Unit labour costs; national accounts
| Industries and sectors | Periods | Unit labour costs per worker not adjusted (index 2021=100) | Unit labour costs per worker seasonally adjusted (index 2021=100) | Unit labour costs per hour worked not adjusted (index 2021=100) | Unit labour costs per hour worked seasonally adjusted (index 2021=100) | Labour costs per employee not adjusted (1 000 euro) | Labour costs per employee seasonally adjusted (1 000 euro) | Labour costs per hour worked by employee not adjusted (euro) | Labour costs per hour worked by employee seasonally adjusted (euro) | Value added per worker not adjusted (1 000 euro) | Value added per worker seasonally adjusted (1 000 euro) | Value added per hour worked not adjusted (euro) | Value added per hour worked seasonally adjusted (euro) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-U All economic activities | 2024 1st quarter* | 116.1 | 118.4 | 115.5 | 119.1 | 14.4 | 15.0 | 40.4 | 43.7 | 22.2 | 22.7 | 59.3 | 62.1 |
| A-U All economic activities | 2024 2nd quarter* | 127.6 | 119.3 | 129.9 | 120.0 | 16.7 | 15.2 | 50.2 | 44.3 | 23.4 | 22.8 | 65.5 | 62.5 |
| A-U All economic activities | 2024 3rd quarter* | 113.6 | 120.3 | 113.8 | 120.3 | 14.2 | 15.4 | 43.7 | 44.9 | 22.4 | 23.0 | 65.1 | 63.1 |
| A-U All economic activities | 2024 4th quarter* | 123.0 | 122.3 | 122.9 | 122.3 | 16.0 | 15.7 | 45.1 | 45.7 | 23.4 | 22.9 | 62.1 | 63.3 |
| A-U All economic activities | 2025 1st quarter* | 121.6 | 123.6 | 120.6 | 123.6 | 15.2 | 15.8 | 43.4 | 46.3 | 22.4 | 22.9 | 61.0 | 63.4 |
| A-U All economic activities | 2025 2nd quarter* | 132.8 | 124.2 | 134.5 | 124.0 | 17.5 | 15.9 | 53.7 | 46.7 | 23.6 | 23.0 | 67.6 | 63.8 |
| A-U All economic activities | 2025 3rd quarter* | 118.6 | 125.7 | 118.4 | 125.3 | 14.9 | 16.2 | 45.9 | 47.2 | 22.6 | 23.1 | 65.8 | 63.8 |
| A-U All economic activities | 2025 4th quarter* | 127.1 | 126.5 | 126.6 | 126.3 | 16.7 | 16.4 | 47.2 | 47.9 | 23.6 | 23.2 | 63.1 | 64.2 |
| A-U All economic activities | 2026 1st quarter* | 124.7 | 127.0 | 123.4 | 126.6 | 15.8 | 16.5 | 45.2 | 48.2 | 22.7 | 23.2 | 62.0 | 64.5 |
| A-U All economic activities | 2026 2nd quarter* | 136.0 | 127.3 | 137.7 | 127.0 | 18.1 | 16.6 | 55.8 | 48.6 | 23.9 | 23.3 | 68.7 | 64.8 |
| Source: CBS. | |||||||||||||
Table explanation
This table contains data on unit labour costs (labour costs include the total employee wages paid by employers plus taxes on labour costs minus labour cost subsidies). Unit labour costs are often calculated on the basis of the number of workers. However, the number of hours worked provides a more reliable measure of the use of labour. For this reason, the table also shows unit labour costs based on hours worked. In addition to the original figures, the table also includes seasonally adjusted figures. Unit labour costs are broken down into 13 economic sectors based on the Netherlands’ Standard Industrial Classification 2008 (SBI 2008).
Data available from: Q1 1996.
Status of the figures:
The figures for the three most recent years are provisional and may be adjusted on the basis of new or updated statistical source information and/or reconciliation with more recent data from the national accounts.
Last changed 30 September 2026:
The figures for Q2 2026 have been added to this table.
When will new figures be published?
The figures are published three months after the end of each quarter. When the figures for Q4 are calculated, the figures for the previous three quarters of that year are also updated. By the time of publication, the figures for the previous quarters may have changed. This is because after the publication of Q4 (when the figures for the first three quarters are also updated), the quarterly figures are updated three more times: with each new annual estimate, the quarterly figures are adjusted so that they continue to add up to the new annual figure. This is done for the first time in June and for the second time one year later when the definitive annual figures are published. The quarterly figures are also updated the following year, without any change to the annual totals. In addition, a number of series with quarterly figures are adjusted for seasonal effects. Every time a new quarter is added, the seasonal adjustment is applied to the entire series, potentially affecting all quarters. However, adjustments to figures previously published are usually minor.
Description topics
- Unit labour costs per worker
- Unit labour costs per worker are defined as the ratio of total labour costs per employee to gross value added per worker (employees and self-employed persons). Value added is generated by both employees and self-employed persons, while labour costs relate only to employees. The results are presented in the form of an index (2021=100).
- not adjusted
- seasonally adjusted
- Unit labour costs per hour worked
- Unit labour costs based on hours worked are defined as the ratio of labour costs per hour worked by employees to the gross value added per hour worked by each worker (including both employees and self-employed persons). Value added is generated by both employees and self-employed persons, while labour costs relate only to employees. The results are presented in the form of an index (2021=100).
- not adjusted
- seasonally adjusted
- Labour costs per employee
- Total labour costs for employees divided by the number of employees. Labour costs include wages paid to employees by their employers plus taxes on labour costs minus subsidies for labour costs.
- not adjusted
- seasonally adjusted
- Labour costs per hour worked by employee
- Total labour costs for employees divided by the total number of hours worked by employees. Labour costs include wages paid to employees by their employers plus taxes on labour costs minus subsidies for labour costs.
- not adjusted
- seasonally adjusted
- Value added per worker
- Gross value added at basic prices divided by the number of workers (employees and self-employed persons). Gross value added is the value of all goods and services produced (the production value or output) minus the value of goods and services consumed during production (intermediate consumption). Value added is expressed in basic prices, which reflects the amount received by manufacturers.
- not adjusted
- seasonally adjusted
- Value added per hour worked
- Gross value added at basic prices divided by the number of hours worked by workers (employees and self-employed persons). Gross value added is the value of all goods and services produced (the production value or output) minus the value of goods and services consumed during production (intermediate consumption). Value added is expressed in basic prices, which reflects the amount received by manufacturers. Gross domestic product is used for calculations that concern the economy as a whole.
- not adjusted
- seasonally adjusted