News

When men participate in gender equality programs, progress is made three times faster than when they do not, Boston Consulting Group United Kingdom research shows. That's why personal branding institute BrandedU and HR services provider HeadFirst Group are organizing the 'Men as Advocates for Women's Visibility' summit on June 27. An initiative to engage men in the conversation about gender equality in business.

Just a women's quota for the European corporate top is not enough. In fact, this will change little for the Netherlands, because a women's quota has already been in place here since January 1, 2022. For more women to reach the top, we need male role models to influence the behavior of other men.

Nancy Poleon, BrandedU founder, explains, "Men hold the majority of leadership positions, so the power lies with them to change things. We need their support to help us and really make a difference in closing the gender gap and achieving equality in the workplace."

Inclusive teams

The summit will take place at HeadFirst Group's headquarters in Hoofddorp, the HR service provider where two women were recently appointed to top positions, including CEO Marion van Happen. About the choice to be hosting partner of the summit, she says: "As a leading HR service provider, we see a prominent role for our organization to create a fair labor market. I am not only talking about gender, but also about work ability, cultural diversity, age and LGBT+. It's about learning and evolving together so we can build a future where workplaces are more diverse and equal."

Top business community comes together
Poleon her male co-presenter is Maarten van Rossum (VP of public affairs at Lightyear). They will engage with men active in promoting gender equality in the workplace. Some examples are Baba Touré (Founder & Managing Director at Hammerfest), Clayde Menso (Director at International Theater Amsterdam), Dirk van Zon (HR Business Partner at Rituals), John Olivieira-Siere (Publisher at OneWorld), Melchior de Ridder (CEO at Nationale Nederlanden Next), Michael Kimmijser (Small Medium & Corporate Business Lead at Microsoft), Philippe Stulens (Chief Marketing Officer at Randstad), Rafe Rosato (Chief Innovation Officer at DLL) ánd Han Kolff (Chairman of the Board at HeadFirst Group).

Kolff on his participation: "Gender equality is not yet commonplace for many companies. Our goal is to get diversity into the DNA of companies. An afternoon of connections, stories and panel discussions to get inspired with the people who take this issue seriously contributes to this."

Of all self-employed people in the Netherlands, more than a third have no provision for disability, representing more than 400,000 self-employed people. Since 2019, that number has fallen by 3 percent to 37 percent. To accelerate this trend, HR service provider HeadFirst Group is launching a unique, new disability product in collaboration with insurtech Alicia: Select iCommunity Crowdsurance (SiCC).

SiCC - a nod to sick - becomes part of the total package of services for entrepreneurs that HeadFirst Group has offered for years, including benefits such as accelerated payment of invoices, various insurances and unlimited online learning in the training environment Select Academy. Florine Onderwijzer, Managing Director of Professionals & Partners services at HeadFirst Group: "Our goal is to put together the most ideal package of services that professionals primarily need to be entrepreneurs and be able to fully focus on their core business. Through the collective purchasing advantage, a self-employed person gets attractive and flexible products at a lower price than when everything is purchased separately from different service providers. The introduction of SiCC is the next step toward our goal."

Self-employed people want to, but have nothing
Part of the self-employed deliberately chooses not to make provision for disability, according to the latest Self-Employed Labor Survey (2021) from CBS. For example, because they can bear the financial risk themselves (25.9 percent) and/or can rely on a partner's income (20.5 percent). Still, there is a large part that does want to make a provision, but does not think the costs outweigh the benefits (46.6 percent) and/or simply cannot afford it (30.7 percent). HeadFirst Group serves this group with its new product SiCC.

Onderwijzer continues: "In putting together our range of services, we explicitly listen to the needs of member professionals. With SiCC, we are filling the most important outstanding need. We are extremely proud to make disability provision so easily available."

On-demand and embedded solutions
In early 2022, HeadFirst Group and platform Select joined forces with Alicia. It offers embedded solutions for relevant insurance and services that are made available in an integrated way through connected platforms using APIs.

Marijn Moerman, CEO of Alicia: "Together with HeadFirst Group and crowdsurance specialist Tulpenfonds, we have developed an accessible and collective product for disability, as an alternative to individual insurance. A solution that can be purchased with one click in Select. This renewed product prevents professionals from being faced with a surprise in the form of a variable contribution. Furthermore, the e-wallet always provides insight into the benefit to which the self-employed person is entitled. With this, it fits perfectly with our belief that modern work need not be at odds with good provisions for the self-employed."

