This chapter examines how workplace practices can address the challenges of an ageing workforce in Belgium. It focusses on the role of age management policies in companies and especially the role of particular schemes provided by social partners to support employers in adapting workplaces to the needs of older workers. It highlights workplace health as a key pillar of age management, reviewing both preventive actions to reduce work-related risks and health promotion initiatives that foster well-being across the life course. Finally, it explores how greater flexibility in work organisation can facilitate better work-life balance and enable older workers with health limitations or care responsibilities to remain active in the labour market.
Promoting Better Career Mobility for Longer Working Lives in Belgium
Abstract
Key messages
Effective workplace age management is needed to support longer and healthier working lives in Belgium. 15.1% of Belgian employees aged 30‑54 and 13.6% of those aged 55‑64 report experiencing job strain, significantly higher than the European OECD averages (10% and 7.2%, respectively). Investment in age management policies is therefore essential. This includes different workplace practices to support age‑inclusive workplaces, such as age‑friendly working conditions, health promotion and access to flexible work, among others.
Social partners play a key role in promoting age management practices in Belgium. Collective Agreement 104, introduced in 2012, requires companies to establish employment plans for workers over 45. While this successfully raised awareness of age management among employers, implementation of measures has been limited in practice. Sectoral initiatives such as the Demography Fund facilitate the development of workforce demography plans, financed through mandatory employer contributions.
Investment in healthy workplaces is a key element of age management strategies. Belgium has an advanced legal framework on occupational health and safety, also covering psychosocial risks comprehensively. External services for prevention and protection at work, specialised providers which all companies have to be affiliated to (unless they have internal prevention services), help conduct risk assessments and can provide comprehensive advice on workplace health management. Relative to EU averages, large shares of firms consult ergonomic experts (60%) and psychologists (47%), and the prevalence of workplace health promotion measures is high.
However, SMEs require more support in workplace health prevention. While 93.3% of large companies regularly conduct workplace risk assessments, this share drops sharply among smaller firms – to just 60.2% in those with fewer than 10 employees. Online Interactive Risk Assessment (OiRA) is a promising tool for SMEs, but additional support could improve preventive practices in smaller firms.
Access to flexible work arrangements is important for sustaining labour market participation, especially among women and older workers. In recent years, Belgium has introduced a large number of schemes to reduce and reorganise working time. In 2024, 38.5% of women and 12.5% of men worked part-time in Belgium, compared to EU averages of 29.6% and 12.4%. Among workers aged 55‑64, 32.4% were in part-time work, one of the highest shares across the OECD.
Flexi-jobs, a tax-advantaged form of additional work, allow individuals with a main job or pensioners to earn extra income. However, these jobs could lead to labour market mismatch and aggravate shortages in sectors where eligible workers have their main job. In addition, there are concerns about the quality of these jobs, with evidence suggesting that they are associated with employment becoming more precarious. Although the scheme is predominantly used by prime‑aged workers, older workers represent around 19% of participants, with their numbers rising by 52.6% between 2023 (23 000 users) and 2024 (almost 35 000).
Belgium’s career interruption schemes provide flexibility for workers throughout their career, but their effectiveness is unclear. Career interruption schemes allow workers to reduce or fully suspend working time while receiving a flat-rate allowance. In 2024, 24 588 women in the private sector used the scheme compared to 6 869 men, with take‑up concentrated among workers aged 35‑44 and caring for children the most common motive. No recent evaluations of the scheme exist.
The end-of-career time credit aims to support labour market participation of older workers by providing financial support for reduced working hours in the years prior to retirement. Existing evaluations, though not recent, suggest that the scheme does not effectively support longer labour market participation of older workers.
Based on these considerations, Belgium should consider taking action to:
1. Support wider adoption of age management practices by providing stronger support to employers, including consulting, guidance, and incentives.
2. Encourage social partners to further promote and incentivise adoption of age management practices. Demography funds can serve as a blueprint for other sectors or cross-sectoral initiatives.
3. Further incentivise investment in workplace health prevention and promotion measures. Strengthen the capacity of labour inspectorates to enforce occupational safety and health regulation. Consider introducing financial incentives for workplace health promotion in companies, targeted particularly at SMEs. Enhance the role of external services in workplace health management support by strengthening broader advisory functions and introducing follow-up mechanisms.
4. Continue enabling access to flexible working arrangements by reducing the complexity of the system whilst carefully designing and monitoring the effectiveness of these schemes. Strengthen evaluation of flexible working time policies, including general and end-of-career time credit schemes, with particular attention to gender-specific effects. Consider further tightening access to end-or-career time credit to improve targeting, particularly in the public sector. Limit access to flexi-jobs to pensioners.
As the Belgian workforce ages, workplaces are becoming increasingly age‑diverse. In light of this, it’s essential for organisations to focus on creating an environment for all age groups and adopting age‑inclusive HR and management practices. Investment in age management policies can improve the job quality of workers across the life course and support the retention and productivity of workers as they age.
3.1.1. Age management policies are needed to enhance job quality at older ages
Age management refers to deliberate policies and practices in the workplace that take account of the ageing process and address the specific needs of workers at different stages of their careers (Naegele and Walker, 2006[1]; Stirpe, Trullen and Bonache, 2018[2]). It is a broad concept that encompasses adjustments to work organisation, lifelong learning opportunities (discussed in Chapter 4), health promotion, work-life balance, non-discrimination and the provision of age‑friendly working conditions (Ilmarinen, 2006[3]; OECD, 2019[4]; OECD, 2023[5]).
Well-designed age management policies can deliver multiple benefits. For workers, age management improves job quality, well-being and employability, thereby enabling longer and more fulfilling working lives. For employers, it helps to increase productivity, reduce turnover costs, and retain experienced staff whose knowledge and skills are critical for competitiveness. At a societal level, age management supports higher labour force participation among older people and more inclusive and sustainable growth (OECD, 2019[4]). Conversely, poor working conditions are particularly detrimental for older workers. While job quality matters at all ages, high job strain, limited autonomy, and weak health and safety standards are especially likely to push older workers into premature exit or inactivity (OECD, 2024[6]). In this context, age management can play an important role in retaining older workers by adapting jobs to their changing capacities and needs.
In international comparison, significant shares of older workers in Belgium experience job strain at work. In 2021, 13.6% of Belgian employees aged 55‑64 reported job strain, defined as situations where job demands exceed available resources (OECD, 2025[7]). This is significantly above the European OECD average (7.2%). The incidence of job strain is especially high among older workers in healthcare (38.3%) and construction (25.4%), compared with 31.1% and 11.6% respectively among prime‑age workers in the same sectors (Figure 3.1). These findings are concerning, as many older Belgian workers are employed in precisely these high-strain sectors, with 17.1% of workers aged 55‑64 working in human health and social work activities.
Job strain in Belgium by sector and age, 2021
Note: The chart presents the share of employees experiencing job strain. In the OECD framework, job strain occurs when job demands – tasks requiring sustained physical or mental effort that may harm well-being – exceed job resources, such as support, autonomy, or opportunities that help workers cope and stay motivated. Data are sorted in increasing order of ages 55‑64. Sample includes employees only and excludes agriculture and armed forces.
Source: OECD calculations based on the European Working Conditions Telephone Survey (EWCTS) 2021 of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) developed for OECD (2024[8]), OECD Employment Outlook 2024: The Net-Zero Transition and the Labour Market, www.doi.org/10.1787/ac8b3538-en.
