Netherlands: Managing psychosocial risks in European micro and small enterprises – qualitative evidence from the Third European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER 2019)

This report presents the case of the Netherlands in a qualitative follow-up study of the Third European Survey of Enterprises on New and Emerging Risks (ESENER 2019) on management of psychosocial risks in micro and small enterprises. Interviews with managers and workers in 30 micro and small enterprises show work-related stress due to time pressure as the most frequent psychosocial risk. The report addresses these findings in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The majority of the organisations did not perform risk assessments on psychosocial risks. Companies relied on a practical approach to managing these rather than written policies. The most effective way to manage psychosocial risks was considered to be maintaining a good relationship with employees.

For employers, employee well-being was the main driver for awareness and management of psychosocial risks. Most managers considered not being informed about employee experiences as the main barrier to dealing with psychosocial risks.