University receives four warnings from Labour Inspectorate

The Labour Inspectorate has issued four warnings to Erasmus University. The university has insufficient insight into the causes of workload and the risk factors for undesirable behaviour, meaning it is unclear whether its policies are genuinely addressing these problems.

At the beginning of the summer, the Labour Inspectorate stated in a warning letter that the university had ‘insufficient insight into why workload arises and which factors contribute to it’. Risk factors for undesirable behaviour had also not been identified clearly enough.

Because the university does not have a sufficient picture of the causes of workload and the risks of undesirable behaviour, it cannot demonstrate that its policies and measures to address workload and undesirable behaviour are doing what they are supposed to do.

Nine months to act

The inspectorate has therefore issued four warnings to the university. It visited the university in December, February and March. The Executive Board received the warning letter in July. In the letter, the inspectorate also emphasised that the university is already conducting a great deal of research into workload and undesirable behaviour, and has taken many measures to tackle both problems.

The Labour Inspectorate has given the university nine months to gain more insight into the causes of workload and the risks of undesirable behaviour. The university has a year and a half to demonstrate that its policies are effective. If a subsequent inspection finds the same or similar shortcomings, the university could be fined, the letter states.

Leiden is the exception

In 2020, the Labour Inspectorate called on universities to address workload and undesirable behaviour. Four years later, the inspectorate surveyed more than nine thousand researchers and lecturers, which showed that little had changed. An official inspection has now taken place at all universities.

At almost all universities, the inspectorate found similar violations. Only Leiden University received no warnings, chair of the Executive Board Annelien Bredenoord said in the University Council on Tuesday.

‘Structural approach’

In a message on MyEUR on Wednesday, the university announced improvements. These include analysing risks, working on a ‘more structured approach to identifying workload pressures and inappropriate behaviour, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of measures’, and updating the action plan to address workload. A ‘roadmap’ setting out the next steps is due by the end of October.

“The inspectorate’s view that our approach to workload and undesirable behaviour is still insufficient affects us, because ultimately this is about the wellbeing of our people”, the Executive Board told EM through a spokesperson. “The inspectorate has shown us where we can strengthen our approach, and we take those signals seriously.”