Autonomy as the Main Motivator
Niels van der Neut, an employment law attorney, emphasized that autonomy is the main reason people become self-employed: “It’s not the money, but rather the flexibility and control over their own work—where, how, and with whom they do it.” Several studies confirm this picture: highly educated and specialized professionals, in particular, choose self-employment to truly practice their profession on their own terms. The panel also noted that several trends and factors can play a role: poor employer practices, limited opportunities for professional development, and rigid job profiles all contribute to the decision to ultimately start working as a self-employed professional. The rise in the number of self-employed professionals is therefore no coincidence, but a response to a changing labor market and shifting preferences among workers. In addition, the panel highlighted the importance of job satisfaction and personal development. Self-employed professionals often consciously choose entrepreneurship because it gives them the freedom to decide which assignments to take on and to shape their careers in their own way.
Self-Employed Individuals as an Indispensable Link in the Social Security System
The panel stated that self-employed individuals could potentially become part of the collective social security system—not for the sake of protection, but to ensure the system’s affordability. This could ease the pressure surrounding eligibility requirements, as there are currently significant differences in social security and tax treatment between different types of employment contracts.
A healthy labor market requires room for self-employment
The panel was unanimous: the self-employed are here to stay, but there are still some challenges to overcome in order to give them a solid position in the labor market. This means that a substantive debate must be held on the future of the labor market and the position of the self-employed within the social security and tax systems. In any case, the days of applying Band-Aid solutions are over. Maathuis warned that uncertainty—for example, in legislation—affects not only the self-employed but also clients and the economy: “Uncertainty hinders innovation, flexibility, and labor mobility. Autonomy only works if the environment supports it.”
According to the panel, self-employed professionals are therefore skilled workers who believe in freedom, responsibility, and entrepreneurship. This group deserves clear legislation, a fair position within the social security system, and a full voice in labor market policy. Self-employment is no longer an exception—it is the labor market.