11 novel and time-tested ways to recruit staff

When staff shortages occur, you first start working more hours yourself or use self-employed professionals, this survey (pdf, in Dutch) shows. But what if you still cannot find staff within 3 months? Then you have to refuse work and lose turnover and growth opportunities. Discover your options for recruiting staff here.

Getting started with recruitment

11 ways to recruit staff:

1. Try 'open hiring'

Open hiring means hiring staff without an application procedure. This gives everyone a chance of a job without an interview. Read more about open hiring (in Dutch).

2. Use the press

Send out a press release about a new product, a new service, an anniversary or a charity action by your staff. In it, share an appeal or link to your open vacancies. Read tips on writing a press release (in Dutch).

3. Use social media

Share your announcement or vacancy through your social media channels such as Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok. And approach jobseekers via social media. For example, search on LinkedIn on the hashtag #graduated. Many graduates post under that hashtag looking for a job.

4. Activate your network

Use your personal and business network. Ask friends, family or (former) employees if they know of a suitable candidate for your vacancy. If necessary, reward the golden tipster. Read more about business networking.

5. Organise an open day

Organise a festive job interview walk-in. An open day or walk-in allows applicants to get to know your company, future colleagues and workplace. Announce your open day in advance in places where your dream candidates will see it, so that you get a high turnout of suitable candidates. Read more about a walk-in day in the article on recruiting staff in retail (in Dutch).

6. Use a job websites

Post the vacancy on online job websites, such as Nationale Vacaturebank or Indeed. Or platforms such as Google for Jobs.

7. Use a temping agency

A temporary employment agency allows you to hire employees flexibly. This is not about hiring permanent staff, you hire an employee through the agency. Flexibility and convenience are offset by higher costs. Read more about hiring staff through an employment agency.

8. Go to an event or trade fair

Showcase yourself and your company at a job or career fair. There are also original events such as 'applying the other way round'.

9. Make the most of your staff

Recruit staff in your own company: give your employees the opportunity to grow. Or offer part-timers more hours. Read more about subsidies to retrain or upskill your staff.

10. Outsource your work

Do you have a specific assignment or project that someone could do temporarily? For example, until you have found a suitable candidate for your vacancy? Then outsource your work to freelancers. You can do this on platforms such as werkspot.nl or ZZP Werkveiling. Read more about flexible hiring.

You can also outsource bits of work, such as payroll, customer service, ICT or finance. Read more about outsourcing work (in Dutch).

11. Use technology

New technology can do work for you, such as robots in catering operations or drones that help count stock. Read more about using technology (in Dutch).

Choose a different target group

Employ people over 50

According to media reports, a large group of people over 50 are still struggling to find work. Read more about hiring over-50s.

Take on lateral entrants

Lateral entrants are people who have worked in a certain field and then retrain to get started in another field. For example, education and healthcare. But also in other fields can lateral entrants be a sustainable solution to staff shortages. Read about lateral entrants in hospitality (in Dutch) and transport (in Dutch).

Recruit foreign staff

Recruiting personnel abroad often takes more time and effort than recruiting in the Netherlands. And there are certain laws and regulations you have to comply with. Read more about recruiting foreign staff (in Dutch).

Find an intern or graduate

Students you offer a (side) job now, may move on to paid employment later. To find interns and graduates, approach training institutes and schools for (almost) graduates. Or post your vacancy on platforms such as PepFlo or Studentenwerk. Read more about hiring an intern.

Recruit diverse and inclusive staff

Inclusive organisations make more profit, research shows. And with a broad social network, you also find new staff faster Read more about hiring diverse staff.

Use organisations

Inclusive recruitment via the Employer Service Point

Do you want to recruit inclusively? The Employer Service Point (werkgeverservicepunt, WSP) will help you do so. It is an alliance of UWV, municipalities and sheltered employment companies in the labour market region. Find one near you: employer service points (in Dutch).

UWV for employers

At the Employee Insurance Agency UWV you can post your vacancy but also, for example, receive guidance in hiring staff with a disadvantage on the labour market. Take a look at their website UWV.nl and werk.nl (in Dutch) for employers.

Give work to the sheltered workshop (de sociale werkplaats)

NLW Group's sheltered workshops supports employers. For example by taking (parts of) production and assembly work off their hands, and seconding temporary staff. Read more about the sheltered workplace (in Dutch).