Decent work and lifelong learning

At HeadFirst Group, our people and culture strategy is built around three pillars: guiding the organisation toward becoming a future-ready HR tech platform, building high-performing teams, and creating a great place to work for all. These pillars are closely aligned with our company values —customer first, learn every day, and connecting people— and with the crucial role we believe HR plays in digital transformation. Not just by implementing tools or systems, but by shaping behaviour, strengthening capabilities, and helping our people grow alongside the business. 

HeadFirst Group is ‘A Great Place to Work’ and continued to evolve as an employer, driven by our core values of Customer first, Learn every day, and Connecting people. Central to our organisation are the principles of involvement, fun, and ownership, which guide our commitment to creating a dynamic and supportive work environment. 

Labour and Human Rights

We uphold internationally recognised human and labour rights and have integrated these into our policies and practices, as laid out in our Labour and Human Rights Policy. We are committed to offering fair and competitive compensation, safe and respectful working conditions, and a workplace free from discrimination, harassment, or forced and child labour.

Ownership and growth 

In 2024, we took major steps toward a future-proof learning culture. Traditional offerings no longer met the needs of our employees, so we focused on what truly matters: relevant, practical, and personalised learning. 

We started by listening — through needs assessments, we identified what people in the field really need. That led to more on-the-job training, hands-on support, and feedback sessions across departments. With the addition of an in-house trainer, learning moved closer to the business. 

Our onboarding programme was completely redesigned into a five-week, interactive experience that helps new colleagues land smoothly and connect quickly. We also made learning a key part of our system and process implementations, such as with HubSpot training and adoption support. 

To encourage ownership and continuous improvement, we embraced the Lean philosophy — empowering employees to lead change and enhance the customer experience. 

Academy 

The HeadFirst Group Academy continues to support growth through online courses, workshops, and knowledge-sharing, with tools to track progress and set development goals. New programmes like Yellow Belt training and leadership development tracks support well-rounded growth. 

Finally, we strengthened legal knowledge across the board. Recruiters and consultants followed targeted trainings to confidently explain that hiring independent professionals is still fully possible, when done right. 

We laid the groundwork for a more agile, business-driven approach to learning — ready to grow with our people and the future of work. 

Current concepts of ESRS 

In line with the current concepts of European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), our focus areas are divided into: 

• Our own workforce

• Professionals in the chain 

• Our customers

For our internal workforce, the most material topics are secure employment and training and skills development.  

For professionals, we focus on fair and equal payment conditions.  

For our customers, our primary contribution is full support in navigating compliance within a dynamic labour market.  

Great Place to Work

This year, HeadFirst Group was recertified as a Great Place to Work for the third consecutive year and earned recognition as one of the Top 10 Best Workplaces in the categories of Mid-Large Companies and Women. With 50% female leadership, we are well above the national average. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is also reflected in our employee satisfaction survey, where 94% of employees feel physically safe at work, and a growing number feel valued and empowered regardless of gender, ethnicity, or background. 

We are particularly proud that 77% of our employees consider HeadFirst a Great Place to Work, highlighting our trust, pride, and job satisfaction. 

Training and skills development

Our Learning & Development Policy ensures that every employee has access to the resources they need to grow professionally and personally. Using the 70:20:10 learning model, we offer a wide range of tools: onboarding programmes, role-specific training, mentoring, leadership development (in collaboration with Lepaya), and access to our MyCademy learning platform. Every employee receives an annual development budget and is encouraged to take ownership of their learning journey.

We embed a learning mindset into our culture through regular feedback, internal knowledge-sharing, and a focus on continuous improvement supported by Lean principles.

Focus areas and actions

Vitality and wellbeing

A vital workforce is the engine of a healthy organisation. That is why we offer comprehensive support for physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Employees have access to a gym at our headquarters, weekly bootcamps and yoga classes, and subsidised healthy meals. Through our partnership with OpenUp, we provide 24/7 access to mental health support, coaching, and mindfulness tools — all anonymous and freely accessible. On top of this, all employees receive a €40 monthly wellbeing budget. Employees can use this for activities like sports or hobbies that promote physical and mental health. In total, 80% of employees report being encouraged to maintain a healthy work-life balance. 

We also support safe hybrid working, including ergonomic equipment and work-from-home guidance, and conduct periodic risk assessments (RI&E) to proactively improve workplace safety.

Internal mobility and talent engagement

We promote both vertical and horizontal mobility within the group. Employees can view and apply for all vacancies via our internal job portal. Through visibility, accessibility, and ownership, we increase engagement and encourage development across all labels and departments.

