News item | 28-03-2025 | 15:15
The government wants to make it easier to combine work with healthcare responsibilities for, for example, children or loved ones. Due to the aging population and the shortage of staff, more care tasks are coming to people and the pressure is increasing to work more hours. To combine this, according to the government, flexibility is needed at work, people must be able to make choices without being financially troubled and the government must offer good support in the crowds of life. This is what Minister Van Hijum of Social Affairs and Employment writes in a letter to the Chamber.
Minister Van Hijum: “The Dutch are busy. We are working hard, but we also have many more activities and obligations in life. The children need to go to school, the household needs to be done, you must go to a meeting at the football club and your parents may need informal care. With a view to demographic developments and the tightness on the labor market, we want to make it easy to make it work and care. That often, sometimes even during working hours and the government must adjust different arrangements, so that there is sufficient support. ”
Both partners work
In the past 10 years, the number of couples in which both partners work part -time has almost doubled. Relatively many people work in the Netherlands, but at the same time the number of hours worked per household is higher than in other European countries. There seems to be a slow change from a one and a half earner model to a model in which both partners work approximately the same amount, whether or not part -time.
Families support
To improve the support of the combination of work and private life, the cabinet will start simplifying the leave system. After the summer there will be a bill to arrange this. The goal is to make absorbing leave easier, more understandable and more accessible for people themselves and for employers. In addition, many people indicate that the affordability and availability of childcare is an important obstacle. The government is therefore working on making childcare cheaper and tries to reduce the staff shortage in the sector.
Combining work and care
The cabinet sees many good examples for combining work and private life. But certainly also sees room for improvement. The cabinet is therefore encourages workers and employers to continue to have the conversation about this. At work, for example about flexible working hours, working from home or workplace facilities such as flask rooms. But also at the kitchen table about the division of tasks and the mental burden.
Financial security
The government also wants people to experience financial security in making choices about the layout of their time. For example, work is being done on more affordable housing and on more certainty on the labor market. In addition, the Cabinet wants to make working more rewarding, combating poverty and simplify the system of income support.