Together, we can make the Netherlands work better

Het Potentieel Pakken: a deeper dive

The Dutch labour market has a remarkable mismatch. Many sectors, such as healthcare, childcare and education, are experiencing severe staff shortages. 

The consequences of the shortages have serious impact; from faltering services to the regular use of expensive flexible workers. Organisations are faced with dissatisfied clients and rising personnel costs. The pressure to maintain service levels increases the workload, reducing job satisfaction. This creates a vicious cycle of more absenteeism, staff turnover and shortages.

Meanwhile, the Dutch labour market has untapped labour potential. People who are unemployed, underemployed or work in a (small) part-time job. This impacts many facets of a person’s life, from their well-being to their income and health. A large proportion of workers are financially vulnerable, because they have low wages and small contracts. The resulting stress can ultimately lead to increasing absenteeism and even job loss, perpetuating the negative cycle.

Employers play a pivotal role

Tackling this mismatch is essential, both for employers and employees. While systemic changes (legislation, tax reforms, subsidies and campaigns) are important, they are also extremely complex and time-consuming. Change is needed now, and employers have a key role in this.

Good employers offer contracts that enable financial independence, actively involve employees, create healthy and flexible schedules and offer a level of flexibility that meets employee needs. The result: satisfied employees who are sick less often, stay longer and possibly work more hours.

From insight to action

Het Potentieel Pakken believes things need to be done differently and can be done differently. We can help organisations work better and ensure that the potential of existing employees is fully utilized. With positive consequences for employees, clients and the organisations. We do this by working closely with organisations to define and implement what it means to be a good employer.

This starts with analysing the potential and specific opportunities and obstacles within an organisation. We use this knowledge to work together: we work on healthier schedules, improve the HR strategy, policy and processes, provide accurate (financial) information and discuss options. We involve all the relevant stakeholders: directors, employees, team leaders and HR. Our approach is pragmatic: start small, identify what works and then scale it up. The ultimate goal is to empower the organisation to continue the change.