To further support this, we are developing a dedicated internal platform: Working at HeadFirst Group. This page will offer a central overview of internal vacancies, growth opportunities, and resources related to professional development. By building on employee input, we aim to foster a transparent and future-oriented working environment.

Integration of HR data

To support data-driven people management, we have integrated all HR systems into AFAS and now visualise key data through Power BI, enabling more effective monitoring of metrics such as internal mobility, pay gaps, and diversity.

Enhanced benefits

As part of our ambition to be a great place to work, HeadFirst Group launched a renewed employee benefits package in January 2025. This package reflects feedback from our Great Place to Work surveys, employee engagement insights, and a market benchmark with Mercer.

Developed in close collaboration with the Works Council, the new framework enhances flexibility, vitality, and equality, while staying true to our core values: Learn Every Day, Connecting People, and Customer First. It supports long-term employability and reinforces our commitment to social sustainability and employee wellbeing.

Highlights include more flexible leave and mobility arrangements, personalised holiday pay, two CSR days, a DE&I day, a personal leave day, and a monthly vitality budget.

Transparent and future-oriented salary framework

In 2025, we introduced a renewed and unified salary framework across all HeadFirst Group labels. Based on employee feedback and a Mercer benchmark, this new structure ensures fairness, consistency, and transparency in our compensation policy.

Developed in consultation with the Works Council, the framework is designed to grow with our organisation and adapt to evolving market dynamics. It supports our ESG ambitions by promoting wage transparency and ensuring that all employees earn a salary that exceeds the family living wage standard—regardless of performance-based bonuses. Bonus schemes remain role- and team-specific and are aligned with clear targets.

Works Council

Since 2023, HeadFirst Group has a formal Works Council in place. This representative body plays a vital role in safeguarding employee interests, strengthening internal communication, and ensuring that important organisational decisions incorporate employee perspectives. The Works Council supports transparency and trust by facilitating structured dialogue between employees and management, particularly on topics such as working conditions, policies, and organisational change.

Social return own workforce

At HeadFirst Group, we continue to invest in creating opportunities for candidates with poor employment prospects. We now follow a clear and consistent social return policy, providing structure and guidance across all departments. As of 2024, HeadFirst employs eight individuals under this policy internally. Additionally, we have launched our internal ‘growth garden’ in cooperation with one of our clients. This programme is aimed at supporting people with auditory or visual impairments in finding suitable roles within our organisation. The initiative has been rolled out within our Talent Sourcing department, where the first participants have successfully started. In the coming years, the ‘growth garden’ will be further expanded to other departments within HeadFirst, ensuring more inclusive opportunities across the organisation.

Workforce growth and dynamics

Between 2021 and 2024, our total workforce grew from 302 to 417 employees. While 2024 saw a slight decline in headcount compared to 2023, this development reflects a deliberate consolidation strategy, optimising organisational structure following a period of rapid expansion. The average influx of new colleagues remains strong, with 190 new hires in 2024, demonstrating our continued attractiveness as an employer.

Internal mobility and career development

Internal transfers have shown consistent and significant growth, increasing from 14 in 2021 to 61 in 2024. This upward trend highlights our commitment to promoting lifelong learning, internal mobility, and career development, providing colleagues with opportunities to advance or pivot within the organisation.

Attrition rate

Our attrition rate stood at 26.9% in 2024, slightly higher than the previous year. This is partly explained by organisational restructuring activities and market dynamics. Nevertheless, it represents a substantial improvement compared to the peak attrition rate of 56% in 2021. Reducing voluntary employee turnover and strengthening long-term engagement remains a strategic priority.

Absenteeism and employee wellbeing

Absenteeism due to sickness was 4.0% in 2024, slightly higher than in 2023 but still within manageable levels for our sector. Promoting vitality and mental resilience through initiatives like our vitality budget, flexible working arrangements, and access to OpenUp support services continues to be a focus area.

Conclusion

The data show that HeadFirst Group has made strong progress in creating a more stable, resilient, and growth-oriented working environment. By offering greater internal career opportunities, supporting wellbeing, and embedding flexibility into our employment conditions, we continue to invest in sustainable employership in line with the Decent Work and Lifelong Learning principles of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 8).

Professionals in the chain

Equal employment conditions

We believe that all professionals—regardless of contract type—deserve access to fair, transparent, and supportive working conditions. Through our Professionals & Partners Services, we offer independent professionals and suppliers access to a wide range of facilities that enhance their entrepreneurship and support sustainable careers.