High job strain in Belgium is not limited to older workers, but extends across all age groups. 17.3% of workers aged 16‑29 and 15.1% of workers aged 30‑54 experience job strain, relative to 11.8% and 10%, respectively, on average in European OECD countries (OECD, 2025[7]). Cumulative exposure to job strain across the life course could have significant negative impacts on workers’ health, well-being and work capacity as they age. Investing in the quality of working environments and healthy workplaces for workers of all ages, especially in sectors with demanding conditions, will be crucial to preventing work-related health issues and sustaining longer and healthier working lives.
3.1.2. Investment in age management can support longer working lives in Belgium
The age‑friendliness of jobs and quality of the working environment can influence the ability of workers to remain in employment as they age. Evidence from Belgium supports this notion, suggesting that employees’ perceived ability to continue working until retirement is significantly affected by the quality of the working environment (Figure 3.2). For instance, in 2023, around 17% of Flemish employees aged 40 and above without any workability bottlenecks (defined as physical, mental or organisational constraints that hinder an employee’s ability to perform their job sustainably) reported that they would be unable to continue in their current job until retirement. This share rises sharply with constraints: 40% among those facing one workability bottleneck, and more than two‑thirds (68%) among those with two or more. However, adaptations to work can substantially mitigate these risks. Among workers with multiple bottlenecks, the share reporting they could not continue working fell from 68% to just 9% when adjustments such as lighter duties or part-time hours were considered. These findings illustrate how age management could contribute to reducing premature labour market exit among older workers in Belgium.
Perceived ability of employees 40+ in Flanders to continue to work in their current job until retirement, 2023
Note: The workability survey measures the perceived feasibility of working until retirement by asking: “Do you think you will be able to continue your current job until you retire?” Respondents who answer negatively receive a follow-up question: “Would adapted work (e.g. lighter duties, part-time hours) enable you to work until retirement?” Purple bars represent the proportion of the population aged 40+ who believe they can or cannot work until retirement in their current position. The shifted pink segment within each bar shows the share of respondents who say working until retirement is not possible in their current role but could be feasible with adapted work. The term “feasibility bottleneck” refers to problematic workability factors in four areas: work stress (mental fatigue), motivation (well-being and engagement at work), learning opportunities, and work-life balance.
Source: Flemish Workability Monitor- Employees, 2023.
Employers are the central actors in implementing age management practices – whether by fostering an age‑diverse workforce, removing age‑related barriers, or supporting career progression at all ages. In Belgium, social partners have launched several initiatives to support employers in developing age management practices. However, implementation of age management policies remains uneven and limited in practice. To close this gap, stronger support from policymakers and social partners is needed, including practical guidance, tailored tools, and well-designed incentives to encourage more employers to embed age management into their workplace strategies.
3.2.1. Social partners in Belgium play a crucial role in implementing age management
Belgium’s labour market is characterised by a strong tradition of social dialogue. While legislation provides the foundation for employment conditions, social partners play a central role in shaping how these rules are implemented and extended in practice (OECD, 2019[9]). Sectoral bargaining within joint committees1 is used to set binding minimum standards for all companies in that sector. Collective bargaining goes beyond wage‑setting to improve job quality and working conditions. With nearly full collective agreement coverage (96% of employees in 2019) and high union density (49.1%), social partners have considerable scope and influence to advance age management policies within and across sectors (OECD and AIAS, 2021[10]).
Collective agreements could be a vehicle for promoting age management, but Collective Agreement 104 appears to be ineffective
Social partners in Belgium have already advanced several initiatives to promote age management through social dialogue. One of the main initiatives is Collective Agreement No. 104, concluded by the social partners at national level in 2012. The agreement requires all private sector companies with more than 20 employees to establish an employment plan to maintain or increase employment for workers aged 45 and over (Plan pour l’emploi des travailleurs âgés). Employers must either prepare such a plan annually or adopt a multi-year plan. They are encouraged to choose from a non-exhaustive list of recommended measures, such as adapting recruitment procedures, reorganising working time, improving workplace health and safety, or supporting skill development. This framework leaves significant discretion to employers in selecting measures and in practice, there is no strict requirement to update the plan within its duration or systematic monitoring.
Assessments of Collective Agreement No. 104 have been rare. Available evidence to date, issued by the National Labour Council (Conseil national du travail, 2016[11]) and an academic study by Vendramin and Burnay (2017[12]), reach broadly similar conclusions. While the agreement succeeded in raising awareness of age management issues and prompted some companies to assess their internal practices, for many employers it did not lead to a strategic shift in workforce management. Most plans were based on pre‑existing measures, with little evidence of innovation or long-term planning to sustain the employability of older workers. Only 64% of surveyed companies fully complied with the requirement, and only a minority developed innovative approaches (Table 3.1). Moreover, few companies engaged employees or worker representatives in meaningful dialogue when preparing their plans. As a result, no clear best practice model emerged, and the agreement’s overall impact on improving the employability of older workers has been limited.
Overall, Collective Agreement No. 104 contributed to putting age management on the agenda in Belgian companies. However, without systematic monitoring or stronger incentives, many companies treated compliance as a formal box‑ticking exercise rather than a strategic opportunity. This experience is not unique to Belgium. In France, the introduction of mandatory “Senior Employment Plans” (Plan senior) in 2008 required companies with more than 50 employees to negotiate agreements or adopt action plans to promote the employment of older workers. The plan was backed by a financial penalty of 1% of payroll for non-compliant firms, which led to high compliance rates, but faced similar shortcomings. Evaluations indicate that most company plans recycled existing HR measures to retain older workers (Caron et al., 2012[13]; Christophe Claisse, Catherine Daniel and Antoine Naboulet, 2011[14]; Vendramin and Burnay, 2017[12]). As in Belgium, the impact on employability was therefore modest, although both initiatives contributed to shifting employer mindsets by bringing age management into the mainstream of workplace dialogue (Caser et al., 2013[15]; Caron et al., 2012[13]). The measure was subsequently replaced by the Contrat de Générations, a hybrid instrument combining financial incentives for smaller companies with a negotiation obligation and penalties for larger firms. However, this initiative also struggled to produce meaningful changes and was abolished in 2017 (Cour des comptes, 2016[16]).
Summary of key findings from the survey of companies that have implemented an employment plan for older employees
Note: The survey was conducted between March and September 2015 among companies from various industries located in the Walloon and Brussels Regions. Of the 205 companies contacted, 69 provided complete responses, and only 44 reported having implemented a plan.
Source: (Vendramin and Burnay, 2017[12]), Gestion des âges dans les entreprises belges : la difficile construction d’alternatives au départ anticipé.
Demography funds are a promising social partner initiative to implement age‑friendly practices
Social partner initiatives that combine the development of age management measures with financial incentives can have larger impact. In Belgium, some social partner initiatives go beyond the requirements of Collective Bargaining Agreement 104 by establishing funds targeted at the implementation of age management practices. Specifically, the Demography Fund (Fonds Démographie/Demografiefonds) is a sectoral initiative designed to enhance employability throughout working life, with a particular focus on older workers, shift workers, and those in physically demanding jobs.
Introduced in 2015 under Joint Committee 116, the demography fund currently covers the chemical, plastics, and life sciences sectors (Office du Fonds Démographie, 2025[17]; Fonds démographie, n.d.[18]; Fonds démographie, n.d.[19]). It is financed through mandatory employer contributions set at 0.15% of employees’ gross wages, collected by the National Office of Social. Employers are encouraged to develop a demography plan in collaboration with employee representatives, or consult staff directly where no formal representation exists. These plans must include at least one of the following four action domains: (i) Work (ergonomic redesign of workstations, transition from shift to day work, phased retirement, and intergenerational mentoring), (ii) Health (medical check-ups from age 45, stress prevention programmes, healthy meals, and physical activity promotion), (iii) Skills (upskilling, validation of informal skills, and support for internal mobility and requalification), or (iv) Career management (coaching, phased retirement options, and diversity initiatives). All companies that develop such a plan can use the demography fund to implement measures, covering up to 0.15% of gross payroll per year, rising to 0.30% if their demography plan covers multiple action domains (with the “Work” domain being mandatory), in case of available funding left. SMEs can benefit from enhanced support, with extra funding of up to EUR 500 per worker (capped at EUR 5 000 per company), unless the payroll-based calculation results in a higher amount.
