Fewer people work outside office hours

© CBS
In 2024, 2.3 million people in the Netherlands worked mostly or always in the evening, at night, or on weekends: 23 percent of the employed labour force. That is a decrease from 25 percent in 2021. The most significant decline was seen among those working on Saturdays. This information is based on an analysis of the Labour Force Survey (EBB) conducted by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
In 2024, 29 percent of working people never worked outside office hours, compared to 27 percent in 2021. However, the share of workers who sometimes work in the evenings, at night, or on weekends remained unchanged at 47 percent.


Fewer people work on Saturdays, in particular

The proportion of people working on Saturdays declined in particular. In 2024, 14 percent of people employed worked mostly or always on Saturdays, compared to 16 percent in 2021. The decline was less pronounced among those working on Sundays or in the evenings, while the number of people working at night remained the same.

In 2024, the number of people working mostly or always in the evenings was about the same as the number of those working on Saturdays. Nine percent of people employed worked mostly or always on Sundays, compared to 10 percent in 2021. Night shifts were the least common: in both years, around 3 percent of workers worked mostly or always at night.

Young people are the most likely to work outside office hours

Among the working population aged 15 to 24 years, 55 percent said they work mostly or always outside office hours. This share was significantly higher than in other age groups, where it was less than 20 percent. By contrast, people aged 55 to 64 and 65 to 74 were the most likely to work during office hours: 33 percent of workers said that they never work outside office hours.

Kitchen assistants and livestock farmers are the most likely to work outside office hours

Workers in ICT and business and administration were the least likely to say they work outside office hours, with no more than 10 percent of workers in these groups doing so. However, 52 percent of workers in the service sector work mostly or always in the evening, at night or on weekends.

Among the top ten occupational groups, those working in services — particularly kitchen assistants and chefs — said they work mostly or always outside office hours. Kitchen assistants and livestock farmers are the most likely of any occupational group to work outside office hours at 81 and 79 percent, respectively. Compared to other professions, kitchen assistants are more likely to work in the evenings, while livestock farmers are more likely to work on Saturdays and Sundays.