From quasi‐markets to public–private networks: Employers' engagement in public employment services

Abstract

This article explores the implications of creating a role for private-sector partners in public employment services (PES), rather than creating quasi-markets. It focuses on how the engagement of employers in public-private networks with local government can enhance employment opportunities for disadvantaged welfare recipients but may require a further shift in local public services. The theory relates to contractual arrangements versus network modes of publicprivate partnerships. Based on surveys among employers and welfare recipients, and interviews with politicians, managers, and frontline workers in five Dutch municipalities, the article provides detailed evidence on innovative and promising cases of public-private networks in employment services. It shows that, under certain conditions, vulnerable jobseekers are better served by a network involving employers than by the standard supply-driven approach that predominates in quasi-markets. It also reveals that public and private partners have yet to fully embrace the implications of the network approach for their respective roles. The article contributes to the theoretical debate on public-private partnerships in the context of PES, reflecting on public-private networks as a policy design that could help improve employment opportunities for disadvantaged jobseekers. ---This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

Social workplaces in the public employment program: performance factors and methods for improvement

“…In contrast to the discussion of stimulation recruitment for workers with difficulties in finding employment, there are many papers discussing the potential of network modes of public-private partnerships for public employment services (PES). van Gestel, Oomens, and Buwalda write about innovative and promising cases of public-private networks in employment services [19]. The authors show that under certain conditions vulnerable job seekers are better served by a network (government and non-government structures) involving employers than by a standard employer-government employment service-based approach.…”

Employer Engagement in Promoting the Labour-Market Participation of Jobseekers with Disabilities. An Employer Perspective

“…These various types of employer engagement also involve different roles of employers (Van der Aa and Van Berkel, 2014;Ingold, 2018;Orton et al, 2018;Van Gestel et al, 2019). When the focus is on employers' recruitment needs, employers are seen as Employer Engagement towards Jobseekers with Disabilities customers of employment support agencies.…”

“…Research also revealed that employers may find ways to skirt regulations: they have leeway in dealing with institutional pressures (Boon et al, 2009;Van Gestel and Nyberg, 2009). Finally, there is some evidence suggesting that it cannot be taken for granted that employment support agencies or employers are ready and willing to perceive their own and each other's role as that of partner (Orton et al, 2018;Van Gestel et al, 2019).…”

“…How employers are addressed varies: recent academic literature started distinguishing various forms of engaging employers (Van Berkel et al, 2017;Bredgaard, 2018;Frøyland et al, 2018). Some publications argue that these forms not only vary in terms of the policy instruments used to engage employers, but also in terms of the roles of employers in being engaged (Van der Aa and Van Berkel, 2014;Orton et al, 2018;Van Gestel et al, 2019).…”

Which employers have refugee employees—And which do not? Employer typologies developed through hierarchical cluster analyses

“…They decide how to post vacancies, whom to recruit and whom to dismiss. In recent years, there has been a growing research interest in the role, the engagement and the responsibility employers have in relation to activation policies as well as labour market integration and retention of disadvantaged groups (e.g., Lindsay & McQuaid, 2009; van Gestel et al, 2019). This has been characterised as shift from a supply side focus (making job seekers ready for jobs) to a demand side focus (making employers ready for jobseekers) (Bredgaard, 2018; Dinan, 2019; Ingold, 2020; Ingold & Stuart, 2015).…”