The Labor Inspectorate is conducting a tour of all public universities for a general investigation into the approach to high work loads and undesirable behavior, also known as psychosocial work pressure.

According to the inspectorate, these factors are key risk indicators for serious health problems. “This includes long-term absenteeism or even disability, which not only affects individual employees but can also impact continuity within organizations.”

Psychosocial work pressure

Psychosocial work pressure has long been a problem for employees at universities, the Labor Inspectorate writes on its website. In 2020, the inspectorate asked universities to draw up action plans to tackle workload and inappropriate behavior.

In a follow-up investigation in 2024, the inspectorate examined to what extent universities had implemented improvements since then and what effects those measures had achieved. 

The sub-report on TU/e showed that the university still lacked sufficient insight into the causes of high work pressure and undesirable behavior, and the effectiveness of measures to combat these issues. The Executive Board promised improvements. 

Survey

Last year's Employee Experience Survey confirms this picture. A majority of employees indicated that they experienced high work pressure, and there was an increase in undesirable behavior compared to the survey conducted three years earlier.

The Labor Inspectorate is now conducting a new evaluation of the approach to these themes at all universities and will visit TU/e on April 21 and May 19 for this purpose.