Two-thirds of businesses are struggling with staff shortages

Shortage of staff in store.
© ANP / Peter Hilz
Two-thirds of entrepreneurs are dealing with shortage of staff. In order to address this, they are focusing mainly on improving working conditions and automating more tasks. Small businesses are less likely to be experiencing staff shortages. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of the Netherlands Business Survey, April 2025, which is carried out in partnership with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK), the Economic Institute for Construction and Housing (EIB), the Dutch Organisation for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MKB-Nederland) and the Dutch Employers’ Organisation (VNO-NCW).
The share of businesses dealing with a shortage of labour is lower among small businesses (over 61 percent) than it is among medium-sized businesses (over 67 percent) and large businesses (over 72 percent). Large businesses are more likely to be taking action than small or medium-sized businesses. The share of businesses investing more in automation is lower among small businesses (over 19 percent) than it is among medium-sized businesses (over 25 percent) and large businesses (nearly 30 percent). On the other hand, they are more likely to be adjusting their production to the labour capacity available. Nearly one in five small businesses is doing this, compared with 15 percent of medium-sized businesses and 12 percent of large businesses.


The construction sector faces the worst labour shortage

Over 80 percent of businesses in the construction sector indicated that they are experiencing staff shortages. The share is lowest in the culture, sports and recreation sector, at 55 percent. Businesses in the construction sector are also the most likely to say they are taking steps to deal with staff shortages. In April 2025, more than four in ten were focusing on improving working conditions, up from three in ten a year earlier. In other sectors, the number of businesses mentioning this as one of their strategies has actually fallen. In addition, over 32 percent of businesses in construction are limiting production to what is possible with their current workforce. This is more common in this sector than in any other. Nearly 10 percent of businesses indicated that they will recruit more workers from abroad. Businesses in agriculture (23 percent) and manufacturing (14 percent) were more likely to indicate this.

Improving productivity as an alternative to finding new workers

The continued labour market tightness has led businesses to focus more on improving labour productivity. Over three-quarters of them say that they are taking steps to do so. The most frequently mentioned strategies are investing in technology and automation and implementing more efficient processes. The percentage of businesses taking steps to boost productivity varies by sector. Businesses in the construction, trade and manufacturing sectors are the most likely to say they are doing this. Investment in technology and automation and the implementation of more efficient processes are mentioned the most frequently. Providing training for employees is mentioned the most frequently in the car trade and repair sector, and the least frequently in agriculture, forestry and fishing.

Related items