Designed as a short- to medium-term intervention, with funding available for one to four years per company, the demography fund has proven to be a suitable tool for fostering participatory planning and strategic workforce development. A qualitative evaluation of the fund shows that in 2021, 146 plans were approved, with around 60% spanning four years (De Prins, 2022[20]). Sixty-two percent of plans were implemented in SMEs. Work and health are the most popular focus areas, and plans are more common in companies with active worker and employer representatives. Evidence from Germany, another country with a strong tradition of collective bargaining, also demonstrates how demography funds can advance age management in companies (Box 3.1) In Germany, the demography fund includes a compulsory demography analysis and development of measures to be undertaken in each company, which has been related to increased awareness and strategic engagement with workplace ageing (Paprotny, 2016[21]; INQA, 2011[22]). Integration of such elements into the Belgian model could be considered to further increase its effectiveness. In addition, scaling up the model by replicating it in another sector or by establishing a cross-sectoral fund would be desirable.
In Germany, collective bargaining agreements that explicitly address demographic change (so-called demography agreements) have become an established tool. They provide industry-wide frameworks to respond to an ageing workforce and to strengthen company-level capacity for age management (Naegele and Hess, 2018[23]). The agreement in the chemicals industry, first signed in 2008 and renewed in 2015, was the first national-level sectoral agreement to address demographic change comprehensively. It contains three key elements: (i) a “demography analysis” of personnel structure to be undertaken in all companies on a regular basis, (ii) the joint elaboration of measures for age‑appropriate workplaces at company level, (iii) the creation of a “demography fund”. Employers contribute a fixed annual amount (EUR 750 per employee) into a dedicated fund to finance agreed measures. Eligible uses include training and upskilling, partial retirement, reduced working hours, and workplace health promotion, based on company-level negotiations. The demography analysis has proven to be a powerful awareness-raising tool, enabling companies to better understand their workforce structure and plan accordingly (Paprotny, 2016[21]; INQA, 2011[22]). The dedicated funding mechanism ensures that resources are available for implementation, while allowing flexibility for companies to choose measures most relevant to their needs.
3.2.2. Companies need targeted support and guidance to implement age management
Despite growing demographic pressures and existing social partner initiatives, age management practices are still not systematically embedded in companies’ workforce strategies in Belgium. Age management does not necessarily require large financial investments. Relatively low-cost measures, such as ergonomic workplace adjustments, intergenerational learning, and flexible work arrangements, are closely aligned with broader good HR practices (Naegele and Walker, 2006[1]; OECD, 2020[24]). However, many employers lack the internal resources, expertise, or strategic foresight to address workforce ageing in a proactive and structured way. Companies, especially SMEs, need dedicated support to design and implement age management initiatives effectively.
Guidance and support services can encourage age management uptake
One important lever for mainstreaming age management is the establishment of dedicated advisory bodies that offer tailored consulting services. Unlike ad hoc initiatives, dedicated bodies offer a trusted, centralised source of expertise, and can serve as intermediaries between institutions and funding mechanisms. For instance, in Austria, the Public Employment Service (AMS) operates the Impulse Consulting for Companies programme, which offers free, structured consulting to employers on a range of HR challenges, including age‑inclusive work design (Box 3.2). In Belgium, such centralised advisory services on age management – which could be institutionalised through the PES, but also through other actors – do not currently exist.2
Since 2015, Austria’s Public Employment Service (AMS) has offered free consulting to companies facing HR challenges, including those related to an ageing workforce. Known as Impulse Consulting for Companies, the service follows a structured four‑step process: an initial consultation, in-depth needs analysis by external experts, tailored advice across seven thematic areas – one of them being age‑appropriate workplace design – and a follow-up within three to six months to assess progress.
By May 2023, over 7 200 companies had participated in initial consultations, with 2 539 (35%) moving forward to receive in-depth support. Consulting on age‑appropriate workplace design covered topics such as recruitment of older workers, job redesign, flexible working time models, ergonomic adaptations, and intergenerational knowledge transfer. Evaluations show that participating firms were more likely to hire low-qualified workers, women, and workers over 45, compared to similar non-participating companies. This highlights the programme’s positive influence on inclusive HR practices.
Source: (OECD, 2025[25]). Promoting Better Career Mobility for Longer Working Lives in Austria, https://doi.org/10.1787/db85473f-en.
Public funding and incentives can lower the barriers to action
In addition to guidance and advice, financial incentives can encourage company investment in age‑inclusive practices. Well-designed funding programmes reduce the perceived risks of action, particularly for smaller firms, and offer a structured framework for piloting, evaluating, and scaling successful initiatives.
In the past, Belgium already piloted promising models for financing the development of age management practices. Between 2013 and 2015, the Flemish Government and social partners ran an initiative under the European Social Fund (ESF) umbrella to promote werkbaar werk (workable work). Eighteen sector-specific projects, collectively reaching around 800 000 workers, nearly 40% of the Flemish labour force, focussed on improving job quality and sustainability amid demographic and technological change (Stichting Innovatie & Arbeid, 2015[26]). While not all projects targeted older workers directly, many addressed age‑related challenges. The WATCH project in the textile, clothing, and wood industries, for example, developed tools such as a Leeftijdsscan (Age Simulation Tool) and sector-specific workability audits to help employers anticipate demographic trends and adapt workplaces accordingly (Stichting Innovatie & Arbeid, 2015[26]). Although only about a third of projects fully implemented their planned measures within the funding period (due to high initial drop out), the initiative demonstrated the value of linking financial support to diagnostic tools and structured implementation. This approach echoes successful practices in Czechia, where ESF+ funding is available to companies interested in age management (Box 3.3). Benefiting companies must first assess their workforce composition and age‑related risks before designing funded interventions, ensuring that actions are targeted and evidence‑based.
Czechia supports age‑inclusive workplaces through targeted ESF+ funding. Under Call No. 079 (2017‑2021), 75 companies implemented age management projects, with an average funding amount of CZK 2.42 million (approx. EUR 98 000). These projects promoted intergenerational collaboration, flexible work, and support for older workers and managers. Nearly 90% of participating companies reported improved workplace relations, and over half saw better HR outcomes.
The follow-up Call No. 035 (2022‑2026) introduced a mandatory internal age management audit as the basis for project design. Of the 46 projects funded so far, 84% were submitted by SMEs. Interventions included mentoring, ergonomic adjustments, digital upskilling, health promotion, and career transition support. Early evidence suggests that the audit requirement helps firms design more tailored and effective measures, though it may increase administrative complexity for smaller firms.
Source: OECD (2025[27]), Promoting Better Career Mobility for Longer Working Lives in Czechia, https://doi.org/10.1787/dd8eafc2-en.
Investment in health in the workplace is a central element of age management strategies. Good health is one of the strongest predictors of whether people are able and willing to remain in work at older ages. With rising retirement ages, employees face longer exposure to workplace risks, making health promotion and prevention across the life course increasingly important. Workplace health management encompasses measures to help invest in job quality and good working conditions, prevent work-related health issues, and manage health conditions at work when they arise. In view of the sharp rise in sickness absence in Belgium (see also Chapter 2), improving health at work is a key concern. While sickness absence rates are influenced by many factors, evidence shows that early preventive interventions (e.g. physiotherapy, stress management) can markedly reduce both the incidence and duration of sickness absence (OECD, 2022[28]; OECD, 2023[29]).
