Tightness in Dutch labor market easing slightly: Randstad

The Dutch labor market remains tight, but pressure has eased slightly, staffing firm Randstad said Wednesday in its quarterly report. Demand has declined particularly in the creative sector, customer service, and administrative roles.

Across the labor market as a whole, there are slightly fewer job openings. Unemployment in the Netherlands remains low and stable, and overall demand for staff has declined slightly, according to Randstad. However, demand for workers remains high in sectors such as healthcare.

There are significant differences within sectors, labor market analyst Bart van Krimpen of Randstad emphasized. In nearly every field, there are roles where demand far outstrips supply. According to Randstad, this presents opportunities for job seekers looking to switch careers.

Unemployment is expected to rise slightly next year, but part of the labor shortage is structural, Van Krimpen explained. In many professions, demand for workers has long exceeded supply. Van Krimpen does not expect that trend to suddenly reverse next year.

Indeed reports that the total number of job postings on the major vacancy website has dropped significantly. As of July 1, there were 8 percent fewer listings than a year earlier, according to the company's data on millions of vacancies.

The number of openings for administrative staff has fallen by nearly a fifth, and postings in sectors such as marketing, communications, and entertainment are also down sharply. In contrast, the healthcare sector has seen an increase in job postings, including positions for doctors, nurses, and therapists.

Randstad still does not see a major shift in the labor market following the enforcement of rules against bogus self-employment. “But we are seeing some movement,” explained Jeroen Tiel, CEO of Randstad Netherlands. For example, the childcare sector has decided to completely stop hiring freelancers. The Dutch Tax Authority began fully enforcing the self-employment rules on January 1, but it will not issue fines for violations this year.