Dutch discrimination on the rise: 800,000 employees feel discriminated against in the workplace

According to a recent survey on working conditions in the Netherlands, 10% of employees felt discriminated against in 2022.

The National Survey on Working Conditions or Nationale Enquête Arbeidsomstandigheden (NEA), of the statistics agency CBS and research organisation TNO, is based on 61,000 employees who completed the survey. 

According to NU.nl, the main reasons for discrimination against employees were origin, race, age, and gender.

Survey results reveal the truth

Figures from the NEA show that discrimination is still present in workplaces. Of the employees who felt discriminated against:

• 35% said they experienced discriminatory remarks, disregard or exclusion 
• 25% felt that they had less chance of promotion
• 17% said they were paid less than they should be
• 6% experienced threats, violence or aggressive behaviour

Translation: How do we achieve an inclusive labour market? The results of the TNO programme on inclusive work 2018-2021 #TNO http://ow.ly/ghB450Lzx1I

Gender discrimination is still showing up, with 4% of women feeling discriminated against because of their gender, in contrast to the less than 1% of men that reported feeling this way.

READ MORE | The Fight for Women’s Suffrage in the Netherlands

Different professions experience more discrimination than others, with the transport and storage sector encountering discrimination more at 12%. Construction and agriculture sectors, on the other hand, are less likely to have discrimination at 6%.

Discrimination has an effect

CBS statistical researcher Luuk Hovius, says that it is difficult to compare results with previous years because different questions were asked in 2022.

READ MORE | 10 things to know before finding work in the Netherlands as an international

Hovius also noted that employees who experienced discrimination were more likely to report sick, and it’s important to take the number of people affected into consideration.

“One in ten employees may not sound like much, but we are talking about 800,000 people,” explains Hovius. “As an employer, you should at least think about this, talk about it and raise it.”

Some actions to prevent discrimination in place

With trainees experiencing discrimination at the start of their careers, a possible solution to end this would be removing the need to apply for internships. This possible solution, however, is still being investigated by the government.

In hopes of reducing age and disability discrimination, the government provides discounts and subsidies for employers who do hire older people and those with disabilities.

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