Within this context, employers are crucial actors in preventing work-related ill health. Beyond meeting their legal obligations under occupational safety and health (OSH) regulations, they play a key role in creating working conditions that actively support long-term health. The most effective strategies go beyond risk reduction to promote health through better job quality, work organisation, and employee well-being, helping workers stay active and productive throughout longer careers.
3.3.1. Belgium has an advanced legal framework and institutional structure on workplace health prevention
The legal framework on occupational safety and health is the basis of efforts to encourage workplace health prevention. In Belgium, the legal framework is advanced, including on psychosocial risks. However, ensuring that all employers – not just those in high-risk sectors or large companies – have the support, capacity and incentives to implement effective health prevention measures will be critical to safeguarding worker health in an ageing labour market.
Belgium has a strong legal framework on workplace health prevention, including on psychosocial risks
In Belgium, the Law on Well-being at Work sets out obligations to limit employees’ exposure to physical, ergonomic, chemical, and psychosocial risks across all sectors, with requirements scaled according to workforce size and occupational risk levels. All companies must establish both internal and external services for prevention and protection at work to design and implement well-being policies (Box 3.4). Internal services must be embedded at the highest decision making level of the enterprise, with requirements varying by firm size. To complement internal capacity, the law further requires companies to affiliate with an External Service for Prevention and Protection at Work (Service externe de prévention et de protection au travail). These certified non-profit organisations, established under the 1996 Law on the Well-being of Workers, help employers meet their OSH obligations by providing multidisciplinary services such as risk assessments, occupational health surveillance, and expert advice on prevention strategies. Employers select their provider and pay an annual fee based on company size and sector.
Every company in Belgium with at least one employee must establish an internal prevention service. In firms with at least 20 employees, or in high-risk workplaces, this takes the form of an interdisciplinary OSH department staffed by one or more trained prevention advisors. In smaller enterprises, the employer may assume the role of prevention advisor without specialised OSH training. In many SMEs, this function is combined with other responsibilities, reflecting the difficulty of dedicating specialised resources (European Risk Observatory, 2018[30]).
In addition, firms with at least 50 employees are required to set up a Committee for Prevention and Protection at Work (CPPW) to ensure structured social dialogue on health and safety issues. The CPPW acts as a bipartite consultative body that promotes workplace well-being, covering areas such as OSH, ergonomics, environmental hazards, and psychosocial risks. In smaller firms, these responsibilities are usually taken on by the trade union delegation, where one exists. In the absence of such representation, which is common, the employer must consult directly with workers on well-being matters.
In addition to internal services, external prevention services provide specialised workplace health expertise (FPS Employment, n.d.[31]). Ten such providers currently operate in Belgium, each organised into two units: one for risk prevention and another for medical oversight. These multidisciplinary services include occupational physicians, ergonomists, industrial hygienists, and psychosocial experts. Their responsibilities range from conducting risk assessments and providing individual and collective health surveillance to advising on tailored prevention plans. Crucially, they are authorised to address psychosocial risks, making them one of the few institutional actors equipped to provide early, workplace‑based interventions against stress and burnout. The scope of external services is defined by law, but the depth of engagement depends on the package of paid services selected by the employer. A 2015‑2016 reform introduced minimum tariffs based on company size and sectoral risk level. The minimum service package broadened support for small and low-risk companies by including a basic risk assessment, proposed prevention measures, consultations on psychosocial risks, and advice on reintegration and healthy ageing at work.
Belgium has also developed a comparatively advanced legal framework to address psychosocial risks (PSRs) in the workplace. The legal definition of PSRs was broadened in 2014 and explicitly recognised their multidimensional nature. It encompasses work organisation, job content, working conditions, interpersonal relations, and the employer’s duty to prevent both psychological and physical harm (Ajzen, 2014[32]). In 2023, the framework was further strengthened by introducing the mandatory appointment of confidential counsellors in enterprises with 50 or more employees, enhancing early and informal resolution mechanisms and complementing the role of prevention advisors (ICF, 2024[33]). Employers are required to integrate PSRs into their general workplace risk assessments and implement concrete prevention measures, particularly targeting work-related stress, workplace violence, bullying and harassment.
National prevention efforts have been supported by awareness campaigns, practical tools and targeted guidance. A federal campaign launched in 2021 promoted open discussion of mental well-being at work and piloted primary prevention measures. FPS Employment has developed a questionnaire‑based tool to enable employers to independently assess psychosocial risks. Based on the well-established Job Demands-Resources model, the questionnaire examines the balance between work demands (such as time pressure, or emotional strain) and available resources (such as support, or training). By translating complex psychosocial concepts into a structured, accessible process, the tool facilitates compliance and encourages even smaller enterprises to address PSRs systematically (ICF, 2024[33]; Verra et al., 2019[34]; FPS Employment, 2023[35]).
Many companies implement measures related to workplace health prevention and promotion
Belgium’s strong institutional framework is reflected in the high use of occupational health specialists and comparatively widespread adoption of OSH and health promotion measures. For instance, 60.1% of firms state that they consult ergonomic experts and 46.9% use psychologists, well above the EU27 averages of 36.1% and 19.5%, respectively (Figure 3.3, Panel A). Moreover, most Belgian employers have implemented measures to promote more sustainable work. Common actions include ergonomic adjustments (77.1%), provision of supportive equipment (79.7%) and adjustments in working hours (68.6%) (Figure 3.3, Panel B). In European comparison, Belgium places among the better-performing EU countries, but gaps remain relative to top performers.
Data also shows that there is a high uptake of psychosocial risk prevention procedures in Belgium, with scores above the EU27 average on almost all indicators of PSR prevention, with the exception of interventions to address excessive working hours (Figure 3.3, Panel C). In 2019, over 70% of Belgian enterprises had formal mechanisms to address bullying or harassment, respond to threats and abuse, and enhance employee autonomy in organising their work. Action plans to reduce work-related stress were in place in 46.6% of establishments, well above the EU27 average of 34.6%. These results suggest that the country’s regulatory and guidance framework has been effective in promoting formal adoption of psychosocial risk preventive measures.
Note: Panel B shows the share of establishments that have taken the following preventative actions in the last three years. Top performer is the average of the top 3 performers and Bottom performer the average of the 3 lowest performers.
Source: European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER) results visualisation – Safety and health at work – EU – OSHA, https://visualisation.osha.europa.eu/esener/en.
Nevertheless, there remains room for improvement. Exposure to physical and mental health risks among older workers has declined over time, but significant exposure to risk factors remains (Figure 3.4). For instance, the share of older workers reporting exposure to time pressure or work overload has decreased but stood at 22% in 2020. While many firms offer general health promotion, relatively few implement targeted interventions, such as adapting work tasks or preventive health checks (Verbrugghe et al., 2016[36]). Further action to reduce physical and psychosocial risks in Belgian workplaces is therefore needed.
Belgian workers (aged 55‑64) exposed to physical and mental health risk factors, 2013 and 2020
Source: Eurostat (2025), datasets: Persons reporting exposure to risk factors that can adversely affect physical health by sex, age and factor; https://doi.org/10.2908/HSW_EXP4 and Persons reporting exposure to risk factors that can adversely affect mental well-being by sex, age and factor, https://doi.org/10.2908/HSW_EXP3 (accessed 10 April 2026).
