Flexible hours most important employment condition to Netherlands workers

Except for salary, flexible working hours is the most important employment condition for Netherlands workers, according to a survey done by Intelligence Group on the Dutch workforce's most desired employment conditions. This year is the first time ever that flexible working hours comes out on top, more than 40 percent of respondents ranked it as their number one condition. Travel expenses compensation and a proper pension plan came in second and third. The importance attached to a pension plan is directly related to the age of the worker, the survey found. 49 percent of the workforce aged 50 and older ranked pension plan as the most important employment condition. Where a good pension plan is only important to about a quarter of the people just entering the workforce. According to Intelligence Group, this can partly be attributed to younger workers feeling that retirement is still far in the future and partly to the fact that this generation has little confidence in the pension system. When it comes to working conditions, the survey found that men are more focused on financial terms than women. For men a good pension plan, a company car and a bonus scheme are important. Women place more value in flexible working hours and the ability to work from home. Here follows the list of the most important working conditions for the Dutch workforce:

1. Flexible working hours
2. Travel expense compensation
3. Pension plan
4. Free time/holidays
5. Bonus/13th check
6. Possibility to work from home
7. Study and training budget
8. Overtime compensation
9. Attention to proper work space and working conditions
10. Contribution towards health insurance