The number of flex workers increased by 64,000 to 2.7 million in the fourth quarter of last year. These were mainly flex workers with a relatively high degree of security in their contracts. This gives them a good chance of a permanent appointment.
In addition, 103,000 people were given a permanent contract in that period and 128,000 self-employed people were added, Statistics Netherlands and research agency TNO reported on Tuesday. In relative terms, the number of self-employed persons increased the most. The number of self-employed persons grew in particular.
Statistics Netherlands and TNO distinguish different types of flexible contracts. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, the number of employees with a temporary contract with the prospect of a permanent contract increased in particular (14 percent).
At the same time, the number of employees with a temporary employment contract for a year or more grew by 6 percent. But the number of on-call and substitute workers fell by 3 percent and the number of temporary workers fell by 1 percent.
In the fourth quarter of 2021, about nine thousand flex workers made the transition from on-call or temporary worker to self-employed. A year later there were sixteen thousand. This equates to an increase of 70 percent.
Higher labor force participation among young people
Labor participation among young people was higher in the fourth quarter than one year previously. In relative terms, the number of 15 to 25-year-olds with a temporary contract of one year or more increased in particular. With 121,000 workers, the group was 10 percent larger than at the end of 2021.
The number of on-call workers fell by eight thousand (1 percent), but at 41 percent this is still the largest group among working young people. On the other hand, the number of young self-employed persons increased by 24,000 (41 percent).
Labor participation also increased among other age groups. As with young people, the number of self-employed persons among older flex workers increased. This was an increase of 65,000 (10 percent) among 25 to 55-year-olds and an increase of 51,000 (14 percent) among 55 to 75-year-olds.
In these age groups, the number of employees with a temporary contract with the prospect of a permanent appointment also increased. These were increases of 59,000 and 9,000 respectively (15 percent and 22 percent).
