The Netherlands boasts one of Europe’s most thriving economies – ranking fifth highest in GDP and hosting a booming tech sector known as “Europe’s Silicon Valley”. However, this growth is increasingly being hindered by recruitment challenges. A recent study placed the Netherlands at the bottom of the top 89 economies for ease of finding qualified personnel. And this will only become more difficult, with labor market scarcity projected to triple in the Netherlands by 2030 – assuming GDP growth, productivity and workforce participation rates remain constant – resulting in a labor shortage of 1.4 million people.
Remote work can be the answer, filling talent deficits and creating new opportunities in strategic countries. PwC predicts that the remote labor force could rise in the Netherlands in 2025 up to 57% from the current 39%.
Indeed, the ease in facilitating remote work today means that recruiting internationally has become both a recruitment and strategic opportunity. It’s a seismic but necessary shift in the workforce of Dutch companies – and the companies who lead the way in this transformation will not only fill key hiring gaps, but also grow their business in their preferred regions.
Planning global recruitment strategically
The Netherlands is already a highly globalized nation, with the third highest export rate in the EU meaning it exports far more than it imports. The export industry itself is a cornerstone of the economy, supporting 31.4% of the nation’s employment – equivalent to 2.6 million jobs. While many of these roles, such as logistics and manufacturing, require on-site presence, a growing number – particularly in high-demand fields like ICT, software development and customer support – can be executed remotely.
Recent Atlas research shows a talent shortage in key Dutch sectors, with job openings outpacing existing staff. The biggest gaps are in ICT Specialists (10% demand above existing staffing), Software Developers & Analysts (15%), and Engineering Professionals (13%). Dutch companies can solve these workforce challenges by hiring international talent in such fields, especially in regions where they conduct significant business. Outsourcing these roles to target countries can bridge skill gaps, expand their global networks and achieve higher customer satisfaction due to more readily-available staff.
When recruiting, consider targeting the regions where you do the most business. The Netherlands primarily exports to Germany, the UK, Belgium, France, the US and Switzerland. Dutch companies working with Atlas also prioritize these countries, with many having employees in multiple locations including the UK (50%), Germany (40%), the U.S. (20%) and Switzerland (10%)*. This alignment of business and recruitment strategies enables Atlas customers to build strong local connections with both new and existing clients.
But to adopt a similar strategy in these regions, you’ll need to be aware of each country’s specific recruitment challenges, opportunities, and salary ranges.
*Note: percentages exceed 100% as clients have employees in multiple countries.
Country deep dives: using the Global Salary Calculator to your advantage
The key to any good recruitment strategy is good data. By analyzing the recruitment landscape of your top countries, from the roles they specialize in to typical employee expectations around salary and benefits, you’ll be able to attract talent quickly and effectively.
Atlas’s Global Salary Calculator aggregates salary information from several contributors, helping you to analyze the numbers and adapt your approach accordingly:
Technical Expertise in the UK and Germany
Germany and the UK are the Netherlands’ biggest trading partners, with Dutch exports being worth €33 billion and €13 billion to each country respectively. Having in-country personnel is crucial for building on that growth.
Both countries excel in ICT roles. Germany is home to some of the fastest growing startups in the world and London is Europe’s leading tech hub, with 600,000 tech workers. Thanks to its similar salary ranges and proximity to the Netherlands, future German employees may have an easier time integrating with Dutch colleagues than those in other countries. Hiring in the UK, meanwhile, could forge better business links internationally with the U.S. and other countries, particularly in finance and fintech.
But both countries also face similar recruitment challenges. With a growing labor shortage in STEM disciplines, Germany has the second highest global talent shortage at 82%, with the UK close behind at a reported 80%. In order to combat this, companies looking to hire in these countries might consider exceeding average salaries for roles, or else consider other countries.
Close neighbours in France and Belgium: Marketing and sales
France and Belgium are the third and fourth top export destinations for the Netherlands, with crucial international hubs in Brussels and Paris, which now hosts more Global 500 companies than London. Dutch companies can hire talent in either country to enhance French-speaking customer support and tap into new business networks. Employing native speakers in customer-facing roles – such as marketing, accounts and sales positions – can improve customer-satisfaction and strengthen relationships through a more localized customer experience.
France is particularly renowned for its marketing and business schools – with five of the top ten marketing programs in the world located in France. Its productivity is also 25% higher than the OECD and EU averages. When combined with its relatively steep unemployment rate of 7.7%, there might be a higher portion of high-skilled French workers actively looking for employment compared to the Netherlands.
High salaries for highly skilled labor in the U.S. and Switzerland
The U.S. and Switzerland are both global leaders in productivity, ranking 8th and 6th respectively in GDP per hours worked worldwide. As an international powerhouse in most industries, particularly tech and finance, the U.S. is both home to and a magnet for some of the most highly-trained and experienced labor in the world. Meanwhile, Switzerland ranks 10th for most skilled labor force in the world. Dutch companies should focus on filling strategic positions that serve as key drivers for growth in these regions, such as those in business development and specialized engineering.
While both countries have very high salary expectations, the cost of doing business there isn’t necessarily greater than other Western European countries. In Switzerland, the low social security contributions, moderate taxes and business-friendly regulations often make overall labor costs lower than other countries. And when comparing the US to the Netherlands, expect to pay at least €15,000 more for a salary of €80,000 in the Netherlands, due to extra legal contributions – which you can explore with Atlas’ Employee Cost Calculator.
Offering remote work can be a competitive advantage for Dutch companies in the U.S., where workers demonstrate a strong preference for it. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce predicts that offering remote-first work will be an important recruitment tactic in 2025. A spike in departures was seen from major tech firms when companies demanded a return to in-person work. At the same time, the recent surge in tech-sector layoffs could further expand the talent pool – making it the perfect time to expand into the U.S.
An Atlas partnership unlocks country-specific insight
Building an effective global recruitment strategy, while staying compliant in each region, comes down to knowledge about a target country’s laws, habits and preferences. The Global Salary Calculator is just one way Dutch companies can use country-specific insights to quickly attract new talent. But the customs and laws in each country are subject to change over time, a challenging reality for any HR team tasked with addressing these nuances.
Atlas is equipped to provide that insight. With entities in over 160 countries, the Atlas platform gives you the latest updates on salary ranges, local laws, and onboarding speeds across all regions to inform your recruitment strategy – getting you to market 82% faster, and with lower costs than setting up your own entity. As your Employer of Record, we’ll handle compliance, payroll and contracts in each country, relieving the admin burden so you can focus on the overall recruitment strategy.
Our existing Netherlands customers have been able to expand efficiently across their key regions, with the flexibility to offer remote-friendly or hybrid roles and premium benefits to all their employees. In the process, they’ve learnt how a great EOR partnership is the best way to grow internationally, discovering the right talent in their preferred markets as they strengthen their global presence.