Investment in workplace health is more common in large companies and at-risk sectors
While investment in workplace health prevention is comparatively strong in Belgium, smaller companies and specific sectors lag behind. This is reflected, for instance, in how mandatory workplace risk assessments, which constitute the cornerstone of occupational safety and health (OSH) in Belgium, are carried out. Employers may carry out these assessments using internal or external expertise, as appropriate. Companies are classified into four groups (A-D) based on workforce size and occupational risk level. This classification determines the minimum functions of the internal prevention service and the training obligations of the prevention advisor. High-risk sectors such as construction and manufacturing face stricter obligations, including enhanced health surveillance and detailed risk assessments. By contrast, some sectors categorised as low-risk, such as education, are subject to lighter requirements and follow-up measures, despite growing evidence of significant psychosocial strain and burnout among workers. This risk-based differentiation may leave certain hazards, particularly emerging and mental health-related ones, insufficiently addressed.
Data confirms that compliance with requirements to conduct regular workplace risk analyses remains uneven. Survey evidence shows that only 70.1% of Belgian employers report carrying out risk assessments, below the EU27 average of 76.6%. While over 90% of employers in high-risk sectors like agriculture and mining conduct regular assessments, this falls below 60% in lower-regulated sectors such as real estate and professional, scientific, and technical activities (Table 3.2). In addition, large businesses in Belgium show high compliance (93.3%) with regular risk assessments, but micro and small businesses with fewer than 10 employees show much lower compliance (60.2%). SMEs cite limited in-house expertise, time constraints, and the complexity of OSH legislation as key barriers to meet these obligations (European Risk Observatory, 2018[30]).
Share of enterprises in Belgium regularly conducting risk assessments in the workplace, 2019
Note: Responses based on the question: Does your establishment regularly conduct risk assessments in the workplace?
Source: Analyse des risques : Datamining, https://data.risquesautravail.be/fr/themespreventiongestion-des-risques/analyse-des-risques and ESENER, 2019. National bar chart, https://visualisation.osha.europa.eu/esener/en/survey/detailpage-national-bar-chart/2019/osh-management/en_1/E3Q250/company-size/BE.
3.3.2. Increased support, enforcement and incentives can improve the quality of preventive measures, particularly in SMEs
Employers, particularly SMEs, need more targeted support and positive incentives to translate legal obligations into effective measures. Though Belgium is already developing numerous guidance tools and resources, enforcement and practical application remain uneven across sectors and in smaller companies. Many SMEs struggle with the complexity of OSH legislation, limited time, and expertise. This restricts their ability to implement robust prevention strategies.
While regulation drives compliance, enforcement mechanisms remain weak
Although Belgium’s OSH legislation is well established, its impact is limited by insufficient enforcement capacity and a compliance culture that is often reactive. According to the 2019 ESENER survey, 96% of Belgian establishments cited fulfilling legal requirements as a key reason for implementing OSH measures. While this suggests strong awareness of obligations, it also reflects a tendency to focus on meeting minimum standards rather than adopting a proactive, preventive approach to worker well-being. Internal prevention advisors, who are responsible for designing and managing OSH policies, often lack specialised training, especially in smaller firms where the role may be combined with other duties. External prevention services offer guidance and conduct limited health surveillance, but their engagement in practice is typically not continuous or in-depth. Rather, follow-up on risk assessments is exclusively the responsibility of employers. Without regular auditing or integration into broader workforce strategies, prevention measures risk becoming procedural checklists rather than meaningful tools for improving working conditions.
The Labour Inspectorate for Control on Well-being at Work (CWW) is responsible for enforcing OSH legislation, but its capacity is limited. Its mandate combines enforcement with advisory functions: inspectors offer legal guidance, conduct on-site inspections, issue corrective measures, and initiate legal proceedings where necessary. Targeted inspection campaigns are carried out in high‑risk sectors to assess both the design and practical implementation of health prevention policies, including psychosocial risks. However, its capacity is dropping over time (Figure 3.5) and its operations remain largely reactive, responding mainly to complaints. This limits its ability to detect emerging risks or address systemic issues. While the capacity may not increase significantly in the future, better targeting of controls could improve oversight. For instance, in the Netherlands, labour inspectorate has adopted more programmatic, data-driven approaches that link sector-level risk profiling with targeted inspections (Box 3.5).
Labour inspectors per 10 000 employed per year in Belgium, 2017-2024
Source: ILOSTAT Database, indicator “inspectors per 10 000 employed persons”, https://rshiny.ilo.org/dataexplorer44/?lang=en&segment=indicator&id=LAI_INDE_NOC_RT_A (accessed 10 April 2026).
In the Netherlands, due to limited capacity of the labour inspectorate, inspections are conducted based on analysis of psychosocial risks by sector. The process begins with monitoring studies, such as the Netherlands Working Conditions Survey (NWCS), which helps identify sectors with the highest psychosocial risks. Once the sectors are identified, an orientation phase commences. During this phase, relevant documents are analysed, and interviews are conducted with key stakeholders (e.g. trade associations, professional groups, specialised knowledge institutes, and trade union research teams). The focus is on understanding the underlying causes of high psychosocial risks. Solutions that are already being implemented and factors hindering their implementation are also discussed. The insights gathered during the orientation phase inform subsequent inspections within the sector. Conclusions are drawn based on document analysis and stakeholder interviews. Ultimately, these conclusions are shared with sector-level stakeholders, including employers who have not previously undergone inspection.
Source: (ICF, 2024[33]; Noortje Wiezer, 2024[37]).
Sanctions, while available, are not always a strong deterrent. In some cases, fines for non‑compliance are lower than the cost of upgrading equipment to safer standards, leading some micro and small enterprises to delay or avoid compliance – particularly given the low probability of re‑inspection (European Risk Observatory, 2018[30]). Increasing inspection frequency would help raise the perceived likelihood of detection and strengthen deterrence. These enforcements can be complemented with positive incentives, such as public recognition schemes or “good OSH practice” labels for display on business premises, to encourage companies to exceed minimum compliance and foster a stronger culture of prevention.
Online Interactive Risk Assessment (OiRA) is a promising tool to support SMEs
Belgium has introduced several measures to support employers with the implementation of occupational health and safety practices. FPS Employment provides a range of tools to help employers meet OSH obligations, with a particular focus on SMEs. In addition, regional support measures exist. For instance, in Flanders, the website werkbaarwerk.be (workablework.be) offers access to resources, practical guidance and information on funding support.
A central element of tools available at national level is the Online Interactive Risk Assessment (OiRA) platform, developed with the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). Introduced in Belgium in 2013, OiRA guides employers through sector-specific workplace risk assessments, recommends preventive measures, and generates management plans. Its outputs are recognised by labour inspectors as valid proof of compliance, reducing administrative burden while improving the quality of risk management (Chowaniec and Wołosik, 2025[38]).
OiRA is designed to support micro and small enterprises (MSEs) with risk assessments. The tool’s sector-specific approach ensures each version reflects the specific workflows and operational realities of diverse industries. By 2025, Belgium had developed 35 sectoral and thematic OiRA tools, including thematic modules addressing psychosocial risks, domestic work, and office environments. Each tool is developed collaboratively with social partners, prevention advisors, labour inspectors, and OSH experts to ensure both legal compliance and usability. Before release, they are tested by end users and jointly promoted.
Survey data show strong uptake among smaller firms: of 9 585 surveyed users, 64.8% work in companies with fewer than 50 employees (41.6% in businesses with 1‑9 employees and 23.2% in those with 10‑49) (De Raeve and Pelgrims, 2025[39]). However, many SMEs use OiRA reactively, after an accident or inspection, rather than proactively, due to limited awareness, competing priorities, and resource constraints.
