More Dutch shops have English-speaking staff due to staff shortages, diversity ambitions

It is increasingly common to encounter an employee who can’t speak Dutch in supermarkets and other stores in the Netherlands. That is mainly due to the tight labor market - shops have had to drop their requirement that employees can speak Dutch to fill their vacancies, NOS reports after surveying various chains. But many also cite diversity as a reason to employ people who speak other languages.

Zeeman required Dutch until this year. “Since the labor market has become so tight, Dutch is no longer a strict requirement,” a spokesperson told NOS. “That gives us a little more space; we can place people a little more easily.” The chain only uses non-Dutch speakers in branches where the manager can speak English. Zeeman estimates that less than 1 percent of employees who have customer contact do not speak Dutch.

Hema also cited labor shortages for employing English speakers. “Our branch managers ensure a good balance between Dutch and English-speaking employees,” a spokesperson said. “In the cities, there are more English-speaking customers, so also more English-speaking employees. It is important that our store staff reflects society.”

Jumbo’s goal with employing people who don’t speak Dutch is diversity, a spokesperson said. “We strive for diversity across the board and believe in a culture in which colleagues are different. Especially in metropolitan areas, you also see that some customers also prefer to communicate in English. Naturally, we ensure that there are always Dutch-speaking colleagues present as well.”

Action aims to have a workforce “that reflects our diverse customer base.” Plus prefers to employ Dutch speakers but won’t turn down English-speaking candidates if they are suitable for the vacancy. Albert Heijn employees have been allowed to speak Dutch or English for quite some time.

Drugstore chains Etos and Kruidvat still require that employees be able to speak Dutch. “To be able to properly help and advise customers,” a Kruidvat spokesperson said. However, there are some exceptions. “For example, we have a collaboration with the municipality of Amsterdam to offer people from Ukraine a job,” the Kruidvat spokesperson said.

Smaller, independent stores still usually require Dutch, NOS found.