Samenvatting

The first part-time jobs came into development in the 1950's. Due to shortage of (female) workers companies started offering part-time jobs to married women. Only part-time jobs were offered since the norms and values of that time viewed raising children and doing the household as the primary task of women. The right for employees requesting to work part-time has been incorporated in collective labour agreements (CAO) since 1983. From then on, working part-time became a more accepted way of working.
Working part-time is widely accepted nowadays, and, as a result of, other ways of flexible work evolved from it. 'Het nieuwe werken' is such a form of flexible work. It is a technology-driven working method that puts the focus on the individual and makes it possible for people to decide how, when and where they work. Working time and place independent are keywords to this concept. The pillars of 'het nieuwe werken' are: 'mentality & culture change', 'work environment' and 'technology & communication'.
Introducing new concepts probably always causes misconceptions. These are often partially true or not true at all. Therefore is it important to erase them and to prevent new misconceptions from coming into existence.
The Netherlands faces several problems: diminishing birth rates, the baby boom generation will soon retire and a new generation, generation Y, will join the labour market. This generation demands a different, more flexible way of working with a better balance between work life and personal life.
The government can play a role in promoting 'het nieuwe werken'. Their role would be of greater importance than just having companies promote the concept. The government is an authority figure, and their messages probably will be taken more seriously by the population.
There are always positive and negative sides to a new concept, and 'het nieuwe werken' is no exception. 'Het nieuwe werken' comes with advantages and disadvantages for both employee and employer. Yet, changing a disadvantage into an advantage is fairly easy with the help of processes and regulations. But there are more obstacles. Regulations conform Dutch law, are hard to maintain and to control as they conflict with 'het nieuwe werken'.
The Netherlands is not the only country experimenting with flexible ways of work. Demand for a better balance between work life and personal life is increasing in other countries too. Finland and Sweden have the highest flexibility rate in the world when in comes to flexible work. It is interesting for the Dutch to review the methods used since aspects of those methods could very well fit in 'het nieuwe werken'.
Microsoft the Netherlands is one of the first companies in the Netherlands to successfully implement 'het nieuwe werken'. They had to overcome some barriers, but now Microsoft employees would not trade it for the world.
'Het nieuwe werken' is here to stay; the new generation demands it, social issues and environmental problems force us into exploring new flexible ways of working and there are more advantages than disadvantages to 'het nieuwe werken'.