Long queues at Schiphol, extreme waiting times for surgeries and unmanned trains are a common sight. The reason for this is the extreme shortages in the labor market. There are currently almost half a million vacancies. Paying and guiding employees better and changing the policy can be part of the solution. However, the consumer also has to learn how to wait again.
Delay in a fast-paced society
Having to wait for a passport for a few weeks or months before you can get your driver’s license. This is a bit of a shock for consumers who are normally helped quickly and do not have to wait long. Professor of social and economic history Hein Klemann of the ESHCC mentions that people in the Netherlands have become accustomed to this, "but this situation appears to be untenable". There are currently almost half a million vacancies, leading to extreme shortages in the labor market. As a result, many processes are currently delayed, which means that people have to wait more often and longer.
We are not used to waiting
The professor thinks it worrying that entire sectors of society can stand still due to minor logistical inconveniences. Train connections are unmanned and tunnels are closed because of some employees calling in sick. “During the corona pandemic, the Netherlands was no longer able to produce a few million facemasks or basic medicine like paracetamol. It shocks me." Klemann points out that some companies in the Netherlands have started to look differently at their production chain. “They no longer see inventory as a useless cost item. That seems like a good development to me."
- More information
In this article from de Volkskrant, Klemann, among others, tells more about how Dutch society can be more patient for these kinds of situations.