The number of people in the Netherlands with more than one job almost tripled between 1986 and 2012, the government’s socio-cultural policy think-tank SCP said on Wednesday.

In 1986, just 3% of the population had more than one job but this had risen to 8% in 2012, the SCP said in a new report on the labour market. One-third of the people with multiple jobs works more than 40 hours a week.

‘The Dutch value having lots of spare time while employers have more and more jobs with fewer hours on offer,’ Tilburg University labour economist Ronald Dekker told Radio 1 news.

The report also shows more people are combining work with studying or taking care of sick or elderly relatives. Four in 10 people with a job were also following some sort of training or course in 2012, the SCP figures show.

With more flexible jobs, it is also taking longer for people to find a permanent position, the report shows.  Only 20% of the over-45s who lose their job and find new work are offered a permanent contract. For the under 45s, the figure is 35%.

In addition, whereas in 2002, 80% of people on temporary contracts had a permanent job in between six and 10 years, that has now stretched to 10  to 15 years, the report said.