SiCC is an endowment-based provision. It is a net benefit for up to two years, consistent with the need for professionals to have an affordable, flexible solution that does not pay out until retirement age, but for a framed period of time.

HeadFirst Group ranks second on the Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100 2022, the prestigious ranking of the hundred largest flex companies in the Netherlands based on their turnover in 2021. With revenues of over 1,547.0* billion euros, the HR service provider is even the FlexTopGrowers in the 'MSPs and intermediaries' segment.

Driven by an improving economy, the need for digitalization and further flexibilization of the labor market, the demand for professionals rose to great heights in 2021: HeadFirst Group received a record number of assignments (23,263) to match candidates. The organization managed to fill these successfully. A record number of 26,938 professionals worked through HeadFirst Group at some point in 2021.

Marion van Happen, CEO HeadFirst Group, explains, "2021 was a year of connecting people. This was mainly because our core business of connecting professionals with wonderful clients was running at full speed. The year was also marked by the integration of Between Staffing Group - acquired in late 2020 - and HeadFirst Group. In addition, we launched our partnership with recruitment specialist Sterksen. This move has made us a unique one-stop shop for Total Talent Management (TTM) solutions, offering a solution for every staffing need."

Creativity required by scarcity

Developments in 2021 have been demonstrably successful. Existing large master contracts were renewed with NS, CAK, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, among others. In addition, several new European tendering procedures and tender processes were won with Action, Airbus, Alliander, the Financial Markets Authority (AFM) and the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA).

For these and hundreds of other clients, HeadFirst Group notices that all the sails have to be pulled, because it too is facing a challenging market with major shortages - permanent and flex - of personnel. Van Happen: "That's why we have to be more creative than ever and find talent in new places. For example, we recruit talent from abroad or from traditionally underrepresented talent pools. We also let professionals work for our clients completely remotely from another country and train professionals for positions that are and will remain scarce. We make every effort to make the best possible use of all available labor potential."

Leading international platform

Meanwhile, HeadFirst Group continues to focus on strengthening the foundation of the organization. "To improve the user experience of our online platform, we are developing a new front-end. We are also applying the Lean philosophy to streamline and simplify our processes, making them more attractive to our clients and employees. We have established a Growth Board to work on product innovation, with the primary focus on a new smart matching solution for the mid-market segment. All these steps will help us achieve our main goal: to be the leading international platform in the labor market by 2025," Van Happen concluded.

* In the Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100, HeadFirst Group shows a turnover of 1,627.0 billion euros. This is the turnover including a part of 2020, calculated because of the extended financial year of HFBG Holding B.V. The correct turnover of HeadFirst Group for 2021 is 1,547.0 billion euros.

About Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100

The Flexmarkt Turnover Ranking Top-100 is published annually by Flexmarkt in cooperation with Corporate Finance International (CFI). The Turnover Ranking provides an overview of flex companies, from small to large, with diverse forms of services in staffing and hiring. In addition to staffing agencies, it includes numerous payroll companies, as well as secondment companies, zzp intermediaries and MSP service providers. This leading ranking covers more than half of the total Dutch flex industry in terms of turnover and thus provides a clear, representative picture of developments in the market.

How would MSP players in the Netherlands and Belgium fare? How do they experience the many turbulences in the labor market and the unpredictable economy in (post) corona times? What are the challenges they face and how do they respond to them? Just some questions that NextConomy & ZiPconomy asked in preparation of the 5th research report on MSP providers in the Netherlands and Belgium. These included the HeadFirst Group brands Staffing MS and Sterken.

The report offers a detailed overview of the players in both countries, outlines recent trends and developments in this part of the labor market, and provides the Selector's Guide to help make an informed choice in a potential MSP partner with knowledge and insight. This information is preceded by a robust section on how the definition of an MSP is viewed, how an MSP relates to other services around hiring external talent and how the MSP market is evolving.

Within Europe, both the Netherlands and Belgium are among the early adopters and large users of MSP programs. Nevertheless, there appears to be a substantial difference in the interpretation of the various MSP programs. After all, MSPs are constantly adapting their services and evolving with changing client demands, technological applications and innovations. The report outlines the evolution from an MSP 1.0 to a mature, evolved MSP 4.0 - program. Supplemented by information on MSP consulting companies that support organizations with decision making and the so crucial implementation phase.

