Listen to the science podcast about the flexible labor market

The Dutch Supreme Court recently ruled that the bicycle couriers of the meal service Deliveroo are not self-employed, but employees. They were not given enough leeway to set their own rates. The company, which has since left the Netherlands, avoids paying social security contributions by treating employees as self-employed. Yet many people entering the labor market choose to become self-employed. And workforce flexibility is also what employers like to see.

There is an acute shortage of staff, and the number of small self-employed, zzp'ers, has grown since the corona pandemic. Do they offer a solution in the overstrained market because they are flexible? Or might that flexibility lead to exploitation and bad contracts? Can the government still create policies to make supply and demand for staff in the labor market smoother and fairer?

We talk about this hot topic with Sjanne Marie van den Groenendaal, who researches small independents and recently became one herself. And with Nuna Zekić, associate professor of labor law. We asked our students about their expectations for their own jobs: would they rather choose an employee contract or is self-employment actually an attractive option?
Economist and crisis expert Kenny Meesters explained during the walk how best to prepare for a future with possible major economic tensions.

This podcast is only available in Dutch.

Date of publication: 27 March 2023