More than half of people who work from home would struggle to return to the office full-time because their home and working lives have become so intertwined, according to a survey for the FNV union and current affairs show Nieuwsuur.
The most common reasons for the 3,000 workers not to increase their office hours were concerns about declining productivity, more time spent commuting and a negative impact on their health and well-being.
Businesses have tried to encourage their staff to spend more time in the office since the end of the coronavirus pandemic, but none of the Netherlands’ 25 largest companies said they require their employees to leave the house five days a week.
Jelle Kajim, who works for HR support company Remote, told Nieuwsuur he valued the flexibility of working from home.
“We have 2,000 people, but we don’t have any offices,” he said. “In 10 years I’ve never worked in an office and sometimes I’m curious about it.
“I recently had to go to Paris for work, but I don’t see myself sitting in a metro train every day.”
Booking.com case
Travel website Booking.com won a court case last month against its works council, which objected to the company’s plans to compel staff to spend 40% of their contracted hours at its head office in Amsterdam.
The judge in the case remarked that it was “very normal” for people to travel to work two days a week, but only around a quarter of the company’s staff currently do so.
Other major employers said they had embraced the concept of homeworking in recent years. Just 14% of new collective bargaining agreements in 2019 made arrangements for working from home, but last year the proportion rose to 38%.
A spokesman for insurer Nationale Nederlanden said it promoted a balanced approach, with staff encouraged to spend two days a week in the office.
“The strength of working in the office lies mainly in co-operation, innovation, development and social conections. The strength of home working lies in flexibility, concentration and a good balance between work and private life,” a spokesman said.
Rabobank, which does not have a minimum office-time requirement, said: “We see no reason to set a target for presenteeism. Our experiences with hybrid working are positive.”