The participants
In addition to Staffing MS and Sterksen, 15 more MSP service providers participated in this edition. AgileOne, CXC Global, Hays Talent Solutions, Talent Solution, Brainnet, Randstad Sourceright, Pontoon, De Staffing Group, ProUnity, Solvus, Maandag Managed Services, Het Flexhuis, Flextender, OneStopsourcing and Profile Group. Together, these participating parties represent an estimated 80% of all spend managed by MSPs in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Where to find the report?
Are you looking for inspiration on whether or not to outsource the management of your hired talent to an MSP partner? If so, this unique research report is sure to give you plenty of insights and inspiration to get your bearings and start the conversation well prepared. Download for free on the website of ZiPconomy.

On June 27, we are hosting "Men as Advocates for Women's Visibility," an initiative by BrandedU to engage more men in the conversation about gender equality in business. Join those serious about this topic to learn, energize and be inspired.

The meeting is an open conversation with men who are active in promoting gender equality in the workplace. Research conducted by BCG in the UK has shown that when men participate in gender equality programs progress is made 3 times faster than when they do not.

The goal of the summit is to learn, grow and evolve with each other to discover new ways to create more inclusive teams and workplaces where everyone can succeed. You can only attend this event as a couple. Invite an inspiring male "advocate" to come to the event with you or if you are a man, bring the woman who wants to help you move forward.

The summit is presented by Nancy Poleon (founder BrandedU) and Maarten van Rossum (VP Public Affairs at Lightyear) and they will be in conversation with HeadFirst Group Board Member Han Kolff, among others. Also joining us will be Baba Touré, Clayde Menso, Dirk van Zon, John Olivieira-Siere, Melchior de Ridder, Michael Kimmijser, Philippe Stulens, RM and Rafe Rosato.

Learn more at https://brandedu.nl/men-as-advocates-for-womens-visibility/.

In everyday life, we are increasingly affected by labor market shortages. For example, the important Ketheltunnel in the highway from Rotterdam to The Hague was closed for hours, the NS runs fewer trains and classes are sent home because there are no teachers. Marion van Happen, CEO of HeadFirst Group, spoke with Luna van der Waarde, media specialist at ANP Expert Support, about another example: Schiphol Airport. What the airport is doing to keep people in, recruit and what is the thinking from unions and government about flex workers?

Quickly scaling up this type of profile in a tight labor market is a major challenge. In this situation, organizations sometimes forget to take good care of the people who are already working for you, to keep them close and can use them to train new colleagues. Despite this, better benefits and employer branding, among other things, are particularly used in recruitment. My advice: put retention first and recruitment second.

Flexibility & freedom of choice
The current image is that "fixed" is safe and "flex" is pathetic. While a flexible shell actually helps organizations to organize their business operations to the maximum. My message is therefore: let entrepreneurs do business freely. We cannot ignore the large group of self-employed people who consciously choose to do business in freedom, have a strong negotiating position and are very satisfied with their working conditions. If the new administration focuses on appropriate measures for occupations with lower hourly rates, we can successfully move toward clarity for all self-employed workers and their clients.

Listen to the full episode here.

About ExpertCast
ExpertCast, ANP Business' podcast, offers in-depth coverage of the news, by experts from various knowledge organizations. Each episode starts with a news item from ANP followed by an interview with an expert on that issue.

As of May 2022, HeadFirst Group has joined The Work Association as a mini associate. The parties find each other in the search for a labor market where flexibility and self-employment go hand in hand with collective security, solidarity and protection for the individual who needs it.

Interests within the labor market debate
More and more people want control over their own working lives. The current organization of the labor market and the conservative rules in labor law do not sufficiently address this and do not offer flexibility. The labor market debate has been deadlocked for years, and as yet there is little clarity on important dossiers within this debate, such as the replacement of the DBA law and compulsory disability insurance for the self-employed. The Werkvereniging wants to change this, we support them in pushing for renewal and modernization.

