Maartje van Amelsfort, career coach, trainer and interim HR professional, looks at future trends in the Dutch labour market and how internationals can benefit.

The economic crisis has had an impact on the global labour market. We have seen rising unemployment figures, diminishing mobility in the labour market and the slowing down of salary growth coupled with fewer opportunities for staff development and training. When the economic crisis will fully ease off no one can tell, but fresh winds of change look set to bring new opportunities for internationals in the Netherlands.

A recent global survey of HR executives, 'Creating people advantage', carried out by the Boston Consulting Group, reveals one of the biggest challenges that HR managers identified as talent management, which entails identifying, attracting and retaining talented employees.

The increasing importance of managing talent within organisations is connected to the retirement of the 'Baby Boom' generation. Many ‘Baby Boomers' will be leaving the labour market, or have already done so, taking with them a wealth of knowledge and experience. Organisations are currently in the process of finding ways to fill the pending void, with some people referring to this as the 'war on talent'.

For the international community based in the Netherlands, this could bring positive developments. I envisage an increasing lack of highly skilled staff in certain industries. Stats show that, for the third quarter in a row, the amount of vacancies in the Netherlands has risen (CBS March 2011).

If organisations find it difficult to recruit professionals with specialised skills in the Netherlands, they may have to consider recruiting more internationals.  This can include both those currently located abroad and those already living in the Netherlands. 

The second critical HR issue is that many organisations are realising that they need to do a better job at engaging their employees. Talent management is not only about attracting the right employees, but also about making sure that they stay motivated. This encourages stability and a positive atmosphere in the organisation and also works out as cost-effective through reducing employee turnover.

There are several ways for companies to stimulate engagement. One of them is through investing in staff development via regular feedback sessions, offering training and clear development paths. Where, in the recent past, many training and development budgets were cut, in the near future expats may be able to enjoy more possibilities to develop themselves professionally through their employers. At the same time, when an employer puts clear feedback mechanisms in place, it creates opportunities for further development within the organization, and ways of getting there become more transparent.

Another way employers based in the Netherlands can stimulate staff engagement is by offering flexibility in finding an optimum work-life balance, also called Het Nieuwe Werken (HNW). Many employers already have measures in place, such as home working and flexible working hours. These options enable employees to structure their working life more effectively to fit in with family and personal life.

The third and last HR priority is that employers should plan their workforce needs in a strategic manner rather than on an ad hoc basis.  In other words, not only recruiting when vacancies arise, but thinking ahead as to the type of staff the organisation needs. This could entail taking qualified candidates on when possible, regardless of available headcount.

This is a good thing for the international community as the labour market shapes around their availability and skills.  For instance, if someone is moving to the Netherlands and knows of an employer based here that fits, say, their engineering background, they can apply directly and stand a chance of being taken on after an interview on the basis of their skills being needed in the near future.  I find this a refreshing approach.

In brief, whether internationals will benefit from the trends in the labour market depends on many factors. This doesn't make it easy to give a black and white answer. I believe that expats may benefit from the following future changes: more job vacancies, Dutch organisations becoming more open to taking on internationals and, in general, recruitment being done in a more strategic manner.

Mastering the Dutch language still remains important for expats seeking work, if only to help them get by in daily life and create a social network with the locals. Recent research shows that some 17 percent of Dutch people find new jobs through their own networks, making it the most effective job-seeking channel and beating the use of recruitment agencies or making open applications.

What remains important for job-seeking internationals is the extent to which they have a clear plan of what they're searching for, a good idea of what they have to offer, realistic expectations of what they can find and a targeted approach to reach their objectives. 

Maartje van Amelsfort is founder and director of Via Career Coaching, an enterprise which works for individuals and organisations, offering solution focused career coaching, training and interim HR services in English and Dutch.  www.viacareercoaching.com