Companies that receive a training or advisory grant are no more likely to grow their workforce strongly
Companies with a training or advisory grant were no more likely to have strong workforce growth in the following financial year than similar companies: 7.6% against 6.1%. Both measurements rule out a link of 1.4 times or more.
Strong workforce growth in the financial year after the event
Both measurements combined · 7,431 companies
After a training or advisory grant7.6%
Similar companies6.1%
1.3×
No meaningful difference from similar companies.
- 95% interval
- 1.2× to 1.4×
- Companies
- 7,431
- Measurements
- 2, independent
Source: Hunch Lab, cohort study of 1,141,228 Belgian companies. Compared within sector, size and age, with companies active in the same period.hunchleads.com/en/lab
Does it hold up?
Each measurement uses different companies and a different period. A link only counts if it shows up in both.
| Measurement | Period | With the event | Similar | Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial year 2024 | event in 2023, workforce in the 2024 accounts | 11.6% | 7.8% | 1.5× |
| Financial year 2025 | event in 2024, workforce in the 2025 accounts | 7.5% | 6.0% | 1.2× |
Technical note
Methodology- Design
- Retrospective cohort study
- Population studied
- 1,141,228 Belgian companies (the full business register)
- Comparison group
- Same sector (NACE section) and headcount band, indirect standardisation
- Cohorts
- event in 2023, workforce in the 2024 accounts; event in 2024, workforce in the 2025 accounts
- Observed and expected
- 564 cases, 451 expected
- Factor (95% interval)
- 1.3× (1.2× to 1.4×)
- Multiple testing
- q < 0.001 (Benjamini-Hochberg)
- Second measurement
- p = 0.055
- Employers only
- n/a
- Data up to
- September 2026
Cite this findingFree to reuse with attribution (CC BY 4.0).
Hunch Lab (2026). Companies that receive a training or advisory grant are no more likely to grow their workforce strongly. Data up to September 2026. https://hunchleads.com/en/lab/subsidie-opleiding-advies-personeelgroeiAbout Hunch Lab
Hunch Lab is the research programme of Hunch. Every finding is free to reuse with attribution. Questions are welcome.
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