Nearly a third (29 per cent) of Dutch employees see an employer-provided occupational pension scheme as the top workplace benefit, according to a study from SD Worx.

The European HR service provider found that workplace pension schemes were seen as more important than skill-based bonuses (25 per cent) and performance-based pay (18 per cent).

It said the findings showed that employees were increasingly looking beyond just gross salary when assessing employment conditions, and long-term security was becoming more important.

SD Worx noted that employers were responding to this, with 30.5 per cent effectively offering pension schemes to workers.

Over a fifth (21.4 per cent) also offered pension counselling, while initiatives that helped employees cope with the rising cost of living were offered by 13.1 per cent.

“Employees currently expect more than just a market-rate salary,” said SD Worx chief HR officer, Bruce Fecheyr-Lippens.

“They also want to understand how their wages are determined, what benefits they receive, and how their employer supports them in the long term.

“This makes financial security and transparency two key pillars of current compensation policy.

“The deadline for transposing the European Pay Transparency Directive into local law passed on 7 June 2026, but many member states missed this deadline.

“The expectation is that the directive will be transposed into national law by 1 January 2027, at the latest, and pressure is mounting to achieve this quickly.

“At the same time, organisations are being encouraged to take further steps towards greater transparency and openness regarding their compensation policy.”

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