Promotional efforts have played a key role in OiRA’s adoption. Promotion is handled through national French- and Dutch-language portals, social partner networks, training providers, and targeted campaigns. A 2019 drive introduced standardised communication kits, online advertising, and outreach to vocational training. Since 2013, the platform has attracted 17 102 registered users and produced 30 930 assessments. However, only 21.5% of these assessments were completed beyond 70% of the risk statements and engagement typically peaks after a sector tool is launched before tapering off (De Raeve and Pelgrims, 2025[39]). At the same time, recent EU-OSHA research shows that OiRA provides value beyond completing a full risk assessment as many employers use OiRA as a legal reference to learn more about OSH (Chowaniec and Wołosik, 2025[38]).
Identifying risks via OiRA is only the first step. Implementing effective preventive measures requires additional resources, expertise, and motivation that many small businesses lack. Implementation gap is particularly evident in addressing psychosocial risks, where solutions are often less tangible and more complex than traditional safety measures (De Raeve and Pelgrims, 2025[39]). While OiRA usage data does not reveal how many businesses complete an assessment without taking follow-up action, research from France suggests that the tool can guide employers towards greater understanding and control of occupational safety and health (OSH) (Gregulska and Wołosik, 2023[40]).
SMEs struggling with system complexity could benefit from in-depth support and funding
Belgium’s occupational safety and health (OSH) framework is complex, and many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) struggle to navigate its requirements effectively. Findings from ESENER 2019 show that “complexity of legal obligations” is the most frequently reported barrier to addressing health and safety, with 52% of Belgian firms citing it, the highest proportion among surveyed countries and well above the EU27 average of 41%. Nearly half of establishments (47%) also highlight “lack of time or staff” as a major obstacle (EU27 average: 33%). Additionally, 39% of Belgian businesses report that “excessive paperwork” creates a significant burden, aligning Belgium with southern European countries and exceeding the EU27 average of 31% (EU-OSHA, 2022[41]).
In this context, external prevention services, intended to provide expert support, are underused as strategic partners. Their role is often limited to delivering mandatory medical check-ups, the most visible and monetised component of their offer (European Risk Observatory, 2018[30]). Broader advisory functions, such as designing age‑sensitive work organisation or supporting long-term prevention strategies, are rarely activated, particularly by SMEs. Several services report that employers typically seek their advice only after incidents or compliance checks, rather than as part of proactive workplace health management. Moreover, some SMEs confuse external services with labour inspectors, prompting defensive reactions, while others question the value relative to mandatory fees when benefits beyond compliance are unclear (European Risk Observatory, 2018[30]). While employers are responsible for conducting workplace risk assessments and external services can diagnose risks and propose tailored preventive measures, implementation depends entirely on employer goodwill. Without clear incentives or follow-up mechanisms, many recommendations fail to be integrated into company strategy or workforce planning. External services, given their substantial expertise, are well-placed to provide more in-depth support, particularly for SMEs. This would likely require strengthened investment in the capacity and staffing levels of these services.
In addition to improved guidance and tailored support, international experience also shows the value of financial incentives for the implementation of preventive measures. For example, Japan’s subsidy programme for SMEs covers up to 90% of the cost of providing occupational health services such as medical consultations, stress-check follow-up, and workplace environment improvements. Another initiative, the Age‑Friendly Subsidy, provides targeted financial support for adapting equipment, expert guidance to prevent falls and back pain, and health promotion measures tailored to older workers. Adopting similar schemes in Belgium could encourage SMEs not only to complete risk assessments but also to invest in concrete improvements, including measures that protect vulnerable groups such as older workers, thereby translating compliance into better working conditions.
Flexibility in working arrangements plays a critical role in sustaining labour market participation, particularly for mid-career and older workers. Evidence shows that preferences for flexibility evolve over the life course: while mid-career workers, especially women, often seek flexibility to reconcile work and care responsibilities, older workers tend to value it as a means to manage health conditions, reduce physical strain, or transition gradually into retirement (Stirpe, Trullen and Bonache, 2018[2]; Hudomiet et al., 2020[42]). International studies confirm that some older workers are willing to trade off wages for greater autonomy in hours or schedules, underlining the importance of flexibility in boosting job satisfaction and retention (OECD, 2023[29]). At the same time, the design of flexible arrangements matters. Flexible arrangements can support well-being and help workers remain in the labour force longer (Castro and Bleys, 2024[43]; OECD, 2023[29]; OECD, 2025[7]; Albinowski, 2024[44]), but can also be associated with stalled career progression and lower pension entitlements (Meulders and O’Dorchai, 2009[45]). For older workers, poorly structured schemes can incentivise reduced labour market participation or inadvertently act as stepping-stones to early retirement rather than instruments for longer participation (OECD, 2023[29]; Eurofound, 2016[46]). The policy challenge is therefore to design flexible working-time options that address care and health needs while also supporting sustainable careers.
3.4.1. Belgium has introduced many measures to increase access to flexible work
Access to flexible work is comparatively high in Belgium. Part-time work is widely used among women and older workers. In 2024, 38.5% of women and 12.5% of men were employed part-time in Belgium, compared to the EU average of 29.6% and 12.4% respectively (Figure 3.6, Panel A). Among older workers, around 32.4% of those aged 55‑64 were in part-time work, one of the highest shares across the OECD (average 20.7%) (Figure 3.6, Panel B). While the majority of part-time work is voluntary, 18.7% of part-time employees aged 15‑64 work in part-time work involuntarily (EU average 15.9%), with these shares somewhat lower among women (18%) and particularly older workers (14.3%) (Eurostat, 2026[47]).
Share of part-time employment in total employment by gender and age, 2024
Note: Part-time employment based on national definitions. OECD and EU27 are weighted averages.
Source: OECD (2025), Incidence of full-time and part-time employment based on national definitions (indicator), https://data-explorer.oecd.org/s/358 (accessed 10 April 2026).
Belgium has an extensive and expanding policy offer to enable access to flexible work arrangements, which stands out in international comparison. Recent reforms under the Labour Deal Act of 3 October 2022 (Arbeidsdeal/Deal pour l’Emploi) introduced new arrangements, including a compressed four‑day workweek and an alternating work regime, allowing employees to redistribute their hours in non-standard ways while retaining full-time status (Box 3.7). These measures aim to enhance adaptability for workers with caring responsibilities, alternating custody arrangements, or health-related needs. Reforms are ongoing to introduce a framework for annualising working hours, which would allow firms and workers to distribute hours unevenly across the year, in 2026.
The Labour Deal Act introduced several notable changes to working-time flexibility:
Four-day work week (4/10 plan): Employees may compress their weekly hours (38‑40) into four longer days, without loss of pay. Implementation requires company-level changes to work rules or collective agreements. While potentially improving work – life balance, the scheme has been met with mixed reactions. Unlike in countries piloting four‑day weeks with reductions in working hours (e.g. Iceland, the United Kingdom, Spain, New Zealand), the Belgian model focusses on condensation of hours, which may lead to intensified work and stress. Evaluations of international pilots remain inconclusive, with evidence pointing to positive gains in well-being, job satisfaction, and sometimes productivity depending on the model (Lewis et al., 2023[48]; Mühl and Korunka, 2024[49]; Spicer and Lyons, 2023[50]). However, they also reveal potential scheduling problems, more intense performance monitoring, and the risk that benefits may fade over time (Campbell, 2024[51]).’A small interview-based study from Belgium found that the four‑day work week is not associated with increased flexibility due to the legal requirement for fixed schedules within the compressed work roster. The scheme led to improved work-life balance and reduced absenteeism in some cases, but was also associated with work-family conflict, increased stress and higher risk of burnout, particularly among women (Du Bois et al., 2023[52]).
Alternating work regime: Employees can work a “heavy” week (up to 45 hours) followed by a “light” week (around 31 hours), averaging normal hours over two weeks (extendable to four weeks in specific cases). This option is particularly relevant for divorced or separated parents with alternating custody, but its complexity requires careful monitoring to avoid over-burdening employees in “heavy” weeks.
