Dutch organisations may be facing major changes as 46% of employees in the Netherlands say they will be looking for a new job within a year, according to Workforce Pulse 2024, an annual survey conducted by Personio, a European HR software company for small and medium-sized organisations. 

With economic conditions expected to improve this year and into 2025, the survey of over 1,000 employees and 500 HR decision makers in the Netherlands shows that this shift is coming fast. This is further reinforced by the fact that 66% of employees indicate that they are even more motivated to find a new job once economic conditions improve. In total, 34% of Dutch employees are preparing to leave their current role as soon as the economy allows.

The survey also found 51% of companies expect to experience increased employee turnover in the next 12 months, underscoring the urgent need for retention strategies.

Over half of employers (62%) are concerned that employee engagement has declined over the past year, suggesting that the impending shift in the labour market stems from a crisis in employee engagement.

The data also shows that a lack of job satisfaction can lead to low engagement and a potential decline in employee numbers.

Dutch employees increasingly value their work-life balance, less stress and a company culture that supports them. In the survey, 64% of employees say that work is no longer their top priority. They are increasingly looking for fulfilling work, with 36% saying they would like to change careers or industries. In addition, 32% would consider taking a lower salary if another job was more interesting. Further evidence of dissatisfaction is that over a third of employees (36%) say they would like to move to a new career or industry.

In addition to a good work-life balance, employees also find a pleasant work experience important. Good leave arrangements (46%), low stress levels (42%) and a pleasant company culture (42%) are preferred over career development factors such as growth opportunities (41%) and having an impact (18%). 

The report also showed that HR decision makers are aware of the challenges ahead. Their priorities include retaining talent (31%), attracting top talent (29%) and improving employee wellbeing (29%). 

Many organisations (67%) still struggle to find suitable candidates for vacancies. In response, three quarters of organisations (75%) are changing their recruitment processes, with a particular emphasis on attracting and training entry-level employees (75%).