Our contribution to the labor market debate
As the largest HR service provider, we feel it is our responsibility, in cooperation with industry associations and interest groups, to enter into discussions with politicians and policymakers and provide them with alternative ideas and proposals. We are happy to share the knowledge, experience and expertise we have about the flexible labor market with The Work Association, so that together we can strive for a rational and factual political-social debate about the labor market and the role of the self-employed in this labor market.

As a supporter of The Work Association, we stand up for your interests. If you would rather have your own voice heard, become a member of The Work Association for one year free of charge. You can then attend lectures and information meetings and you increase the chance of The Work Association getting a seat on the SER. You can register via this link.

About The Work Association
The Work Association is an interest platform for all working people with a new vision of the labor market. It is actively committed to a fundamental reform of the labor market and the social system. The goal is for all working people to be assured of the same basis of security that moves with their lives, their work and the choices they make therein. This requires a social system in which securities are linked to people rather than to their formal relationship to the labor market.

Zzp'ers working as store salesmen, childcare workers, teaching assistants, waiters or bartenders work in the Netherlands on average at the lowest hourly rates. They also have a relatively low scarcity indication, which predicts that the prospect of rate increases is limited. On the other hand, relatively few self-employed workers are active in these occupational groups, compared to the total of nearly 1.2 million. These insights were published in the Talent Monitor by HR service provider HeadFirst Group and labor market data specialist Intelligence Group.

Focus on labor market base

Enforcement of the DBA law recently received attention due to a report by the Court of Audit. The conclusion: the tax authorities are unable to combat false self-employment effectively. Marion van Happen, CEO HeadFirst Group: "The most acute problems with false self-employment occur at the base of the labor market, where hourly rates are low. We therefore look with interest at the MLT advice of the SER, which proposes to apply a 'legal presumption of employment' at a rate below the maximum daily wage (30,- to 35,- euros per hour)."

The Talent Monitor zooms in on this group of self-employed workers. It shows that painters and cleaners of construction works and construction workers of structural work have an average hourly rate of €30 or higher and are very scarce. They therefore have a rosy financial perspective in the labor market. Creative and performing artists are also scarce, although their average hourly rate is much lower at €23. Occupations that have a harder time include waiters and bar staff, domestic helpers and cleaners, childcare and teaching assistants and salespeople in stores. They work for an average hourly rate of €20 or less and the scarcity indicator is low. Relatively few self-employed workers are active in these occupational groups, totaling only a few tens of thousands. Hairdressers are an exception: we have more than 25,000 freelance hairdressers in the Netherlands, albeit working at an average hourly rate of €23.

Let entrepreneurs do business freely

In addition, the report shows that self-employed professionals with an hourly rate of €70 or higher are overrepresented in professional groups such as software and application developers and analysts, lawyers and doctors. Specialists in sports & fitness and traditional & alternative medicine are largely found in the €35 to €70 rate group. All are (very) scarce professions, which is generally reflected in rising rates.

Van Happen: "More than half of all self-employed people in the Netherlands have an hourly rate of €35 or higher. This large group of self-employed people who consciously choose to do business in freedom, have a strong negotiating position and are very satisfied with their working conditions should not be ignored. If the new cabinet focuses on appropriate measures for occupations with lower hourly rates, we can successfully move toward clarity for all self-employed workers and their clients."

The Talent Monitor "Zzp'ers: protect or set free?" is available for free download here.

Tomorrow afternoon, the Labor Market Policy Committee debate is scheduled. With 36 topics on the agenda, I expect a scattered debate, with a different focus for each party. Leading up to it, I am happy to share some insights regarding the zzp dossier and the current state of affairs.

For a long time it was quiet around the DBA law, but last week the corresponding enforcement moratorium received the necessary attention again due to a report by the Court of Audit. The conclusion was clear: the Tax Administration is currently unable to effectively combat false self-employment. The much-discussed outcome is expected to come up during the debate, in part because the PvdA earlier requested that State Secretary for Taxation and Fiscal Affairs Van Rij join the debate. The request could not count on a majority, but that the report is on the minds of politicians is clear.

Wet DBA affects the employment of professionals
Despite the continuing uncertainty regarding enforcement, replacement of the DBA Act and the further development of the web module, we see that the number of highly skilled zzp'ers (independent professionals) continues to increase. Professionals who consciously choose entrepreneurship and are usually hired by one client for a longer period of time (14 months on average) because of their knowledge and expertise. Detailed information that we have previously set out in the report 'De zzp'er bestaat wél wel', a must-read for politicians and policy makers concerned with the zzp-dossier.