These services include transparent rate information, competence checks, training and development opportunities, insurance options, and fast-track invoice payments. With our Premium and Excellent service packages, professionals can choose the level of support that best suits their needs. By doing so, we promote equality, autonomy, and professional growth across our network, while contributing to more resilient and future-proof labour market structures.

Focus area and actions

The below-mentioned focus areas are the ones that are important for any professional to stay ahead of the competition and to feel secure about their career path.

Transparency in rates

Through our Professionals Services Hub, HeadFirst Group promotes transparency in tariffs for independent professionals. Leveraging our extensive data repository, we enable advanced analytics on trends such as the most in-demand roles, the types of profiles being placed, gender representation, and associated hourly rates. Within the platform, professionals have access to real-time insights into the rates of assignments they are considering, supporting informed decision-making and greater market transparency.

Gender pay gap among independent professionals

In 2024, HeadFirst Group conducted a study as part of the Talent Monitor to analyse the gender pay gap among self-employed professionals in the Netherlands. The research focused on the difference in average income or hourly rates between male and female professionals, expressed as a percentage of the male earnings. While factors such as discrimination, occupational segregation, part-time work, and hours worked continue to influence this gap, the findings show that the hourly rates of male and female self-employed professionals have become increasingly aligned.

In statistical terms, the differences in hourly rates between men and women are no longer significant. This marks a notable shift, especially considering previous studies that pointed to considerable disparities in remuneration based on gender. The Talent Monitor reveals that the gender pay gap has narrowed considerably since the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pandemic, the average difference stood at 10.3%, whereas the most recent figures show a reduced gap of 4.2% — still to the disadvantage of women, but a significant improvement.

HeadFirst Group helps reduce inequality in the labour market by creating more transparency and supporting equal opportunities. In our Professionals Services Hub, we show real-time rates for assignments, so professionals can see what others are earning. This helps everyone, regardless of gender, to better understand their market value and make fair decisions.

We also share the results of our Talent Monitor with clients and professionals, to raise awareness about equal pay. By offering these insights and encouraging open conversations, we support our clients in making fair and inclusive choices when selecting candidates. In this way, we contribute to a more equal and transparent freelance market.

Striive

Striive is our proprietary platform, rebranded in 2023 , designed to enhance the professional experience through smart automation. Since its introduction, we have shortened the average onboarding process by 36% — from 21 days to just 14 days. This improvement enables professionals to start their assignments faster, while also offering significant efficiency gains for clients.

Professionals Services Hub

The Professionals Services Hub is a dynamic digital environment where professionals can access a growing range of widgets, tools, and support services. From compliance support to personal development and entrepreneurship tools, the Hub brings together everything self-employed professionals need to succeed. It helps professionals not only to grow in their expertise but also to operate in line with applicable laws and regulations, including the Dutch DBA legislation.

Striive Academy

Professionals with Premium and Excellent service packages have full access to Striive Academy: a curated learning environment offering courses, e-books, training programmes, and knowledge-sharing sessions across various learning paths. This enables professionals to continuously grow and remain future-fit in a changing labour market. With this offering, we actively contribute to the sustainable employability of independent professionals.

Payment

Professionals with a Premium package benefit from accelerated invoice payments. This service supports their financial stability and entrepreneurial success by improving cash flow—an essential factor for self-employed workers. In turn, this service also fosters stronger loyalty and long-term engagement within our professional network.

Business & Professional Liability Insurance

Many independent professionals are either uninsured or underinsured, often due to a lack of awareness or the complexity of arranging suitable coverage. In collaboration with Alicia Benefits, we offer an easy and fast solution: a complete Business & Professional Liability Insurance arrangement in under five minutes. This service empowers professionals to operate with greater peace of mind and protection. 

Cybersecurity Insurance
As part of this product, professionals now also benefit from Cybersecurity Insurance, addressing the increasing risks of digital threats. This coverage protects against incidents such as hacking, data loss, breaches, and cyberattacks. With cybercrime on the rise, the need for affordable and accessible digital protection has become more urgent than ever.

Temporary disability insurance

This insurance offers a powerful safety net for professionals who are temporarily unable to work due to illness or injury. Recently renamed to better reflect its purpose, Temporary Disability Insurance provides financial security in the event of total incapacity for work.

