Economic indicators for January 2025 present a mixed picture for the Netherlands, as unemployment rates have seen slight increases alongside significant rises in sick leave rates attributed to health setbacks, largely from flu cases.
According to CBS (Statistics Netherlands), the rise in unemployment has less to do with job losses than with more people actively seeking work. "This was not a result of more people losing their jobs, but of more people seeking for a job but not finding one immediately," CBS stated. From November 2024 to January 2025, there was an average monthly increase of 3,000 unemployed individuals, even as 15,000 found work, bringing the total employment figures to 9.8 million.
At the same time, 3.6 million people aged 15 to 74 were without paid employment, which includes 386,000 officially classified as unemployed. Another 3.2 million were not actively seeking work or were not available immediately for work. Strikingly, the number of people outside the labor force has risen by 17,000 per month on average over the past three months.
Youth unemployment appears to be the most affected demographic, with rates climbing from 8.7% to 8.9%. While youth unemployment has shown increases recently, it remains significantly lower than the highs experienced in prior years. The overall percentage of young people employed had been rising since 2021 until the minor decline recorded at the start of this year.
On the health front, sick leave rates among the workforce skyrocketed, reaching levels not seen since the mid-pandemic period. According to data from occupational health groups such as ArboNed and HumanCapitalCare, the sick leave rate for January 2025 was 85 per 1,000 workers up from just 52 per 1,000 the previous month—a sharp variation indicating significant health concerns.
The Dutch Health Institute (RIVM) linked this surge to flu cases, which have reached the highest levels since 2020. "Although short-term absenteeism due to flu-like symptoms is always higher during winter months, this year we are seeing the largest increase within one month over the past four years," noted Iris Homeijer, company doctor and director of medical affairs at HumanCapitalCare.
Employers face unique challenges with this high level of absenteeism, particularly when multiple employees call out sick at the same time, creating pressure on those who remain at work. "It is, of course, important to take preventive measures, such as keeping distance, washing hands more often, and ventiling rooms well," said Homeijer. Excessive pressure on healthy workers could be counterproductive, prompting medical professionals to suggest employers handle work distribution more efficiently during times of high sick leave.
Research from the Dutch trade union CNV indicates one out of five employees feel pressured to return to work quickly after illness, increasing the risk of infecting colleagues and leading to longer absences. Homeijer insists, "When someone returns too quickly, this increases the chance of infecting colleagues and can possibly even lead to longer absence." This reflects the delicate balance workplaces must maintain between operational capacity and employee health.
Some companies are adopting what’s termed the “runny nose protocol,” allowing those with flu-like symptoms to work from home if they’re still able. Homeijer views this shift positively, stating, "I see this as a positive development, where the emphasis is on what someone can still do, emphasizing their health and the health of others." This initiative may pave the way for more flexible workplace policies moving forward.
Overall, as January 2025 draws to a close, the Netherlands faces both employment and health challenges. The concerning rise of sick leave rates, coupled with the subtle rises in unemployment figures, lays bare the interplay between public health and economic stability. The country’s readiness to tackle these issues will be pivotal as it progresses through the remaining months of the year.