Dutch students seek jobs with good financial future in uncertain economic conditions; flexible working continues to grow in importance

Results of the Universum Talent Survey – Netherlands 2023 

– Students and professionals seek jobs with more stability, while uncertain economic circumstances push other career desires to the background. 
– A good work/life balance remains important. 
– Students desire higher salaries and more flexibility, but are less open to a competitive and challenging work environment.
– Dutch companies are gaining popularity among students and professionals, while the promise of an international career is losing its luster. 

Amsterdam, May 24, 2023 – The data-driven employer branding agency Universum (Universum) announces the results of its Talent Survey 2023. Universum surveyed 27,543 Dutch students and 11,683 professionals about their career preferences and ideal employers. 

Prompted by uncertain economic conditions, both students and professionals are looking for jobs with more stability. Compared to last year, this attribute is even one of the few career requirements that is becoming increasingly important. In addition to job security and stability, professionals and students still find a good work/life balance crucial, with flexible working conditions, the possibility of working from home and flexible working hours so that work and private can be well combined. 

Students fear remote working is bad for their careers 

Once again this year, students and professionals indicate that a good work/life balance is the most important feature of a new job. By working from home and having flexible working hours they hope to be able to balance work and private life well. Yet, it is precisely this way of working that also worries the students: they are afraid that the desired flexibility will work against them in their careers. 

For example, 40% of the students are afraid that they will miss important meetings and work initiatives if they are away from the office. Also, 1 in 3 students suspect that their employer prefers employees who do always work in the office, and that they themselves miss out on the opportunity for promotions and salary increase. Professionals share this fear less, although they too think that the salary development will suffer because of remote working. 

All employees – students and professionals – do fear that they will miss social contact with colleagues by working remotely. Employers can address these concerns by offering a clear program in which working from home, remote work and attention to social cohesion is an integral part of the working conditions within the company. 

Healthy balance between working from home and being in the office 

According to students and professionals, the ideal job consists of a combination of remote working and working in the office. What the ideal division is, is not yet clear. Among both the students and professionals, roughly one-third (27% students, 22% professionals) have a preference for working from home one day a week, a third (30% students, 33% professionals) chooses to work remotely two days a week, and a third (29% students, 27% professionals) prefers to schedule it themselves flexibly. In any case, a full remote job is not as enthusiastically received; only 3% of students and of professionals prefer this. 

The eBook with the survey results can be downloaded here. 

About Universum 

Universum is a data-driven employer branding agency. Founded in Stockholm, we are now active in more than 60 countries, with major hubs in Zurich, Paris, Berlin, London, New York, Singapore and Shanghai. In the Universum Talent Survey, conducted in more than 60 markets worldwide is conducted, more than one million students and professionals were surveyed about their preferences among potential employers, career ideas and communication preferences. On basis, we provide our clients with the research, strategy and creative solutions they need to compete more effectively for talent. Most employers pay close attention to communicating their strengths to attract, retain and inspire the best people. These efforts are paying off, as evidenced by Universum’s annual ranking of Most Attractive Employers. While organizations continue to deliberately work on their employer brands to ensure they attract the right talent to the company, talent is also responding positively to employers’ efforts by considering them more broadly as employers. As a result, the competition in the market for key talent has increased.