Why and how mediators need to redefine their value in 2026

Doing everything, but excelling at nothing

Generalists notice they are losing ground, while niche players are actually growing. “The biggest challenge is having the guts to choose,” Bram explains. “When you are used to offering full-service and that has gone well for a long time, it is hard to decide when to adjust your services. So you keep doing a bit of everything. But now that the market is normalizing, companies are forced to make choices. Those who specialize, build future-proof.” Jeroen adds: “The old advantages of flex, cheap and flexible, are disappearing. That means added value becomes the new differentiator. Employers no longer bring in an intermediary because it is cheaper, but because they better understand what their organization and people need.”

A strong recruitment strategy starts at the core

Sepp asks Jeroen and Bram how organizations arrive at a strong strategy. According to Jeroen, this starts with the basics: truly understanding what is going on on the shop floor. “Boards need to reconnect with recruiters, job seekers and clients. Strategy does not originate in the boardroom, but in the places where the work happens.” At Mr. Wolf, they see three important prerequisites for strategy development: determine who you want to be, where you want to play and how you win there. Only when you know where you differentiate yourself, can you remain valuable in a changing market. 

Technology as an accelerator, not a goal

Many recruitment and flex organizations that Sepp speaks to notice that integrating new tools does not always have the desired effect. Bram explains: “Technology must be the rocket fuel of your strategy, not the strategy itself. We see many organizations investing in tools that are supposed to compensate for something that is not going well elsewhere. That does not work.” 

Jeroen adds: “As a board, you have to ask yourself: what is the offline benchmark? So how do we do it now without technology and what happens if we add technology? Does it make things faster, more efficient or does it deliver added value for the customer? If none of these are the case, you should not apply technology in that part of the process.”

Is AI an addition for recruitment agencies?

When talking about technology, the question naturally follows: what can AI mean for intermediaries? It offers opportunities to make processes smarter and to develop new services. But that only works if organizations dare to experiment. “Be flexible and curious,” Jeroen says. “Try out AI in small steps, see where it really adds value and think in scenarios. Not everything has to happen all at once.”

Growth opportunities for 2026

In the coming years, the growth of intermediaries, according to both gentlemen, lies not in more people, but in smarter solutions. “Growth starts by looking closely at the outside world, gathering knowledge and determining where your added value lies,” says Jeroen. Bram adds: “Whoever manages to combine knowledge, technology and capacity well, becomes truly distinctive. Then you do not only solve your customers' problems, but you also make people's careers more fun.” The future of recruitment therefore lies not in yet another platform or yet another contract type, but in strengthening the connection between people, organization and technology.

Listen to the full podcast

Listen to the full podcast episode and discover how you add value as an intermediary with a clear strategy, smart (AI) technology and the guts to choose.