<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-06-01</periodOfReport>


    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000914536</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SPHERION CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SFN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237383</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FRANCIS LESA J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>5989</value>
            </transactionShares>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>2711.94</value>
            </transactionShares>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>I</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            <natureOfOwnership>
                <value>By DCP</value>
            </natureOfOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Deferred Stock Units</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>0</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2002-04-10</value>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2011-04-10</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>3750</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>5.91</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2003-10-04</value>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2012-10-04</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>5000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>7.25</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2002-05-31</value>
            <footnoteId id="F3"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2011-05-31</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>8668</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>7.95</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2003-08-09</value>
            <footnoteId id="F4"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2012-08-09</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>8715</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>10</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1995-01-27</value>
            <footnoteId id="F5"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2004-01-27</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>7500</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>11.3125</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2001-10-06</value>
            <footnoteId id="F6"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2010-10-06</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>6099</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Incentive Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>12.5</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1996-02-09</value>
            <footnoteId id="F7"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2005-02-09</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>8000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>5.91</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2003-10-04</value>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2012-10-04</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>10000</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>7.25</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2002-05-31</value>
            <footnoteId id="F3"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2011-05-31</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>4332</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>7.95</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2003-08-09</value>
            <footnoteId id="F4"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2012-08-09</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>14431</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>11.3125</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>2001-10-06</value>
            <footnoteId id="F6"/>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2010-10-06</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>11901</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Deferred Stock Units (DSUs)  awarded 4/10/2001 vests 3 year from the date of grant, subject to earlier vesting if the closing price of the Company's stock meets or exceeds specific target prices.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Stock options granted 10/4/02 are exercisable commencing 10/4/03 on a cumulative basis as follows: 1/3 on 10/4/03; 1/3 on 10/4/04; 1/3 on 10/4/05.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Stock options granted 5/31/01 are exercisable commencing 5/31/02 on a cumulative basis as follows: 1/3 on 5/31/02; 1/3 on 5/31/03; 1/3 on 5/31/04.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Stock options granted 8/09/02 are exercisable commencing 8/9/03 on a cumulative basis as follows: 1/2 on 8/9/03; 1/2 on 8/9/04 under the Company's Stock Option Exchange Program.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Stock Options granted 01/27/94 are exercisable commencing 01/27/95 on a cumulative basis as follows 1/3 on 01/27/95; 1/3 on 01/27/96; 1/3 on 01/27/97.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Stock options granted 10/6/00 are exercisable commencing 10/6/01 on a cumulative basis as follows: 1/3 on 10/6/01; 1/3 on 10/6/02; 1/3 on 10/6/03.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Stock Options granted 02/09/95 are exercisable commencing 02/09/96 on a cumulative basis as follows 1/3 on 02/09/96; 1/3 on 02/09/97; 1/3 on 02/09/98.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Lesa J Francis</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-06-05</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