Safeguarding telework with a right to disconnect: Since 2023, companies with more than 20 employees must establish agreements on the right to disconnect, clarifying expectations on digital availability outside working hours. This provision aims to protect workers’ health and ensure that digitalisation does not undermine work-life balance.
Belgium has also strengthened rights to request flexible working arrangements for carers. Since 2022, employees with caregiving responsibilities have been entitled to request adjustments to their working schedules or telework arrangements. While this represents a significant step towards more inclusive labour market participation, the scope of eligibility remains narrower than in some peer countries. For example, in the United Kingdom, the right to request flexible work was recently expanded to cover all employees and applies from the first day of employment.
3.4.2. Flexijobs could be an interesting option for retired workers, but there are concerns about their broader impact on job quality
In Belgium, access to flexible work has also been encouraged through so-called “flexi-jobs” – a special, tax-advantaged form of part-time employment introduced in 2015 to address labour shortages. Flexi-jobs are open to pensioners or people who already work at least 80%, who can take on additional paid work. They receive a net “flexi-wage” exempt from employee social security contributions and income tax (within certain limits for non-retirees), while the employer pays only a reduced 28% employer contribution. These jobs were initially limited to hospitality, then extended to retail, care, sport, culture and others. A 2026 reform extended flexi-jobs to all sectors, but individual sectors may provide for an opt-out or additional conditions. For retirees, recent clarifications ensure they can take on flexi-jobs without jeopardising pension entitlements, although early retirees remain subject to caps. The scheme does not give entitlement to social security in the event of illness or unemployment and does not contribute to pension accrual.
Participation in the flexi-job scheme has grown steadily since its inception and is attracting increasing numbers of older workers. In 2024, compared with 2023, the number of flexi-jobbers increased by 19.1%, reaching a total of 229 423 people holding at least one flexi-job (Figure 3.7, Panel A). Older workers – most of whom are retired (Jeannée, 2023[55]) – represented around 19% of participants, with their numbers rising by 52.6% in a single year, from almost 23 000 users in 2023 to almost 35 000 in 2024 (Figure 3.7, Panel B). Older workers tend to work more hours than younger participants – on average 404.9 hours annually (median 283.4) compared with 186 hours (median 101.4) for non-retirees. Across all participants, the average was 219.1 hours (median 117.5).
Note: “Other” includes: Funeral homes, garages, agriculture and horticulture, hair and beauty, sports and culture, events, other food, driving schools, building management, Public sector at provincial and local levels, childcare and teaching.
Source: ONSS, Statistiques annuelles des flexi-jobs, https://www.onss.be/stats/statistiques-annuelles-des-flexi-jobs#data.
While flexi-jobs could enable continued labour market participation for retired workers, they raise concerns about job quality and labour market mismatch in the labour market as a whole. A study by the Court of Audit focussing on the hotel sector revealed that flexi-jobs have led to a precarisation of jobs (Cour des comptes, 2019[56]). They are concentrated in sectors characterised by irregular, on-demand scheduling, often requiring workers to adapt fully to employer needs. For pensioners, flexi-jobs can be attractive, offering a way to remain economically active, earn supplementary income tax-free, and work on a flexible schedule. However, for non-retirees, they typically serve as a secondary job, raising concerns about long working hours, fatigue, and stress (Jeannée, 2023[55]; Dermine and Mechelynck, 2022[57]). Currently, the scheme is used mainly by prime‑age workers who are already well integrated into the labour market, rather than by groups with limited access who may benefit more from the scheme. These types of contracts are not necessarily used to increase overall working hours, but may serve to benefit from advantageous tax treatment, and could aggravate labour shortages in the sectors where workers have their main jobs, such as healthcare and social work (NBB, 2025[58]). This raises the question of whether flexi-jobs should be restricted to certain groups such as pensioners, rather than primarily available to prime‑age workers who do not need additional labour market entry points. Closer monitoring of participation patterns and employment conditions will be essential to ensure that flexi-jobs support healthy and meaningful labour market participation – particularly beyond retirement age.
3.4.3. Various career interruption schemes exist throughout the career, but their effectiveness is unclear
Belgium offers a comprehensive system of career interruption arrangements – referred to as Time credit (crédit-temps/tijdskrediet) in the private sector and Career break (interruption de carrière /loopbaanonderbreking) in the public sector – that enable employees to temporarily reduce or fully suspend their working hours while receiving a flat-rate allowance. These schemes were originally designed to redistribute employment opportunities but have increasingly become instruments to support work-life balance across the life course (Debacker, De Lathouwer and Bogaerts, 2004[59]; Vandeweyer and Glorieux, 2010[60]; Wels, 2015[61]). Take up of time credit is a right for all employees in the private sector, except for employees working in small firms with less than 10 employees.3
Career interruption schemes allow workers to suspend working time fully or partially for caregiving or training reasons, with the possibility to combine them consecutively with thematic leave (e.g. parental leave, palliative care, or medical care for relatives). Participants from the private sector receive a flat-rate allowance financed by social security (ONEM/RVA), alongside protection against dismissal and the right to return to their position after the leave period. There is a similar scheme in the public sector. Thematic leave and career break arrangements vary in eligibility conditions, duration, assimilation rules, benefit levels, contract type and exceptions depending on sector (public vs. private), making them administratively complex and difficult to navigate for both workers and employers. Table 3.3 summarises key characteristics.
Note: Eligibility criteria are significantly simplified.
Source: FPS Employment, Labour and Social Dialogue; ONEM/RVA.
Overall take‑up of these career interruption schemes is high. In 2024, 87 000 people made use of some form of time credit scheme, while a further 32 000 participated in the career break scheme (Figure 3.8). Around three‑quarters of time credit recipients live in Flanders (75.9%), while the shares of recipients are lower in Wallonia (21%) and Brussels (3.1%). In comparison, the career break is mostly used by workers living in Wallonia (58%) relative to Flanders (34.4%) and Brussels (7.6%).
However, while participation remains high, the number of employees on career interruption schemes has been decreasing in recent years due to reforms that tightened eligibility. Since 2015, career interruption without a motive is no longer linked to financial allowances. Since 2023, applicants for full-time or half-time time credit must have at least 12 months tenure with the same employer (24 months in the case of part-time; up to 36 months for childcaring motive). Supplementary allowances for employees over 50 or with long careers were abolished, reducing financial generosity for older workers.
Number of Belgium users by scheme and gender, 2002-2024
Note: Time credit scheme (private employees), Career break scheme (public employees). Data covers only those receiving benefits. See Table 3.3 for details.
Source: Interruption de carrière, crédit temps et congés thématiques, https://www.onem.be/statistiques/series-historiques/interruption-de-carriere-credit-temps-et-conges-thematiques.
Career interruption schemes are disproportionately taken up by women to better reconcile work and child caring
There is a strong gender divide in take‑up of career interruption schemes. Focusing on the time credit scheme, in 2024, 24 588 women made use of the scheme compared to 6 869 men (Figure 3.9, Panel B). Take‑up is concentrated at child-rearing ages. In 2024, 16 734 users were aged 35‑44, while only 1 292 were 55+ (older workers often use the separate end-of-career scheme, see below). Caring for children is by far the most common motive (83.6% of users with an applicable motive in 2024). In practice, most users opt for a one‑fifth reduction, with full career breaks being rare. These patterns suggest that the general time‑credit scheme functions as a complement to parental leave, which in Belgium is relatively short and modestly paid. Mothers in Belgium have access to 32.3 weeks of paid leave, compared to an EU average of 66.3 weeks (OECD, 2024[62]). Allowance amounts of general time‑credit scheme vary by age, household situation and working-time reduction. For example, average net monthly benefits go from EUR 175.30 for one‑fifth reduction for individuals with no kids to EUR 570 for full-time interruption.
