"Toxic" work culture at Haagse Hogeschool; Over 100 reports of bullying, abuse of power
Employees of The Hague University of Applied Sciences, known as De Haagse Hogeschool in Dutch, complain of a “toxic” work environment. The institution’s Ombudsman has received over 100 reports of intimidation, bullying, and abuse of power over the past two years, prompting an investigation by the Labour Inspectorate, Omroep West reported, after a group of lecturers came to the broadcaster. The Ombudsman and trade union FNV confirmed their story.
“Vulnerable employees, particularly older colleagues and international colleagues, are being explicitly pressured at all levels within the organization,” the lecturers said, asking to remain anonymous. “The situation is toxic and is getting worse.”
Due to the unrest, the four major education unions organized an extra meeting on “neutral ground” last month, Floor van Grouw of FNV told the broadcaster. “That says something, too, that people feel more comfortable when they can express things on neutral ground,” Van Grouw said. About 20 employees attended. “The main purpose was for them to be able to express the issues they are facing.”
According to Van Grouw, there is a culture of fear at the higher education institution. “There is a clear tension between employees and managers. They also call it a ‘take-back culture.’ They do not dare to tell their direct supervisor everything because they are afraid that it will come back like a boomerang later.”
The Staff Ombudsman at the university received 57 reports in 2024 and 48 in 2025 about an unsafe working environment. Most were about “insecurity caused by supervisors and/or colleagues,” according to the broadcaster. Abuses include intimidation, bullying, threats, abuse of power, false accusations, transgressive behavior, and threats of a negative performance review.
The Labour Inspectorate launched an investigation into the working conditions at The Hague University of Applied Sciences last year. “The Inspectorate concluded that the risk of internal undesirable behavior needed to be investigated more concretely. Naturally, we listened to that and took action,” a spokesperson for the school told Omroep West.
The Hogeschool’s spokesperson said that the subject is high on the agenda. “It naturally affects us that there are employees who do not feel safe within The Hague University of Applied Sciences. We know that improvement is still needed; we are aware of that and are working on it daily,” they told the broadcaster.
The school has engaged an external agency to help bring about a cultural change. “The Labour Inspectorate report identifies several structural areas for improvement, particularly regarding workload, recovery, social safety, and governance,” the spokesperson said. “We endorse these findings and will set to work under expert guidance on an action plan aimed at reducing workload, strengthening recovery and balance, setting clear standards for social safety, and increasing coherence in governance.”
The trade unions hold regular consultations with the school regarding the situation. “We have an organized meeting four times a year,” FNV representative Van Grouw said. “At the moment, there isn’t actually much news to report yet, but I do have the impression that the board is gradually taking it more seriously.”
