Josette Dijkhuizen

"Independence doesn’t mean no obligations. Entrepreneurship is about looking ahead."

Josette Dijkhuizen on independence, sustainable employability, and the role of the Dutch Social and Economic Council (SER)

Review of the 2024 self-employment debate

"We solve problems through positivity and connection." With this mindset, Josette Dijkhuizen—professor, independent entrepreneur, and crown member of the SER—reflects on a turbulent year for self-employed professionals. She discusses developments in the self-employment debate and the challenges ahead.

 A year of debate and uncertainty

According to Dijkhuizen, 2024 was marked by an overwhelming number of discussions about self-employment, where opinions and facts often blurred together. "You couldn’t open a newspaper without seeing multiple articles on the topic. This caused a lot of confusion and reactive decision-making."

She highlights the impact of major organisations halting the hiring of freelancers and the media attention that amplified these decisions. "The self-employed market is incredibly diverse, yet it was often treated as one homogeneous group. That makes the debate difficult because not all freelancers are the same."

The responsibility of the self-employed

Dijkhuizen stresses that self-employment is not just about freedom and autonomy, but also about responsibility. "Sometimes it seems like freelancing is all about flexibility and independence, but being self-employed comes with duties as well."

She advocates for better education at the start of an independent career. "It’s very easy to become self-employed. That doesn’t necessarily need to change, but people should reflect more before they begin."

Sustainable employability: also for entrepreneurs

Sustainable employability is often discussed in the context of employers and employees, but it is just as crucial for self-employed professionals. "Entrepreneurs are constantly focused on keeping their business running and often forget about themselves. But if the entrepreneur doesn’t develop, neither does the business."

She calls for more attention to this issue, particularly through industry associations. "These organisations understand their sectors better than the government does." She explains that sustainable employability for entrepreneurs consists of four pillars: vitality, work capacity, employability, and a healthy business.

The role of the SER and the future of self-employment

Since November 2023, Dijkhuizen has been a crown member of the SER, where she advocates for self-employed professionals. "Previously, freelancers didn’t have a designated seat at the table for policy discussions, but that has changed now."

With the enforcement of stricter regulations set to begin on 1 January 2025, she expects the discussion on self-employment to continue. "We need to keep the conversation going and genuinely try to understand each other. Why do people choose self-employment? How do we address the need for autonomy and flexibility?"

Despite the challenges, Dijkhuizen remains optimistic. "By asking the right questions and keeping an open mind, we can move forward. That’s what I hope to see in 2025."