New product strategy and package development

To better meet the needs of professionals, we launched a new product packaging strategy in 2024. Following extensive market research among 450 respondents and a qualitative roadshow, we identified key preferences: more flexibility, customisation, transparency, and relevance. In response, we introduced Secure, Premium Secure, Career, Career Plus, and Premium Career packages, replacing the previous Premium and Excellent formats.

A dynamic, scalable technical infrastructure enables us to adjust packages to fit various product-market combinations, supporting local and international growth. The Striive Solutions Hub was launched as part of this strategy to empower professionals with data-driven tools to develop their skills, increase their impact, and remain future-ready.

Social return

Since the launch of our Social Return Action Plan in 2022, we have significantly expanded our impact. In 2024, we strengthened our network of diversity partners by welcoming nine new organisations, further enhancing our ability to match candidates to relevant roles. Together with these partners, we realised 56,995 hours invoiced – resulting in over 3.2 million euros in revenue, a 25.12% increase compared to 2023.

Our partnerships focus on supporting professionals with autism, individuals with unconventional CVs, and other groups facing barriers to the labour market. We offer targeted support, including job coaching, project matching, and workplace accommodations. We have worked with AutiTalent and Auticon (formerly Specialisterren) for many years, and those partnerships are still going strong. At the same time, new collaborations are helping us reach a wider range of talent.

We remain committed to continuously explore new ways to create opportunities for candidates with poor employment prospects. This includes identifying innovative approaches, testing pilot initiatives with our clients, and developing targeted programmes that respond to the needs of various clients. In the years to come, we will further investigate and expand these possibilities, working closely with our diversity partners, clients, and internal teams to drive sustainable and inclusive employment across the chain.

Trends and analyses

In 2024, we observed a clear increase in engagement with our support services: the share of professionals using Premium or Select packages rose from 30% to 35%. We also made tangible progress in social return, with invoiced hours for professionals with poor job prospects increasing by over 23%, and the number of individuals involved growing from 10 to 18. Internally, the number of inclusion-focused programmes expanded significantly. 

In addition, our latest Talent Monitor shows that the gender pay gap among self-employed professionals narrowed to 4.2%, with no statistically significant difference in hourly rates. These developments confirm that our focus on transparency, equal opportunity, and tailored support is generating measurable impact across the professional chain. 

Customers

Full support on compliance issues

At HeadFirst Group, we consider compliance not just a requirement but a core component of the value we deliver. Our clients, partners, and professionals rely on us to ensure that every step of the process—from mediation and contracting to payments—meets the applicable legal, fiscal, and operational standards. We offer a fully integrated compliance solution that guarantees peace of mind while reducing administrative burdens.

Focus areas and actions

Full support of customers

We go beyond current regulations by actively preparing our clients and suppliers for future legislative changes. For instance, we are proactively addressing the possible upcoming Dutch Act on the Admission of Workforce Providers (Wet toelating ter beschikkingstelling van arbeidskrachten), which will introduce a mandatory licensing system for labour providers. We are already engaging with our partners to map out the implications of this law, particularly regarding the expected increase in administrative requirements and data management.

Guidance on the DBA Act and VBAR

With the lifting of the enforcement moratorium on the Deregulation Assessment of Employment Relationships Act (Wet DBA) as of January 1, 2025, the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration will resume active enforcement against false self-employment. This change underscores the importance of correctly classifying employment relationships. HeadFirst Group is committed to support our clients and professionals through this transition. We provide up-to-date information, organise webinars, and engage in discussions with policymakers to ensure our network is well-informed and prepared.​

Additionally, we are closely monitoring the proposed legislation for the Clarification of Employment Relationships and Legal Presumption Act (VBAR Act), which aims to provide criteria for distinguishing between employees and self-employed individuals. We actively participate in consultations and provide feedback to policymakers to represent the interests of our stakeholders.​

Certification and quality assurance

As part of our commitment to quality and transparency, HeadFirst Group holds multiple certifications that confirm our compliance with national standards and best practices:​

• Bovib quality mark: This certification confirms our financial integrity and compliance with applicable laws and regulations across the hiring chain. It is assessed annually through an external audit by an independent inspection body.

• SNA quality mark: Issued by the Stichting Normering Arbeid, this certification is based on national standard NEN 4400-1. It includes financial, administrative, and legal criteria that all reputable labour intermediaries must meet. HeadFirst Group undergoes biannual inspections by an accredited body to maintain this quality mark.

Through these quality marks and our active role in regulatory readiness, we ensure that our customers can operate confidently in a rapidly evolving labour market—safely, compliantly, and efficiently.​