FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., January 11, 2005 — Spherion Corporation (NYSE: SFN) today announced that it has appointed William G. Halnon as senior vice president and chief information officer. Halnon will oversee the Company’s efforts to leverage KnowledgeSphere, the recently implemented enterprise-wide information system that was designed to enhance business effectiveness and reduce operational costs across its network of offices.

“As the largest company in the staffing industry to implement such a robust technology infrastructure, we believe Bill is the right leader to help Spherion^® leverage the advantages the system can bring to both our clients and candidates,” said Roy Krause, Spherion president and chief executive officer. “Bill has a proven track record of success and a strong background in leading the design and management of diverse technology systems that include supply chain, customer information and financial applications, and we are proud to have him as part of our team.”

Halnon commented, “I am honored to join the Spherion team at such an exciting time. I am confident that our team will be able to fully leverage this new infrastructure to improve the quality and efficiency of our service delivery, enabling us to provide even greater value to our clients.”

With more than 20 years of experience in information technology, Halnon most recently served as chief information officer of DIMON Inc., the world's second largest dealer of leaf tobacco. Prior to DIMON, Halnon served in a senior management position at BSG Consulting where he led technology initiatives for clients such as Johnson and Johnson Medical, Mary Kay Corporation and GTE. He also spent more than 10 years in various technology management positions at American Airlines.

Halnon replaces Doug Cormany, who is leaving the Company to pursue other interests. 

KnowledgeSphere, the staffing industry’s only fully integrated Web-based system in use throughout North America, is designed to allow Spherion to respond to customer needs and fill open positions with greater speed and efficiency through a single candidate and customer database, streamline business processes and provide more detailed metrics and analysis of the services it delivers.

About Spherion

Spherion Corporation is a leader in the staffing industry in North America, providing value-added staffing, recruiting and workforce solutions. Spherion has helped companies improve their bottom line by efficiently planning, acquiring and optimizing talent since 1946. To learn more, visit www.spherion.com.

This release contains statements that are forward looking in nature and, accordingly, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause future results to differ from current expectations include risks associated with: Competition – our business operates in highly competitive markets with low barriers to entry; Economic conditions – a significant economic downturn could result in our clients using fewer temporary employees or the loss or bankruptcy of a significant client could materially adversely affect our business results; Changing market conditions - our business is dependent upon the availability of qualified personnel; Corporate strategy – we may not achieve the intended effect of our business strategy; Technology investments – our investment in technology initiatives may not yield their intended results; Tax filings – regulatory challenges to our tax filing positions could result in additional taxes; Debt Compliance – Failure to meet certain covenant requirements under our credit facility could impact part or all of our availability to borrow; Litigation – we are a defendant in a variety of litigation and other actions from time to time and we may be exposed to employment–related claims and costs; Other - government regulation may increase our costs; business risks associated with international operations could make those operations more costly; failure or inability to perform under customer contracts could result in damage to our reputation and give rise to legal claims; certain contracts contain termination provisions and pricing risks; the disposition of our discontinued operations may create future liabilities related to contract indemnifications; and managing or integrating any future acquisitions may strain our resources. These and additional factors discussed in this release and in Spherion’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from any projections contained in this release.