1. Bridging the Gap: From Work to Work Unemployment prevention for elderly redundant workers in the Netherlands and Sweden Employment Relations and Transformation of the Enterprise in the Global Economy 13th International Conference in Commemoration of Professor Marco Biagi Marco Biagi Foundation, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia Second Plenary Session: Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in a Global Context: Relations, Interests, Protection 20th March 2015, Modena, Italy Dr. Irmgard Borghouts - van de Pas i.borghoutsvdpas@uvt.nl www.tilburguniversity.edu/reflect

2. ReflecT: Research Institute for Flexicurity, Labour Market Dynamics and Social Cohesion at Tilburg University (The Netherlands) One of Tilburg University’s multidisciplinary & interfaculty institutes Introduction Central questions Are there From-Work-To-Work (FWTW) systems (or arrangements) in place for redundant older workers employed by small or medium-sized companies in the Netherlands and in Sweden? If so, how is the FWTW support organized/coordinated, who has acces to the support and what are the results? What lessons can the Netherlands learn from Sweden with regards to policy and regulation?

3. Crisis, globalization and increasing competition -> companies adjust their organization A shift from job security towards employment security Chances for finding a new job are more limited for older unemployed individuals than for younger people Background Source: Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

4. Why comparing Sweden and the Netherlands? Background

5. Focus paper: curative measures for redundant employees who are going to lose their job or have recently lost their job. Methodology: literature review, policy documents, face-to-face interviews with relevant stakeholders in Sweden and the Netherlands, quantitative data from Swedish Transition funds and panel data from Dutch SCP. Background

6. From Work to Work in Sweden Swedish transition funds -> employer organization and unions reach transition agreements The government does not interfere First transition fund: 1974 Vast majority of employees with permanent contract -> FWTW support Both small and large companies fall under the transition agreements Acces to, the setup and methods of the funds vary Contribution to the funds via percentage over the total wage sum

7. From Work to Work in Sweden Figures TSL foundation: Since 2004: > 200,000 TSL applications honored for FWTW support In 2014: 53% applications awarded to employers with fewer than 50 employees 200920102011201220132014 Size of the officeAbs nr% % % % % % Micro (0-9 employees) 6,29910.33,43119.52,72219.03,71215.03,82716.23,67317.6 Small (10-49 employees) 18,00329.45,69932.45,28837.08,27133.47,98233.77,42535.7 Medium (50-249 employees) 21,64535.35,34730.45,09135.67,87731.88,29135.06,76932.5 Large (250 employees and above) 15,33325.03,11917.71,1928.34,90719.83,57815.12,96014.2 Total61,28010017,59610014,29310024,76710023,67810020,827100 Source: TSL

8. From Work to Work in Sweden 200920102011201220132014 Abs nr% % % % % % Micro (0-9 employees) 3,02138.31,77746.21,51845.51,87041.22,00141.11,82543.3 Small (10-49 employees) 3,37842.81,42036.91,20536.11,81340.01,93739.71,64239.0 Medium (50-249 employees) 1,25115.851713.448514.568915.275815.661214.5 Large (250 > employees ) 2433.11313.41313.91633.61783.71323.1 Total7,893100.03,845100.03,339100.04,535100.04,874100.04,211100.0 Source: TSL Small and Micro companies lean far more heavily on TSL for FWTW support than large companies.

9. From Work to Work in Sweden 30% of the FWTW applications honored by TSL-> older redundant employees (> 50 years) 77% who completed TSL support in 2013 found a new job and 2% started their own company.

10. From Work to Work in the Netherlands Largest share of FWTW activities result from ‘social plans’/ social pacts-> large companies FWTW policy drafted FWTW activities implemented to other employer FWTW activities implemented within the organization Spring 2008 Summer 2010 Spring 2012 Spring 2008 Summer 2010 Spring 2012 Spring 2008 Summer 2010 Spring 2012 Company size: 5 - 9 employees 91013 8551499 10 - 19 employees 161822 14710241916 20 - 49 employees 222122 2022363328 50 - 99 employees 162836 3431 52 50 100 - 199 employees 423733 484241735862 200 and more employees 545049 695464837372 Total economy151721 18 1314 27 23 22

11. From Work to Work in the Netherlands Specific agreements about FWTW for elderly employees in social plans. Link between proportion elderly employees in a company and the extent to which companies have drafted FWTW policies and implemented FWTW activities. No structural FWTW approach: experiments, sector funds and sector plans.

12. Conclusion Swedish transition funds -> source of inspiration for the Netherlands: Structural resources for FWTW FWTW support in an early stage Scope of FWTW support Preventative effect and facilitation of inter-sector mobility Role of social partners (employers’ organization and unions) is important

13. Thanks for your attention! ReflecT Summer School 2015 for PhD’s: Flexicurity in Today's Labour Market: A Transition from Job Security to Employment Security Tilburg University, The Netherlands, 6th-10th July 2015 https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/students/show/item-flexicurity-1/