The economic and social value of independent professionals
There are in the Netherlands some 110 thousand highly educated independent professionals, who collectively generate social added value of 4.4 billion euros per year. To dhe social costs and benefits of this specific target group mapping, has SEO Economic Research commissioned independent research done and released it in a report.
Source: CBS (2023) and ZEA (2023), edits SEO Economic Research (2023)
Policy discussion around hiring the self-employed
We believe it is important that the social and economic value of independent professionals be considered in the policy discussion surrounding the hiring of self-employed workers. However, insight into the social costs and benefits of this specific target group is lacking. This study fulfills this need and provides a clear overview based on facts and figures. Read the entire press release here.
Alternatives of being a zp
This study uses a social cost-benefit analysis (SCBA) to map the social value of self-employed professionals and shows which parties bear the social costs and benefits of self-employment. It compares the current situation on the labor market (the policy alternative) with an imaginary situation on the labor market in which self-employed professionals are employed, whether or not in an alternative form of employment (the null alternative).
The null alternative (n = 110,000)
Source: own survey and CBS StatLine, edits SEO Economic Research (2023)
The economic and social impacts
The main economic effects of self-employment are higher labor demand and participation due to the additional opportunities that this form of specialized and temporary labor offers for clients and for self-employed workers. In addition, on average, self-employed workers are more productive than regular employees and seconded workers (which is reflected in the differences in labor costs per hour) because they are employed only within specific assignments and can focus fully and repeatedly on their expertise.
On balance, the additional social value of independent professionals amounts to about 4.4 billion euros per year. This social added value comes mainly from the additional production, profit and income due to higher labor demand among clients and higher labor participation and productivity among independent professionals compared to a situation without the self-employment.
The total overview of the annual social costs and benefits of self-employed professionals (the policy alternative) compared to a situation without self-employment (the null alternative). Source: SEO Economic Research (2023)
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