Starting a job in a new country isn’t only about getting used to a new role or a new company. There are also some small things you only discover once you start working there. The Netherlands definitely has a few of those.
At Wypoon, many of our colleagues and consultants have moved to the Netherlands from different parts of the world. We often talk about the practical side of moving here, but there are also the everyday things that take some getting used to.
Here are a few Dutch workplace habits you might recognize or might soon discover yourself.
The lunch walk is a real thing 🚶
Finished your lunch? There’s a good chance someone will ask: “Shall we go for a walk?”
The lunchwandeling is quite common in Dutch workplaces. After lunch, colleagues head outside for 15 or 20 minutes to get some fresh air, have a chat and get away from their screens.
And don’t assume a bit of rain will cancel it 😊 This is the Netherlands, after all.
It’s also one of the easiest ways to have a more casual conversation with your colleagues. Somehow, conversations on a walk are often very different from conversations in a meeting room.
Lunch might be simpler than you expect 🥪
If you’re used to having a hot meal at lunchtime, Dutch office lunches can take some getting used to.
A couple of sandwiches, cheese, cold cuts, a broodje, fruit or yoghurt can be a perfectly normal lunch.
Of course, every workplace is different and international teams bring their own lunch habits with them. But the classic Dutch bread and cheese lunch is certainly still around.
Quick lunch, coffee, maybe a walk and back to work.
Coffee is part of the working day ☕
“Coffee?”
You’ll probably hear this one regularly.
Going to the coffee machine is a small break in the day, but also a chance to catch up with someone or quickly discuss something without scheduling another meeting.
Especially when you’re new, joining these little coffee breaks can be a good way to get to know people.
And after a while, you’ll probably be the one asking: “Anyone want coffee?”
It's your birthday… so you bring the cake 🎂
This one surprises quite a few newcomers.
In many Dutch workplaces, if it’s your birthday, you bring something for your team. Cake, pastries, chocolates or another traktatie it’s up to you.
Yes, you read that correctly. It’s your birthday and you’re buying the cake.
Luckily, everyone else has a birthday too 😊
The Dutch really do love their agendas 📅
Want to have lunch with a colleague next week?
Better check the agenda.
Planning ahead is very normal in the Netherlands, both at work and outside it. Meetings obviously go into the calendar, but so can lunches, coffee catch ups and after work drinks.
So don’t be surprised if “We should have coffee sometime” is immediately followed by two people opening their calendars.
Going home on time is normal 🏡
You may notice that when the working day is over, people actually leave.
Staying late every evening isn’t necessarily seen as proof that you’re working harder. Having time for family, friends, sports or whatever else you do outside work is generally accepted and respected.
You’ll also meet some people who work four days a week or have a fixed day off. “I don’t work on Wednesdays” is a completely normal sentence to hear.
It can feel different if you’re coming from a working culture where long hours are more common.
Dutch directness can be… direct 💬
“I don’t agree.”
No long introduction. No carefully wrapped message. Just straight to the point.
Dutch communication has a reputation for being direct, and you’ll probably notice it at work too. Colleagues are generally comfortable sharing their opinion, asking questions or disagreeing with each other including with their manager.
If you’re used to a more indirect communication style, it can sound a little harsh at first.
Most of the time, though, it’s simply meant to be clear. You know where you stand, and you’re usually expected to be just as open in return.
And then there's the VrijMiBo 🥂
Sooner or later, you’ll probably hear the word borrel.
And if it happens on a Friday afternoon, you might hear the term VrijMiBo: short for vrijdagmiddagborrel, which literally translates to “Friday afternoon drinks.”
It’s basically a chance to finish the week with colleagues over a drink and some snacks. How often it happens and how big it is depends completely on the company. For some teams it’s a regular Friday tradition; for others, it’s more occasional.
Either way, borrel is definitely a useful word to add to your Dutch vocabulary.
The little things you learn along the way
When you first move to the Netherlands, most of your attention goes to the big things: finding somewhere to live, registering with the municipality, arranging insurance and starting your new job.
Nobody really tells you about the lunch walks, birthday cake or the colleague who already has their holidays planned six months ahead.
Those are the things you pick up along the way.
At Wypoon, we hear many of these stories from our consultants and colleagues who have made the move themselves. Some Dutch habits take a little getting used to, some are easy to adopt, and others might eventually become part of your own routine.
And who knows a few months from now, you might be the one asking your colleagues:
“Lunch walk?”
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