Ten years self-employed: this is what the figures say about you being self-employed
The world of self-employment has changed considerably over the past decade. More and more professionals opted for freedom, self-direction and entrepreneurship. By now, almost one in eight people working in the Netherlands is self-employed. This makes self-employment an important and growing factor in the labour market.
But who is this self-employed person in 2025? And how do self-employed people themselves view work, security and the future? You will find out in the new report 'A decade of self-employment', published by our parent organisation HeadFirst Group, together with ZiPconomy and ONL voor Ondernemers.
We noticed this
- Strong growth, but now stabilisation: in 10 years, the number of self-employed people grew by 44%, but 2025 is the first year in which that growth falters. This may indicate a new phase in self-employment.
- Satisfaction high: 8 in 10 self-employed people are (very) satisfied with entrepreneurship - although slightly more self-employed people worry about their future. Security remains an important issue.
- Conscious choice: only 2.7% work as self-employed because a client asked them to. So the vast majority choose it consciously, driven by freedom, flexibility and personal development.
- Ageing and rejuvenation: the self-employed are both ageing and greening: 33% are 55-plus, but young starters are rapidly joining the ranks. This creates a more diverse self-employed landscape.
Take care of the future: more and more self-employed people are making arrangements for their pension and disability insurance. Often in their own way.
