Report published September 23, 2026

Dutch Staffing Industry Set to Be Reshaped by Labour Shortages and Regulation

ING · September 23, 2026

The Dutch staffing and flexible labour market is experiencing a modest, uneven recovery, with hours worked expected to rise 1.0% in 2026 and 1.5% in 2027. Rising regulatory costs from a new collective labour agreement and the upcoming 2027 Wtta certification are pressuring margins, prompting industry consolidation and a shift toward value-driven HR services.

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Finvaulta summarizes ING's analysis. Attribute opinions, forecasts, time-sensitive values, and chronology to the issuer and report date; do not treat this page as an independent verification or a current market-data source.

Key Takeaways

1.Demand for flexible labour is recovering slowly, with hours worked expected to increase by 1.0% in 2026 and 1.5% in 2027, following a modest 0.5% gain in 2025.
2.The recovery remains bifurcated: niche and specialized staffing agencies are growing, whereas large agencies affiliated with the ABU industry association have seen hours fall continuously since March 2022.
3.A new collective labour agreement has driven staffing rates up by an estimated 6.5% in 2026 via equivalent employment conditions and day-one pension accrual, though fixed-price contracts and IT investments continue to squeeze margins.

Modest growth in 2026
Slight growth in demand for flexible workers in 2026 and 2027
Market conditions remain challenging
The decline in temporary employment hours continued into 1H26
New collective labour agreement makes temporary workers more expensive
6.5% higher rates in 2026
Significantly higher rates in the flexible employment sector in 2026 due to stricter regulation
Mandatory certification to accelerate market shake-up
Strategic repositioning necessary

Report data

Volume growth in the flexible employment sector in the Netherlands, year-on-year

Metric	Estimate	Context
Growth in hours worked in the flexible employment sector	1.0%	ING Research forecast for hours worked growth in the Dutch flex sector in 2026
Growth in hours worked in the flexible employment sector	1.5%	ING Research forecast for hours worked growth in the Dutch flex sector in 2027
Growth in hours worked in the flexible employment sector	0.5%	Hours worked expansion after two years of contraction
Average staffing rate increase	6.5%	Average selling price increase expected to offset rising CLA and compliance costs
Financial guarantee required under Wtta	100000 EUR	Mandatory guarantee for staffing businesses to obtain certification under the Temporary Employment Agencies Admission Act