Users of time credit and career break under the general schemes, by age and gender in Belgium, 2016-2024
Note: Time credit scheme covers private employees; Career break scheme covers public employees. See Table 3.3 for details.
Source: Statistiques Interactives, https://interactivestats.services.rvaonem.fgov.be/interactivestats/population/timeCredit.jsf?dswid=-3647&nocid=true&faces-redirect=true.
While a one‑fifth reduction can ease day-to-day care pressures and maintain work attachment, persistent gendered use risks reinforcing inequalities in career progression, wage growth, and pension accruals (Meulders and O’Dorchai, 2009[45]). Monitoring remains challenging, given the diversity of options across sectors and the limits of administrative data, which mainly track benefit payments. Headline figures may also overstate participation, as one‑day-per-week arrangements keep employees in the statistics for long periods despite limited overall absence. More nuanced indicators are therefore needed to capture the true impact of leave policies on labour supply (Mortelmans and Fusulier, 2024[63]).
End of the career interruption schemes allow workers to decrease their working time before fully retiring, but their effectiveness is not clear
As populations age, pension systems and labour markets need to adapt to support longer and more diverse working lives. One increasingly common response is the promotion of flexible or graded retirement schemes, which allow individuals to gradually reduce their working hours or combine part-time work with pension benefits. Such flexibility can be valuable: it enables older workers to remain attached to the labour market when full-time work is no longer feasible due to health limitations, caring responsibilities, or the physical demands of their job (OECD, 2025[7]; Spasova, Deruelle and Airoldi, 2025[64]). However, the effects of flexible retirement on overall employment are not straightforward. Schemes enable longer labour market participation only when they are well-designed and effectively target groups who require support to remain in work.
In Belgium, end-of-career career interruption schemes provide financial support for a reduction in working hours close to retirement. In the private sector, end-of-career time credit schemes are available for workers from age 60 (55 in cases of physically demanding work, night shifts, or long careers), where they have a minimum of 25 years of employment, and at least two years of tenure with the current employer. Participants can reduce their working hours by one‑fifth or one‑half, with minimum durations of six and three months respectively. A full suspension is not possible under this scheme, as workers must use the general system with motive in that case. Benefits vary by household situation and reduction rate, ranging from EUR 190 per month for a cohabitant working 4/5 to EUR 523 for a single person working half-time. Pension entitlements are largely preserved, though reductions may occur for extended periods of part-time work. For some types of schemes, Flanders offers additional support through the “incentive premium”. The public sector offers a parallel scheme with more lenient eligibility criteria, starting from age 55 and age 50 under certain conditions.
Career interruption schemes remain a popular option for older workers, though use has declined somewhat due to tightening reforms (e.g. increasing the minimum age from 50 in the private sector). In 2024, 55 235 individuals received end-of-career time credit, compared to 77 441 in 2016. In the public sector, 20 882 individuals made use of the equivalent scheme. Over time, the age of individuals has increased, reflecting changing eligibility conditions (Figure 3.10). Nevertheless, a substantial portion of individuals continue to make use of end-of-career schemes between ages 55‑59.
Evidence on the effectiveness of end-of-career schemes is mixed. Academic studies tracking cohorts who entered the private sector scheme in 2003‑2004 suggest that in the first two years for men and four years for women, the measure can extend working lives relative to full-time peers. However, over the longer term, participants often retire earlier than workers who remain full-time, implying that partial retirement may simply serve as a pathway to early exit rather than a true mechanism to prolong labour market engagement (Albanese, Cockx and Thuy, 2016[65]). International research on phased retirement also points to similar patterns: flexible retirement can facilitate extended participation if well-timed and combined with moderate reductions in hours, but overly generous early access may crowd out full-time work and reduce total labour supply (Eurofound, 2016[46]; OECD, 2019[4]; OECD, 2025[7]).
Time credit and career break end-of-career schemes, partial interruption, by age in Belgium, 2016-2024
Note: The Time credit scheme covers private employees and the Career break scheme covers public employees. See Table 3.3 for details.
Source: Office nationale de l’emploi (ONEM) Chiffres, https://www.onem.be/statistiques/chiffres-mensuels and Statistiques Interactives, https://interactivestats.services.rvaonem.fgov.be/interactivestats/home.jsf?dswid=-3647&nocid=true&faces-redirect=true.
Further action is needed to better evaluate and potentially reform career interruption schemes
In international comparison, Belgium’s career interruption schemes stand out for the flexibility they provide to workers. However, the complexity of the schemes, which stands alongside numerous other Belgian measures to enable working time flexibility, and whose eligibility conditions and benefits differ by sector and life course phase, may impede users’ ability to effectively navigate the system. In addition, systematic monitoring and evaluation are lacking, and it is not clear to what extent career interruption schemes effectively support labour market participation and career progression. Tenure conditions linked to the schemes may disincentivise labour market mobility. In addition, the strong gender imbalance in take‑up raises particular concerns. While support may help mothers sustain labour market participation through greater flexibility, it could also lead to reduced career opportunities and reinforce gender inequalities in the labour market. Improved evidence on the effects of the time credit scheme, and particularly gendered effects, will also be crucial in informing the planned “family credit” reform, which will create a new system of leave entitlements for parents, which may partially incorporate the existing time credit. Concerns also apply with regard to the end-of-career support schemes. International evidence shows that too generous schemes without effective targeting tend to disproportionately benefit higher earners and those already well integrated in the labour market. These individuals are better positioned to reduce working time even without financial support.
The need for better evaluation and monitoring of career interruption schemes is particularly urgent given the high cost that these schemes incur. In 2024, overall spending on the time credit scheme amounted to EUR 330.3 million, of which 237.6 belonged to the end-of career scheme (Figure 3.11). A further EUR 95.7 million was spent on the career interruption scheme, of which 67.4 was spent on the end-of-career scheme. For comparison, overall spending on these career interruption schemes is equivalent to 11.1% of all Belgian ALMP spending, and spending on end-of-career schemes to 7.8%. It is therefore imperative to better understand whether these schemes indeed encourage longer participation to an extent that offsets the large cost of these schemes. Further tightening in particular of the end-of-career scheme and better targeting at labour market groups most at-risk of dropout may be needed. International experience suggests that financial support at the end of the career may be more effective when targeted to workers with health limitations, care responsibilities or physically demanding jobs, and when combined with incentives that sustain labour market participation (OECD, 2019[4]; OECD, 2025[25]). However, a definitive assessment is difficult in the absence of more recent evaluation evidence.
Note: Time credit covers private employees; Career break covers public employees. See Table 3.3 for details. Thematic breaks cover leaves for: palliative care, parental leave, medical assistance and informal caregiving.
Source: L’Office nationale de l’emploi, Interruption de carrière and OECD (2025), Labour Market Programmes (dataset), https://data-explorer.oecd.org/s/35e (accessed 28 October 2025).
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← 1. A joint committee (paritair comité or commission paritaire) is a body consisting of representative employer and employee organisations. One important competence of a joint committee is to negotiate and to agree on sector level collective bargaining agreements.
← 2. An “experience fund” scheme to support and subsidise the development of age management practices existed in the past. This scheme was turned from a federal into a regional measure in 2014, and has now has been discontinued in all regions.
← 3. To avoid organisational difficulties, time credit can only be taken up by 5% of the employees in a firm at the same time. Once the 5% threshold is achieved, the employer is obliged to work out a priority plan that stipulates which employees are the first in line to exert their right to time credit.