Teachers, lawyers and managers need to focus the most

© ANP / ANP
  • Decline in the share of employees carrying out work that requires a high degree of focus. 
  • In professions that involve the least complex tasks, workers are also the least likely to do work that demands a high degree of focus. 
  • The majority say they find it easy to stay focused.

In 2025, 72 percent of workers in the Netherlands said that their work often or always requires a high degree of focus and attention; this compares to 75 percent in 2015. Employees in occupations that involve complex specialised tasks (occupational level 4) are particularly likely to say that their work requires a high degree of focus: 85 percent. Among employees who do simple and routine physical work (occupational level 1), the proportion is 38 percent. This is according to new figures from the National Working Conditions Survey (NEA) conducted by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and TNO.

Work of teachers is the most likely to demand a high degree of focus and attention

Teachers are the most likely to say that their work often or always requires a high degree of focus and attention (90 percent). Lawyers and managers in the fields of administration and commerce share second place (89 percent for both). Among cleaners and kitchen assistants, transport and logistics workers, workers in construction and manufacturing, and sales staff, less than half say that their work often or always requires a high degree of focus.

Majority say they are able to stay focused

Among the workers who report that their work often or always requires a high degree of focus and attention, the majority find it (very) easy to stay focused. For example, among teachers, just over half say that their work often requires a high degree of focus, but that it is easy to stay focused.

Authors and artists are the most likely to say that their work requires a high degree of focus (9 percent) but that it is difficult to stay focused. This is also relatively common among ICT specialists, marketing, public relations and sales consultants, and engineers and researchers in mathematics, physics and technical sciences.

Young people are the least likely to say that their work demands a high degree of focus

Men and women are equally likely to have jobs that require a high degree of focus; 72 percent for both men and women in 2025. Among young people aged 25 and under, the share is relatively low at 52 percent. They often work in jobs at the lowest occupational level, such as part-time work. However, in cases where their work does demand a high degree of focus, it is relatively easy for young people to stay focused.