What is the meaning of a flexible shell?
A flexible layer means the number of employees that are within the organization flexibly deployable is. Almost every organization with employees has a permanent core with a flexible outer layer.
The permanent core consists of people with a direct employment relationship with the organization for an indefinite period. The flexible layer is structured differently and more diversely than the permanent core. What all workers in a flexible layer have in common is that they work on a temporary basis. This can involve people with a temporary employment contract, temporary agency workers, on-call workers, freelancers or people with a zero-hours contract.
Internal flexibility vs. externally flexible personnel
A flexible shell of personnel can be divided into internal flexibility and external flexibility. Internal flexibility consists of employees with a fixed (legal) employment relationship with an employer.
These are, for example, people with a temporary, on-call, or zero-hours contract. External flexible staff do not have this employment relationship with the employer. This includes, among others, freelancers, interim workers, self-employed persons and temporarily hired specialists.
Benefits flexible shell
There are several advantages to a flexible workforce. Having a flexible workforce gives you as an entrepreneur literally more flexibility. With a number of temporary workers on hand you can better respond to a fluctuating market and changes within the organization. In busy times you scale up, in slower times you scale down again. Without being tied to anything. A flexible workforce makes your organization manageable and reduces the risks you face.
You would expect that a flexible workforce only offers advantages for employers. But an increasing number of employees are also consciously choosing a flexible contract. This offers less security, but more variety, autonomy and opportunities for personal development.
The flexible shell and the current labor market
We have seen a clear increase in the number of flexible workers in recent years. In 2003, 1.8 million people worked flexibly; in 2020 this number had risen to 2.9 million (Source: CBS). This increase has several causes. First of all, there is, of course, the uncertainty about the ever-fluctuating economy.
Many employers have therefore become somewhat wary of permanent contracts. In addition, a large part of the older generation has now retired. The young professionals who succeed them place more value on a good work-life balance, freedom and flexibility.
Challenges of flexibilization
The advantages of creating a flexible workforce are evident. But we have seen recently that this flexible workforce is much more often replacing permanent staff rather than complementing them. Due to this trend, part of the knowledge, experience and continuity is also lost. Focusing only on being able to scale up and down easily is not enough. In doing so, you as an organization also lose part of your identity.
Besides, as an employer you also need to take laws and regulations into account. Think, for example, of the new Balanced Labour Market Act. Balance is therefore key here. Only with a good ratio between permanent and flexible staff will you make your organisation future-proof.
