Het gaat niet om de werkdruk maar om hoe we werken

This column is not about work pressure in the traditional sense. It is about something more subtle: cultural pressure.

Before I moved to the Netherlands, I had never heard the term "workload" as frequently as I do now. Coming from a different cultural and professional background, I was genuinely surprised. I found myself thinking: How can there be so much concern about work pressure in a country where many people work 0.8 FTE, have strong employee protections, and receive significant support from management and HR? On paper, everything appears well organised and manageable.

This confusion stayed with me for a long time, and I kept asking myself: If the workload is not excessive, then why does the feeling of pressure exist? Over time, I realised that the pressure is not necessarily in the amount of work itself, but rather in how we work and how we relate to work.

In the Netherlands, the structures are impressive: employee rights are respected, work–life balance is protected, support systems are strong, and HR is always accessible. Management aims to be supportive and transparent. There is genuine openness and care. And yet, conversations about pressure are everywhere, on intranet announcements, in newsletters, and in weekly meetings.

So what creates this pressure?
From my perspective, it is the fear of making mistakes. The enormous focus on avoiding errors, doing everything perfectly, and following procedures precisely can create a constant internal tension. People become hesitant, overly careful, and worried about what could go wrong. Even humour becomes risky, spontaneity disappears, and everything must be planned, discussed, and approved.

We forget something important: we are human. We learn by trying, we grow by experimenting, and sometimes we make mistakes. And that is okay. That should be normal.

As a manager, I also feel this pressure, not from the workload but from a cautious environment. Instead of being exhausted from too much work, we become exhausted from thinking too much about how we work. The process becomes heavier than the work itself.

I truly appreciate Dutch culture: it is inclusive, thoughtful, supportive, and respectful. But sometimes, I miss lightness, humour, and letting go. Work should also be a place where we can laugh together, not at each other, but with each other. A workplace without joy becomes heavy, no matter how well organised it is.

So, perhaps the conversation should shift from workload to work culture.
Maybe the key is not fewer tasks, but more room for fun, creativity, and imperfection. We are not robots; we are people with feelings, ideas, energy, and personality. Work becomes meaningful when we can bring our whole selves into it.

Maybe the answer is simple: Less fear. More humanity. More laughter.

Medewerkersblik is de plek waar medewerkers hun visie delen. Ceren Genç is één van de columnisten die we hebben uitgenodigd voor deze wisselrubriek. Studentenblik biedt opinies van studenten over de universiteit en over gebeurtenissen die de UU-gemeenschap aangaan.

Wat internationale medewerkers en studenten bediscussiëren kun je hier in Staffs' Viewpoint en Students' Viewpoint lezen.