As a NSvP-Fellow at NIAS, Ton Wilthagen set out to find the best route to a more inclusive labour market. In his white paper titled 'De arbeidsmarkttransitie: naar meer waarde en meer werk' (Labour market transitions: towards more value and more work), he now presents his findings and lays out four systemic steps for a labour market in which more people can participate.
The Netherlands has an inclusion deficit – or rather a surplus of untapped talent. About 1 to 2 million people want and are able to work in some way, but are unable to find sustainable and paid work. The Participation Act does not lead to improvement. It is therefore necessary to focus on a labor market transition, which requires four systemic steps: (1) the broader value of work and participation must be the starting point, (2) the societal benefits of work must be made more visible, (3) the labor market must hold multiple roads to meaningful work and (4) the human dimension and the recognition of talent are crucial. In addition, the labor market regulations must also be adapted.
These are the conclusions of the white paper The labor market transition: towards more value and more work, written by Ton Wilthagen and Marieke Stolp.
The complete white paper and a summary of “De arbeidsmarkttransitie: naar meer waarde en meer werk” can be read and downloaded here, on the website of the NSvP (Nederlandse Stichting voor de Psychotechniek). The printed booklet will be presented in September or October during a public event, and can be ordered through the NSvP.