1. 🌱 Employee experience: not bonuses, but strategy
In the Netherlands (EX) became the same KPI as NPS or ROI.
“Happy employees are the best investors in the business,” they say Heineken.
They created a platform “MyLife @Heineken”where everyone can choose their own development path — from career growth to mental health.
Booking.com have gone even further — since the moment of hiring, the newcomer already has a personalized digital onboarding, and then an internal portal with courses, mentoring and a career map.
📊 According to Gallup (2023), the Netherlands is in the top 5 EU countries in terms of employee satisfaction.
2. 📈 Data-driven HR: numbers don't lie
Modern HR in the Netherlands is all about analytics. Companies do not just “feel” the mood, but Measure them.
Randstad, one of the leaders in recruiting, uses HR analytics to:
- determination of command fluidity and causes of burnout,
- optimization of compensation policy according to market trends,
- forecasting the need for soft and hard skis 6—12 months in advance.
The Shell launched a global HR dashboard: each HRBP sees real-time employee engagement, productivity and mobility metrics.
🧠 “Analytics is the new superpower of HR,” they say Google Netherlands.
3. 🌍 DEI: fashion term or really works?
In Dutch business DEI is not about beautiful slides, but about processes.
- IN Adidas Nederland even at the vacancy stage, “language bias” is eliminated using NLP algorithms.
- Bol.com introduced “inclusive committees” in each department — they analyze how the company's policies are reflected in different groups of employees.
- Albert Heijn integrated DEI into training programs for store managers.
📊 According to a survey by Deloitte (2023), 62% of Dutch companies have DEI targets as part of their C-level strategy.
4th. 🤖 HRTech: chatbots, platforms, automation
Harrows, an HR-tech company with an office in Amsterdam, automates hiring in companies such as IKEA and Albert Heijn:
- chatbot conducts an initial interview,
- online assessment of soft skills,
- automatic appointment of an interview.
IKEA Netherlands also uses digital onboarding for warehouse and store employees — the interactive course takes place directly on the smartphone.
✅ Conclusion
Dutch companies are building the HR of the future today: with numbers, technology, focus on the person. Their approach is not about “coffee and fruit in the kitchen”, but about a real experience that keeps the best talent in the middle. And there is something to learn. Therefore, we invite you to join our HR Tour to the Netherlands July 28 - August 1, to witness in person how the HR culture is changing and take on the expertise of experts in the field.
