A career perspective on solo self-employment:Examining heterogeneity, career self-management and the role of inclusive HRM in sustainable careers of the solo self-employed

ZZP’erschap vanuit een loopbaanperspectief Cijfers van het Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS) laten zien dat Nederland op dit moment meer dan 1,3 miljoen zelfstandigen zonder personeel (zzp’ers) telt. Ondanks het groeiend aantal zzp’ers, worden zij nog te vaak beschouwd als één grote groep. Het gebrek aan erkenning van de heterogeniteit van zzp’ers door de politiek en organisaties kan de duurzame inzetbaarheid van zzp’ers op de lange termijn onder druk zetten. In dit proefschrift is de heterogeniteit in de grote groep zzp’ers in kaart gebracht vanuit een loopbaanperspectief op basis van een conceptuele studie en drie empirische studies. Hierbij lag de focus op de loopbaanontwikkeling van zzp’ers en de arbeidsrelaties met opdrachtgevers. De belangrijkste conclusie van dit proefschrift is: dé zzp’er bestaat niet. Dit proefschrift heeft aangetoond dat zzp’ers verschillen in waarom zij zzp’er zijn geworden, hoe zij vervolgens hun loopbaan opbouwen en hoe zij de arbeidsrelaties met opdrachtgevers vormgeven. In de eerste empirische studie zijn er op basis van een grootschalige kwantitatieve dataset van CBS/TNO zes profielen geïdentificeerd die elk een specifieke combinatie van startmotieven weergeven. De grootste groep vertegenwoordigde de uitdagingzoekers gevolgd door de controlezoekers, gedwongen zzp’ers, rasechte zzp’ers, beroepsmatige zzp’ers en familiebedrijf zzp’ers. De onderzoeksresultaten toonden ook aan dat zzp’ers met verschillende profielen verschillen in hoe zij proactief hun loopbaan vormgeven. In de tweede empirische studie zijn meer dan 100 zzp’ers werkzaam in verschillende sectoren geïnterviewd. De zzp’ers werden bevraagd over de manier waarop zij bouwen aan hun duurzame inzetbaarheid. Oftewel, hoe zorgen zzp’ers ervoor dat zij gelukkig, gezond en productief zijn gedurende hun loopbaan? Op basis van de interviews werden vier loopbaanpatronen geïdentificeerd. Deze loopbaanpatronen lieten zien hoe zzp’ers verschillen in hun motivatie en de manier waarop zij hun loopbaan vormgeven. Zo verschillen zzp’ers in de manier waarop zij netwerken, samenwerken met andere zzp’ers en investeren in professionele ontwikkeling. Tenslotte is in dit promotieonderzoek empirisch onderzoek gedaan naar de arbeidsrelaties tussen zzp’ers en opdrachtgevers. Uit de interviews met HR-professionals en zzp’ers bleek dat organisaties zoekende zijn naar hoe de arbeidsrelaties met zzp’ers vorm te geven en dat zzp’ers verschilden in hun verwachtingen in deze arbeidsrelaties. Op basis van de onderzoeksresultaten kunnen een drietal aanbevelingen worden benoemd: (1) het is van groot belang dat zzp’ers zich bewust zijn van hoe zij hun duurzame inzetbaarheid kunnen vergroten in de specifieke context waarin zij werkzaam zijn; (2) de manier waarop de arbeidsrelaties tussen opdrachtgevers en zzp’ers wordt vormgegeven, speelt een belangrijke rol in de duurzame inzetbaarheid van zzp’ers; (3) de inzichten in de heterogeniteit van de zzp’ers op de Nederlandse arbeidsmarkt zijn waardevol voor het formuleren van passende wet- en regelgeving door de overheid. Solo self-employment from a career perspective Numbers from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) show that the Netherlands currently has more than 1.3 million solo self-employed workers. Despite the growing number of the solo self-employed, they are still too often considered as one large group. The lack of recognition of the heterogeneity of the solo self-employed by the government and organizations will most likely put pressure on the sustainable employability of the solo self-employed in the long run. In this dissertation, the heterogeneity of the solo self-employed is studied from a career perspective in one conceptual study and three empirical studies. The focus was on the career development of the solo self-employed and the employment relations with organizations. This dissertation has shown that the solo self-employed differ in the reasons why they became solo self-employed, how they subsequently build up their career and how they prefer to shape the employment relations with organizations. Based on a large-scale national dataset by CBS/TNO that is used for the first empirical study, six profiles were identified, each representing a specific combination of starting motives. The largest group represented the challenge-seekers, followed by the control-seekers, the pushed by necessity, occupationally-driven, and family business-driven solo self-employed. The research results also showed that the solo self-employed with different profiles displayed different proactive behaviors in shaping their careers. In the second empirical study, interviews with more than 100 solo self-employed workers working in different sectors were conducted. The solo self-employed were asked how they build their career sustainability. In other words, how do they ensure that they are happy, healthy, and productive during their career? Based on the interviews, four career patterns were identified. These career patterns showed how the solo self-employed differed in their motivation and the way in which they shaped their careers by, for example, networking, collaborating with other solo self-employed workers, and investing in professional development. Finally, the employment relations between the solo self-employed and organizations were studied. The findings from interviews with HR-professionals and the solo self-employed showed that organizations are struggling with how to shape the employment relations with the solo self-employed and that these workers differed in their expectations regarding the employment relations. Based on the research results, three recommendations can be made: (1) it is of great importance that the solo self-employed are aware of how they can increase their career sustainability in their specific context; (2) how the employment relations between the solo self-employed and organizations are designed plays an important role in career sustainability of the solo self-employed; (3) the insights into the heterogeneity of the solo self-employed are valuable for the formulation of appropriate legislation and regulations by the government

Carrière-ambities van zzp'ers: Een kwalitatief onderzoek in de bouwindustrie

We have focused on career ambitions of solo self-employed workers working in the construction industry. Previous studies on solo self-employed workers have paid attention to factors promoting entrepreneurship and neglected the career development of solo self-employed workers. Little is known about the career ambitions of solo self-employed workers, therefore it is difficult to predict how this group of workers on the labor market will develop over time. Currently, it is a challenge for policy makers to anticipate. To advance the knowledge on the career ambitions of solo self-employed workers, twenty Dutch solo self-employed workers are interviewed. The results showed that the majority of the solo self-employed workers who participated in this qualitative research mainly aims to continue their career. Some of them in combination with the ambition to innovate. Nearly all respondents prefer to work as a solo self-employed worker, and do not have plans to let their venture grow by employing employees. Instead, they tend to hire temporary workers or collaborate with other solo self-employed workers. In this regard, it can be said that, although they do not hire employees, solo self-employed workers contribute to work creation and, therefore, have a significant role in the contemporary flexible labor market