76% of Dutch workers expect a pleasant working atmosphere from an employer. Work-life balance follows at 68%, interesting work at 57%. A good salary and benefits only come fourth, at 54%. That is the finding of Randstad's Employer Brand Research, a Kantar survey of more than 13,000 Dutch people aged 18 to 67, published in May.
Why people leave
The reasons to leave look the same. 44% name a negative work environment. 42% find the work not interesting enough, 41% earn too little and 40% want a better work-life balance. Salary counts, but it is rarely the only reason.
What that means in an interview
A candidate who says it is about money often tells half the story. Ask further and you hear about a manager, a team, or work that no longer challenges. That is the real reason for leaving, and it decides whether the new job is better. An employer who competes on salary alone sometimes wins the candidate and loses them again a year later.
What you can do
- Let a candidate meet the team before the offer. A lunch or an afternoon on the floor says more about the atmosphere than a job ad.
- In the first conversation, ask why someone wants to leave, and keep asking until you hear about the work environment, not just salary.
- Be specific about work-life balance: working from home, fixed days off, the actual working week.
Source: Randstad, Employer Brand Research 2026, 21 May 2026 (in Dutch).
Pearson & Partners qualifies candidates on their real reason for leaving before we introduce them.