Netherlands residents massively switching jobs

The Great Resignation spilled over from the United States to the Netherlands. Netherlands residents are changing jobs and companies en masse, according to research by the benefits agency UWV. About 20 percent of employees switched jobs last year.

In the third quarter of 2022, 5.3 percent of employees had a new employer compared to the previous quarter. That is 404,000 people who switched jobs, a quarter more than before the pandemic and double compared to 10 years ago, the UWV said. In the past year, almost 1.5 million people changed employers. That is about 1 in 5 employees in the Netherlands.

According to UWV labor market analyst Michel van Smoorenburg, this has to do with the massive staff shortages that have emerged in the Dutch labor market since the pandemic ended. “In a tight labor market, workers change jobs more quickly. The risks are less with a switch than in a broad labor market,” he said. Job switchers expect they’ll be able to find something else quickly if the switch turns out to be disappointing.

Due to the high inflation, salary is a big reason for people to switch jobs, Van Smoorenburg said. “Employees review their current job and then weigh the pros and cons of switching. A possible higher wage, more development opportunities, or more favorable employment conditions also play a role in this.”

Due to the tight labor market, employers are looking at this new development with despair. Companies struggle to find replacements for people, especially when it comes to experienced employees.