The causes of absenteeism in Dutch municipalities: Three key issues
These causes are systemic and recognizable in large organizations, but are particularly complex for municipalities because of their public role.
High workload without autonomy
The workload in municipalities is not only high, but also unpredictable and intense. Employees struggle daily with complex urban problems and social challenges. This workload becomes toxic when employees have no control over their tasks, no time to recover and feel that their efforts lead nowhere. The result? Burnout and exhaustion - a pattern that many municipalities recognize.
Aggression and violence without proper support
Dealing with angry citizens is part of municipal work. Verbal aggression and even physical violence are real risks. But these become dangerous if there is no organizational support. Without training in dealing with aggression, care after an incident or a sense of security, employees are at risk of PTSD, anxiety disorders and long-term absenteeism.
Constant change without a clear vision
Reorganizations are common in municipalities, and political changes bring shifting priorities. Change itself is not the problem - poor communication is. When employees do not feel heard and a clear vision for the future is not provided, the result is chronic unrest, uncertainty about job security and ultimately stress-related absenteeism.
Why this absenteeism could have been prevented
Absenteeism is no accident. It is the number one indicator of a dysfunctional work environment - an environment shaped by years of policy choices that treated employee experience as an afterthought rather than a strategic priority.
The problem? Leaders often make decisions based on short-term optimization. In municipalities, this short-term thinking is fueled by political turnover. New aldermen bring new priorities and destabilize the organization. The long-term well-being of employees is pushed aside.
The solution lies in a strong HR strategy - one that treats employees and organizational goals as partners, not opposites.
How to effectively address absenteeism: Lessons from the municipality of The Hague
At ImpactWork, we help municipalities develop sustainable HR policies.
Using a systematic, proven approach, we start not with the symptoms - but with the root causes of absenteeism.
And we've shown that it works - at the municipality of The Hague. They faced a similar challenge: "How do we modernize our HR to meet long-term goals and adapt to the changing needs of our employees?"
Their HR team regularly received complaints about the quality of service, but had no insight into actual satisfaction among employees and managers.
Our systematic approach consisted of six concrete steps:
- Inventory of existing HR documents and strategies.
- Active involvement of relevant stakeholders
- Mapping how HR services are actually perceived by employees and managers
- Co-creating solutions together with HR professionals
- Developing a vision of the future that anticipates trends
- Translating that vision into actionable steps and technological solutions
The result was a strategic HR framework for 2030 that works for both the organization and its employees.
As Anneke Laoutaris, deputy HR director of the municipality of The Hague, put it:
"It radiates so much ambition, strength, and development. It's a clear statement of who we want to be as HR, and why we do what we do: for the employees."
