How to keep the Dutch labor market running when the shortage of personnel is emphatically felt at all levels is? Saskia Grit, labor market advisor at UWV, follows various trends and discusses with Oifik Youssefi of HeadFirst Group the effects of part-time work on the labor market, labor productivity and how inclusive technology and being a good employer can make a big difference make in a market that also faces the coming years has with tightness.
Where do entrepreneurs currently experience the most bottlenecks?
According to the business cyclesurvey of the CBS 34% of business owners experience staff shortages as the main obstacle in business operations. Insufficient demand follows at a distance with 19%, financial constraints stand at 10%, and shortages of means of production at 8%. At the same time, 36% do not experience any obstacles. The scarcity of labor remains thus dominant.
On the contrary, where do you see room for improvement?
Labor productivity. In 2023 and 2024 it declined at the macro level. In recent years the economy grew mainly because we started working more hours but that is finite. Some of the hours worked, for example, come from the group of pensioners who are working longer working longer. We need to move toward more value per hour worked. DThis can be achieved, for example, through technological support and process innovation.
How is the self-employed group developing?
The CBS recently indicated that the number of self-employed people in the first quarter of 2025 decreased by 28,000, especially among those offering their own labor. Enforcement on false self-employment plays a major role in this. From the business cyclesurvey of March 2025 shows that 42% of clients expect fewer self-employed workers hiring in 2025. At the same time a shortage of qualified personnel is the main reason for hiring self-employed workers anyway. Still more than 1 in 5 jobs is a self-employed job. Er are therefore still many self-employed people, but the dynamics are changing.
To what extent does the part-time culture contribute to this tightness?
The Netherlands champions part-time work as well as work. That partly cancels each other out. But it would be labor market-technically more favorable if people - who are willing and able - would work more hours. This is often not possible nowadays due to care responsibilities or lack of flexibility. Over half a million part-timers want to work more, but are not asked or cannot combine it with their lives. The additional care duties that many Dutch people have to deal with (informal care, caring for for children, etc.) should not be underestimated. Investing in childcare and better scheduling could help.
What policy measure would you suggest for a more resilient labor market?
The Netherlands needs to invest much more in inclusive technology. Dan can you denkand to innovations such as exoskeletons, AR glasses or AI tools that support people in physical or cognitive work. This increases the employability of groups that are now often left out of the picture, and of working people. There are already technological applications where mechanics receive instructions through glasses. Such innovations make it possible to make labor more widely accessible, which is crucial in a tight labormarket.
What about temp work anyway? What is your expectation for this in the coming years?
We have already seen a decline in the number of temp jobs since 2022. That will continue. Employers are hiring more quickly due to the tightness. In addition, the temporary employment industry is being more tightly regulated. The enforcement on false self-employment can actually opportunities provide opportunities for the staffing industry, because it can ensure that more people switch to temporary work..
Final question: to what extent is tightness actually a problem?
It really depends on your perspective. For employers it's tough, but for job seekers it offers opportunities. Scarcity makes employers more creative: they let go of job requirements, choose skills instead of diplomas. At UWV, we have 34 solutions to address staff shortages. If we continue to use them and invest in mobility and technology, shortages can also be an engine for innovation.
Want to know more about the job market? Saskia Grit shares her knowledge a few times a week on LinkedIn, via short summaries of new labor market insights.
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Questions about this? Please contact us.
Sem Overduin
Public Policy & Affairs Manager
Sem.Overduin@headfirst.nl
Oifik Youssefi
Public Affairs Officer
Oifik.Youssefi@headfirst.nl
Maaike van Driel
Head of Legal
Maaike.vanDriel@headfirst.group
Thomas ten Veldhuijs
Senior Legal Counsel
Thomas.tenVeldhuijs@headfirst.nl