At the European Telework Online website

"Telework 1998":
Annual Report from the European Commission

3.11 The Netherlands

3.11.1 Summary

The Netherlands has a very successful trading economy, with per capita international trade around twice that of Germany, France or the UK; it also has the highest proportion of employment in services of any EU economy (74% by 1995). With an overall high take up of ICTs and progressive labour market policies, together with well-developed language skills, the country is among the best placed in Europe to gain from the emergence of a global networked economy. An active national Telework Forum supported by a cross section of industry is pursuing both awareness raising and policy development programmes.

Issues include a relatively low level of ICT deployment in schools and among smaller firms. There are skill shortages, especially in high-technology jobs.

3.11.2 Telework background and take-up of ICTs

• The Netherlands economy is characterised by a high proportion of employment in services (highest in Europe); and an overall level of use of ICTs that ranks it among Europe's highest on the main measures:

• It is very much a trading nation, with pro rata twice as high a participation in world trade as (for example) Germany.

• Living standards are high - Netherlands is rated the highest country in Europe in the United Nations human development index. The country has progressive labour market policies, with a strongly analytical and innovative approach to addressing labour market issues.

• Following some years of effort by individuals and the Netherlands Telework Forum, there is now political as well as commercial attention to telework. In the 1998 national elections three political parties referenced telework in their manifestos, focusing on transport and mobility problems and on economic development in less buoyant parties of the country.

• The Transport Ministry has a long-standing interest in telework, and it is now widely seen as part of the solution to the country's endemic road congestion problems - Netherlands has Europe's densest road network relative to size of country. As well as the social and economic costs of road congestion, there is wide and growing popular concern about environmental damage aspects.
• A new tax regulation allows employers to pay a limited tax-free sum to compensate employed teleworkers for costs associated with working at home.
• Other forms of flexible working are well accepted and there is a general consensus about the need for continuing innovation in working methods.
• A successful economy has led to skill shortages, providing the motivation for companies to embrace new methods.
• The established magazine Telewerken is now in its fifth year of publication.
• The Netherlands has an open and caring society and is becoming established as a centre of competence in the use of ICTs for social inclusion, notably ICT training and telework as a means of access to work opportunities for people with mobility problems.

• The high overall level of ICT investment conceals a variable patter, with relatively lower ICT use in Government and in small firms.
• With a net shortage of IT skills, Year 2000 ICT preparedness and Euro implementation are inhibiting implementation of other applications such as remote access to company systems and services.
• "Working at home" is associated with older forms of home working (eg low paid piecework).
• Legislation and regulation is largely based in traditional home working and in some aspects inappropriate for modern teleworkers.
• "Being at home" is associated with sickness rather than with work. Women returning to the workforce want to be in the mainstream rather than remaining at home.
• As everywhere, management resistance and concerns are based on old-style "management by presence", with insufficient adoption of management by objectives and measurement on results.
• The positive pressure for telework generated by road traffic congestion is balanced by the Netherlands' excellent public transport infrastructure, which is being enhanced by innovative use of ICTs to optimise information and journey planning for citizens.

• The Netherlands Telework Forum (NTF) has supported more than 30 seminars addressed to both awareness raising and advice giving.
• The Ministry of Economic Affairs has published brochures about telework and other Information Society applications.
• The Transport Ministry has led pilots and programmes promoting telework for employees as a means of reducing car use and traffic congestion.
• IDC has published estimates and forecasts showing:

• NTF is developing a comprehensive database of case studies, exemplars, surveys etc and has already accumulated some 250 items.
• The annual conference on telework research issues was held in Amsterdam in 1997.
• There are numbers of web sites presenting employment and contract work opportunities, including a proportion of teleworkable offers.
• The Transport Ministry has led pilots and programmes promoting telework for employees as a means of reducing car use and traffic congestion, and has recently published an up-dated "Telewek Handboek" reflecting their eight years of hands-on experience.

3.11.3 Conclusions

Steady growth of telework is anticipated, but considerable acceleration could occur if all the relevant policy initiatives were to come together. Government sees itself as a "launch customer" for Information Society applications and further positive actions could bring rapid take off. All the enablers are there in Holland - pressure from traffic congestion, a flexible labour force, skill shortages and a generally high level of ICTs take up. Concerns include low use of ICTs among small firms and managerial resistance to new management approaches. Continuing promotion, information provision and policy informing is needed to capitalise on the excellent opportunities.

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Page last updated: 12 October 1998