tracking system provider powering Side's careers site and internal recruitment processes.
• RandstadcoreOthersParent company of Side. Side is part of the multinational Randstad group. Data may be shared with French Randstad subsidiaries for efficient activity management and service provision. Randstad's 850 agency network is leveraged for Side Saisons local candidate sourcing.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Manpower Group: One of the world's largest staffing companies, providing temporary and permanent placement across sectors. Competes directly with Side Source, Side Saisons, and Side Horizon; significant physical agency footprint in France.
• Hays: Global specialist recruiter focused on professional and skilled trades; France operations compete with Side's permanent placement (Side Horizon) and qualified interim segments. Established recruiter brand with overlapping mid-market customer base.
• Robert Half: Specialist staffing firm with strong placement (temporary and permanent) and consulting services. Comparable in mix of temp staffing and direct-hire placement to Side's combined Side Source and Side Horizon offering, though UK/US-centric.
• Adecco: Global staffing market leader operating across temporary staffing, permanent placement, and career transition. Directly competes with all four Side offerings but at much larger scale and with a primarily traditional (rather than mobile-first) delivery model.
• Michael Page: Global specialist recruitment firm focused on permanent placement at professional and managerial levels. Closely overlaps Side Horizon's CDI placement business with operations across France.

Emerging players

• Indeed Flex: Digital-first temporary staffing marketplace launched by Indeed in select markets. Mobile-focused temp matching model is conceptually identical to Side, though currently with limited French penetration; represents the most obvious digital-native competitive threat.
• Talent.io: French tech recruitment marketplace using data-driven matching. Adjacent to Side Horizon's permanent placement service, particularly relevant in the French tech and digital economy segments.
• JobTeaser: French recruitment platform bridging students/early-career talent with employers, adjacent to Side's candidate ecosystem. Related market (campus and junior talent sourcing) and French geographic focus make it a thematic peer rather than direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Mistertemp': French digital temporary staffing agency operating a similar self-serve platform plus physical agency network. Direct competitor to Side Source and Side Flash in France, focused on interim staffing for SMEs.
• Brigad: French digital temp staffing platform focused on hospitality, healthcare, and retail. Closest comparable to Side: mobile-first matching, French market focus, employer-of-record temporary placement model serving SMBs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_SideUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/uk.side
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10932854
• Instagraminstagram.com/side_interim
• TikToktiktok.com/@side_interim

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Side