Editor’s note 

This editorial is written by Federgon as part of EFSI’s 20th anniversary campaign and the February focus on them. It reflects the link between the different sectors Federgon represents and how they interact and reinforce each other.

What does it take to keep a labour market moving?  

Behind the scenes, it requires organisations that help people access opportunities, support companies in finding the skills they need, and assist workers as they navigate change throughout their careers. In Belgium, Federgon has long played this role by bringing together HR service providers working across the entire employment lifecycle. The result is a true Network for Work: a federation representing HR services specialised in a wide array of domains, from temporary employment to career guidance, from HR tech to strategic workforce development, and much more. 

Through its members’ work in recruitment, career guidance, training and upskilling, workforce transition, HR innovation, social voucher programmes, and workplace wellbeing, Federgon helps connect people to jobs, supports companies facins labour shortages, and enables workers to adapt to evolving skills needs. This broad scope allows Federgon to represent the full private ecosystem operating in the labour market, giving our federation a comprehensive perspective on the needs of jobseekers, employees, and employers. It also ensures that all labour market policy recommendations we make are aligned with the interests of the labour market as a whole. In recent years, this role has included supporting labour market resilience during periods of economic uncertainty and advancing the conversation around digitalisation and the future of work. 

Federgon has also contributed to strengthening cooperation, expertise sharing, and dialogue across employment sectors, helping to build an ecosystem that supports quality employment and sustainable labour market participation. 

PHS and the labour market? 

Federgon has been a driving force behind the Belgian voucher programme in the Private and Household Services (PHS) sector. This programme has enabled the Belgian government to strengthen formal employment, with particular emphasis on workers coming from precarious situations. From a labour market perspective, Federgon’s involvement was therefore a natural and logical choice. 

Bringing together both labour market organisations and the PHS sector has been crucial in demonstrating that PHS is not only a fullfledged sector but also a driver of formal employment—especially for individuals who face barriers to entering or reentering the labour market. Through social voucher systems, tailored training pathways, and structured employer support, Federgon has helped build a model that makes PHS work more accessible, secure, and sustainable—both for workers and for the households that rely on these essential services. 

This strong, integrated approach has helped shape the European agenda for PHS and labour market innovation. By combining on the ground sector expertise with labour market policy knowhow, Federgon brings a unique perspective to EFSI’s mission. In many ways, Federgon’s collaboration with the PHS sector illustrates how robust national ecosystems can drive European progress. It shows how coordinated efforts—between employment services, social partners, and policymakers—can strengthen formalisation, raise quality standards, and ensure that essential services continue to evolve in a sustainable and futureproof way.