2006 National Working Conditions Survey 26.10.2007
An investigation into working conditions in the Netherlands is carried out every year via the National Working Conditions Survey (NWCS). 24,100 employees completed a questionnaire in 2006. The response is a snapshot of the Dutch working population (excluding self-employed people). A number of findings from the 2006 NWCS are striking. The survey found that 16% of Dutch employees had flexible contracts in 2006. These are temporary contracts of employment, which may or may not lead to permanent employment. They were most common among people under 25 (54%). Only 6% of people over 55 in work were on contracts of this
An investigation into working conditions in the Netherlands is carried out every year via the National Working Conditions Survey (NWCS). 24,100 employees completed a questionnaire in 2006. The response is a snapshot of the Dutch working population (excluding self-employed people).
A number of findings from the 2006 NWCS are striking. The survey found that 16% of Dutch employees had flexible contracts in 2006. These are temporary contracts of employment, which may or may not lead to permanent employment. They were most common among people under 25 (54%). Only 6% of people over 55 in work were on contracts of this kind. They were most frequently found in the catering and agriculture sectors (39 and 23% respectively).
The NWCS also asked about bullying by customers, superiors and colleagues. In 2006, almost 25% of Dutch employees reported having been at the receiving end of intimidating behaviour by customers. Fifteen per cent said that they had felt threatened by a superior or a colleague.
Employees also had the opportunity to report how often they had to do dangerous work. Six per cent said that they had to do this regularly, while 19% said that this was the case occasionally. Three-quarters reported that they never had to do dangerous work. Three in a hundred employees stated that they had been off work as a result of an accident at the workplace in 2006.
Employees were given the opportunity to indicate the areas in which they felt that more action should be taken. Around 18% thought that measures to combat pressure and stress at work were 'very necessary', especially in the education and healthcare sectors. About 10% of workers wanted action to combat RSI, particularly in the financial services sector. Finally, it was interesting to see that 26% of the respondents intended to keep on working until the age of 65. The figure in 2005 was only 21%. The policy of encouraging employees to work until later in life seems to be having an impact.
Sources: www.tno.nl/nea en www.cbs.nl/statline
