Human resources and employment
Central government encourages its employees to develop professionally and work at more than one ministry. This enables civil servants to progress in their careers. The government also wants to be a socially responsible employer. So it is providing opportunities for people who have trouble finding a job, like disabled persons and the long-term unemployed.
Smaller central government
Central government employs around 116,000 staff. The economic crisis and the ageing population have forced the government to make substantial spending cuts. The labour force will also start shrinking soon, which could result in a labour shortage. The government is therefore striving for more efficiency. Between 2011 and 2015 it achieved savings of € 6 billion at the ministries, municipalities and provinces.
For some civil servants this means their jobs have disappeared or are now organised differently. They are given assistance in finding new employment, if necessary at an organisation outside central government.
Central government is also working to improve the labour market position of certain minority groups. This includes people with a work-limiting disability and young people with poor job prospects.
Personnel matters in P-Direkt
P-Direkt is the government-wide shared service centre (SSC) for personnel services. It allows 116,000 civil servants to arrange their own personnel matters. The central government intranet ‘Rijksportaal’ also has a personnel section with information for civil servants about personnel matters and related legislation.