Internal mobility at lowest level in 13 years
Internal mobility in the Dutch labour market fell to 9.8% in the first quarter of 2026, the lowest percentage in the past thirteen years. In just over a year, approximately 190,000 fewer people changed roles within their existing employer. Overall labour mobility – including switching to a different employer – also shows a clear downward trend. The share of workers who found a new or different job fell further to 18.1%, the lowest level in more than four years. This is shown by the quarterly update ‘Labour Market in Figures’ by labour market data specialist Intelligence Group.
The figures point to a labour market that is losing dynamism. Both internal advancement and external job switching are occurring less frequently. According to Intelligence Group, this development is notable because internal mobility normally remains more stable during periods when external job changes decline. The fact that both forms are now falling simultaneously points to a broader reluctance among both employers and employees.
“The labour market is slowly grinding to a halt. Both employers and employees are more cautious. Fewer people are moving and organisations are more often keeping talent in the same position. This is also because there are fewer internal opportunities due to reorganisations. The fact that people are staying put therefore says little about good HR policy and more about uncertainty – caused by geopolitics, energy, and a cooling labour market, for example. Of course, retaining people is important, especially with an ageing population. But that should come from good employership, not from uncertainty. Internal mobility is the lubricant of organisations. When that disappears, stagnation follows,” says Geert-Jan Waasdorp, director of Intelligence Group.
Beneath the figures lies a clear behavioural shift: the share of people who are not looking for (other) work at all remains consistently high at 44.7%. This concerns more than four million people who do not intend to make a move; since the end of 2024, this group has grown by 10%.
At the same time, the labour market remains relatively favourable for those who do move. The share of job-finders who immediately received a permanent contract rose to 46.1%. That is the highest in five quarters and well above the ten-year average of 38.8%.
“The shortage is not gone, but the movement is. That is a dangerous combination. Movement is necessary to keep people and organisations vital and competitive. Movement also contains the much-needed reskilling that an organisation and society requires,” states Waasdorp.
