Belgian scale-ups have created nearly 40,000 new jobs in five years, according to an SD Worx HR study published on Friday. It represents 22% of all new jobs created in companies with over ten employees during the period.
A scale-up is defined by the OECD as an organisation that has seen its staff grow annually by at least 10% over the past three years, starting with a minimum of ten employees.
SD Worx analysed data from 460 Belgian scale-ups, employing a total of 16,135 workers.
On average, employees in scale-ups earn 5% more than those in other companies with similar conditions.
Additionally, their salaries increase by 9% per year, compared to 6% in other companies.
The fastest-growing sectors include information and communication, scientific and technical activities, and administrative and support services.
On average, scale-ups have been active for about fifteen years, distinguishing them from younger start-ups.
However, workers in scale-ups record 14% more sick days than those in other types of companies.
"Working for a rapidly growing company can be demanding for employees," says Alexia Defraire, SME consultant at SD Worx. "Rapid and continuous growth comes with many changes and uncertainties related to job content, increased responsibilities, and an evolving company culture and structure."
