Freelance for a few months, then work again for a while or do both at the same time: employment relationships are becoming increasingly “fluid”, say analysts at ABN Amro. a report. Employee employment and part-time work as a self-employed person have been on the rise in recent years.

The tight labor market means that the situation for employees is very good. “Employees have more choices and therefore more negotiating power,” says Mario Bercem, sector economist at ABN Amro Bank. “So they can complete their work with more independence and versatility.”

One of the most important reasons to combine several things is variety. Like Susan Ortman Girlings, who decided to start her own business eleven years ago after many years of work. In addition to her work as a municipal councillor, she provides financial advice to seniors, who are often elderly.

“It’s beautiful work, but these conversations are also difficult, because for many people the end of their lives is approaching,” says Ortmann Geerlings. “That’s why I started looking for something that would bring more joy.” She finds this joy in the younger generation: she is now training as a French language teacher at a grammar school, so that she can eventually work in education as a lateral student.

“I really like bringing together older people and younger people,” she says. “When I finish, I want to be half self-employed and half working again. The great thing is that I will also be building up my pension for another ten years.”

Finance plays a role for more people, for example, because the jump to full-time entrepreneurship is still very large. For example, Eva van Holten works three days a week as a disability care worker, helping healthcare workers use technologies.

“I enjoy working with people, but ultimately it’s not the job I’m thinking of. So I mainly do it to pay the bills.” Its real purpose lies in the very different work you do as a self-employed person: it is Vegetarian chefHe organizes retreats and is a role model. Although the business is going well, the step towards full freelance work is still a bit too exciting.

“I prefer to work towards it gradually,” says Van Holten. “But I got to this point much faster than I thought, because I believe I will have enough income from my business next year to take this step.”

For employers, a “smooth” employment relationship also requires some adjustment. As is Rube van Tienen, a pitch coach and freelance performance artist. A few years ago, for a change, he decided to take a job a few days a week at Nextens, a company that develops tax-return software.

Van Tienen included in the contract that he may continue to be self-employed in addition to his job. According to him, the construction is working well. “This is also because my employer gives me complete freedom and confidence,” he says. “For example, there is no problem if I receive a call while working at my own company or if I switch working days if I have a good job.”

Also in healthcare, where there are often many small contracts, freelancing alongside work is becoming increasingly popular. At De Nederlandse Zorg Bemiddelaar, a company that connects freelancers with elderly care organizations in particular, it is estimated that a quarter of all freelancers are also working somewhere at the same time.

“We see freelancers doing both jobs in the healthcare sector rather than outside it,” says Laura van Loon of De Nederlandse Zorg Bemiddelaar. “They do this combination mainly to have more control over their income and their schedule.” “In addition, you see healthcare workers who have an office job also freelance in healthcare for a change. This way they can also maintain their great enrollment.”

However, smooth work is not for everyone, just for their development and diversification: More than 13 percent of respondents to the National Labor Market Survey say they cannot make ends meet without overtime.