Deltaworx - 175 Extra student hours – what does this mean for your business?

Good news for businesses working with students: starting in 2024, student workers can now work 175 additional hours per year! This means more flexibility, lower labor costs, and smoother operations for businesses in hospitality, retail, logistics, manufacturing, and other sectors. But how can you, as a business owner or HR manager, make the most of these extra student hours? We’ve outlined the benefits by sector and show you how Deltaworx can help you fully capitalize on this opportunity.

What’s changing?

Previously, student workers could work a maximum of 475 hours per year at a favorable social security (RSZ) rate. Starting in 2024, this limit increases to 650 hours, an additional 175 hours per student. This means students can now work an average of 23 extra days per year without employers needing to pay additional social security contributions.

What does this mean for businesses?

More flexibility: Students can stay longer without added paperwork.
Lower costs: You’ll rely less on more expensive contracts or flexi-jobs.
Reduced turnover: Students stay longer, reducing time and money spent on new training.

Want to calculate how much your business can save with these extra hours? Request a free HR analysis!

Impact by sector: how to make the most of extra hours?

Hospitality: less stress, more continuity in planning

In hospitality, peak times can be unpredictable, and finding the right staff is often a challenge. With 175 extra hours per student, you can:

Fill more shifts without needing to search for new students.
Strengthen your core team with students who stay longer.
Reduce overtime for permanent staff, lowering wage costs.

Example:
A restaurant that employs 5 students weekly can now take advantage of 5 x 23 extra workdays per year. That’s more than 4 months of additional student coverage without extra RSZ costs!

Retail: more stable staffing during peak periods

For retailers, busy times like sales, holidays, and back-to-school are critical. With extra student hours, you can:

Use the same students more often, so they need less training.

Easily fill weekend shifts without extra permanent contracts.

Avoid staffing shortages, keeping your store running smoothly.

Example:
A fashion chain used to rely on flexi-jobbers during the sales season. With the additional 175 student hours, they can now retain loyal student workers for longer periods and save on wage costs.

Logistics: more efficient scheduling & faster deliveries

In the logistics sector, timing is everything. With the extra student hours, you can:

Better manage busy periods, such as e-commerce peaks.

Deploy more regular students, shortening training time.

Reduce errors and delays by keeping experienced students longer.

Example:
A distribution center faced regular staffing shortages in its warehouse. Thanks to the extra 175 hours per student, they could keep 3 students on longer, boosting productivity by 20%.

Manufacturing: more stable workflow and fewer staffing shortages

In manufacturing, continuity is key. Students with extra hours provide:

Fewer last-minute staffing shortages, benefiting your production schedule.

Quicker onboarding, as experienced students stay longer.

Lower labor costs, since you rely less on more expensive temp workers.

Example:
A factory used students only for night and weekend shifts. With the extra 175 hours per student, they could keep students on longer during regular shifts, improving efficiency and reducing workload pressure.

Example savings: what does this mean for your business?