At the same time, we observe a striking development among clients who hire independent professionals. They more often commit themselves - usually in good cooperation with intermediaries - to a maximum deployment period of two years, whether or not laid down in their hiring policy. Although the DBA law is not (yet) being enforced and there is as yet no clarity on an alternative plan, it can be said that the "law" is having an impact.

Focus enforcement on specific sectors
Enforcement of the DBA law in the higher segment of the labor market is undesirable. I therefore recommend focusing on sectors, where the percentage of vulnerable zzp'ers is high. Zzp'ers who work at low hourly rates, struggle to build up financial buffers and forced zzp-ship is more widespread. Although only 7% categorize themselves as "forced self-employment" (+/- 80,000 workers in the labor market), it is important that we fight this together and protect vulnerable workers.

Results of the web module pilot previously showed that in sectors such as construction, hospitality and transportation, the likelihood of "indication in employment" is highest. This sectoral approach is in line with the Belgian model with its Labor Relations Act. In our neighbors to the South, false self-employment is effectively combated by (1) clearer distinctions between employees and the self-employed and (2) stricter enforcement in sectors where the risk of underpayment and financial vulnerability is greatest.

The MLT opinion of the SER also provides more clarity regarding enforcement. A concrete example from this advice is the "legal presumption of employment" under the maximum daily wage of €30 to €35 per hour. This directive will promote enforceability and is also aimed at sectors where vulnerable self-employed workers would benefit from greater protection and certainty. The limited quantitative and qualitative capacity of the Tax and Customs Administration, as concluded in the report of the Court of Audit, can then be optimally utilized.

Nuance in the discussion
In summary, this report is yet another page in the self-employed chapter and so far it remains unclear what the next step is going to be in this dossier. I miss the nuance in the political-social debate about self-employed workers at the base of the labor market. The lion's share of the self-employed population consciously choose entrepreneurship and are very satisfied with their working conditions. Let's be mindful of this development, because we incredibly need all workers in times of tightness. HeadFirst Group is happy to think along with the next step.

Simone Groeneveld has been appointed Managing Director MSP services by HeadFirst Group, a market leader in HR services and platform for professionals. Simone joined Staffing Management Services, HeadFirst Group's primary Managed Service Provider, at the beginning of April. Under her leadership, Staffing MS will take the next step in its growth in the Benelux and beyond.

Simone Groeneveld has over twenty-five years of experience in HR services, both in MSP, RPO and staffing. For the last fifteen years she has held various management and executive positions, mainly with large international service providers, some of them from abroad. Simone on her new role: "There is a wonderful challenge to further develop MSP services - in combination with the total HeadFirst Group ecosystem of solutions. With respect and undiminished attention to the successfully built base of Staffing MS and current clients, we will continue to innovate towards Talent Solution Provider. I believe that setting up good processes, which we as MSP are already very good at, and careful talent management is a golden combination."

Next step in growth
HeadFirst Group already made changes at the top of the organization earlier this year with the arrival of Marion van Happen as CEO, giving Han Kolff room to focus even more on his role as chairman of the board. The growth strategy in Europe is his main pillar in this regard. In that light, the appointment of Simone Groeneveld is a logical step.

Marion van Happen: "With Simone we are bringing in a very experienced professional who is used to leading international and dynamic organizations. She knows what it is to roll up her sleeves - befitting the Rotterdam mentality of Staffing MS - and combines that with decisive leadership. At the hand of Simone - and with the inspired commitment of all colleagues - Staffing MS will take the next step of growth in the Benelux and the rest of Europe."

About HeadFirst Group
HeadFirst Group is a leading, international HR service provider and the largest platform for professionals in the Netherlands. The organization offers a diversity of HR solutions: Managed Service Providing, Recruitment Process Outsourcing, intermediary services (matchmaking, contracting) and HR consultancy. An average of sixteen thousand professionals work daily for over four hundred clients in Europe, with which HeadFirst Group realizes an annual turnover of over 1.6 billion euros. The main brands of HeadFirst Group are the intermediaries HeadFirst and Between, MSP service provider Staffing Management Services and RPO and recruitment specialist Sterksen.