More hours works!
Many people in the Netherlands work part-time. Some of them would like to work more, but do not do so because they believe it would not be worthwhile. Others do not know how to combine working more hours with caring for children or parents. The Meer Uren werkt! (More Hours Work!) programme will investigate how people who would like to work more can do so.
The ultimate goal is a new part-time culture in which part-time workers who want to do so work an average of 2.7 hours more per week on a structural basis.
Reducing staff shortages
The tight labour market is causing waiting lists in childcare and healthcare, for example. Schoolchildren are sometimes even sent home because there is no teacher. If people who currently work part-time start working more hours, this will help to reduce the shortage on the labour market. It will also contribute to their economic independence.
About the programme
The More Hours Work! programme is an initiative of the Department for Social Affairs and Employment and Utrecht University. They are working together with social partners in healthcare and welfare, primary education and childcare, employer and employee organisations, local and regional authorities, knowledge institutions and other departments.
What are we going to do?
Part-time workers should be able to work more hours without any problems. This can be achieved, for example, through:
• more flexible schedules;
• support for informal care;
• restructuring of tasks;
• combining tasks or functions;
• providing insight into how much more money you will have left over if you work more hours
• treating men and women equally when it comes to support with care tasks.
We will then scientifically investigate these solutions in practice to see what really works. This will give us insight into what works and where it works, so that the entire labour market can benefit.