AMSTERDAM- Dutch employers are flexible when it comes to working hours. Almost 75 per cent believe that employees also work outside the nine to five office hours.
This became evident from research commissioned by Mozy and performed under 100 Dutch managers and 101 Dutch employees. Two thirds of Dutch managers don’t mind if employees show up later at the office. Globally, the accepted time for tardiness is approximately 32 minutes. In the Netherlands however, 54 minutes is acceptable. A visit to the dentist or family doctor is usually the reason why workers start later closely followed by transport problems. 70% of managers are also fine with employees leaving the office early because they assume that workers will make up for it at another time. Extended lunch breaks, sending private emails and making private telephone calls also don’t lead to any problems.
Nine to Five
The nine to five working day is less and less commonplace. On average, employees start their working day at 08:04 and end it at 17:04, however, Dutch workers usually add another hour on to this at another location using wireless equipment. 82 per cent have access to their office email account; 58 per cent also have access to the company portal and applications. Over two thirds of all managers therefore find it perfectly okay for them to telephone employees until 18:00; 19 per cent will phone until 19:00 and 18 per cent draws the line at 20:00. More than 25 per cent of the interviewed managers still think that employees should attend the office every day. Two out of five considers one working day at home to be acceptable; 21 per cent think that two days working at home is also acceptable.