Job growth slightly less vigorous

The number of jobs of employees increased by 170 thousand in the fourth quarter of 2007 relative to the same period one year previously. The 2.2 percent increase means that the growth was slightly less vigorous than in the three preceding quarters. Employment has risen continuously since mid-2005.

In the fourth quarter, the number of jobs in the Netherlands amounted to well over 7.8 million. With 1.5 million jobs, the sector business services is the largest employer. This sector also includes temp jobs, irrespective of the branch in which the temp workers are active. In the sectors trade and care, the number of jobs also well exceeded 1 million.

The number of jobs of employees is subject to seasonal variation. After correction for seasonal effects, the number of jobs in the fourth quarter was 34 thousand up on the third quarter, an increase by 0.4 percent. In 2007, quarter-on-quarter-growth gradually slowed down. In the first quarter, the number of jobs grew by 0.7 percent. The number of jobs increased by 56 thousand relative to the fourth quarter of 2006.

The average job growth over 2007 was 190 thousand relative to 2006, an increase by 2.5 percent. This growth equalled the growth in the latter half of the 1990’s, when the economy was booming and employment increased by 200 thousand jobs annually.

Nearly all sectors contributed to employment growth in 2007. With 88 thousand extra jobs, temp agencies and other providers of business services accounted for nearly half the job growth. The sectors hotels and restaurants, trade, construction and care also made a substantial contribution to employment. In the sectors manufacturing industry and government services, the number of jobs equalled the level in 2006.

Growth rate jobs and economic growth