{"id":197108,"date":"2026-04-02T14:18:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:18:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=197108"},"modified":"2026-04-02T14:49:02","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:49:02","slug":"medewerkers-eshcc-trekken-aan-de-bel-over-onveilige-werksfeer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2026\/04\/02\/medewerkers-eshcc-trekken-aan-de-bel-over-onveilige-werksfeer\/","title":{"rendered":"Staff ESHCC raise alarm over unsafe working environment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Staff members of the Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC) have expressed concerns about the faculty board in a letter. The 54 signatories paint a picture of a faculty where a lack of transparency, unfair recruitment procedures in promotions and non-inclusive leadership are putting pressure on a safe working climate. The dean says she was shocked. The faculty management is working on improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The letter about the concerns was sent in November to the dean, the faculty council, Safe@EUR (the reporting point for undesirable behaviour) and human resources. The letter is in the possession of EM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A key issue according to the senders of the letter is the lack of transparency. The signatories state that decisions about education, research and organisation are often taken without \u2018prior and meaningful consultation from staff\u2019. Decisions are said to be made in a non-transparent manner by a small group of people trusted by management, who are also regularly appointed to positions and committees that should in fact be open to all staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Promotion and appointment procedures are also under fire: vacancies sometimes appear to be so specifically formulated that they are aimed at one candidate, creating the impression that outcomes are predetermined, according to the signatories. They are also concerned that committee members are often appointed top-down by the ESHCC management team, which can lead to conflicts of interest, for example when supervisors sit on committees of their subordinates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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\n\t\t'The faculty scores worse than almost all other faculties and departments in terms of psychological safety'\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the leadership style is experienced as non-inclusive. The communication style of some members of the management team is said to be \u2018brazen, unsupportive and even counterproductive\u2019, making staff feel that their opinions are \u2018neither sought nor valued\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year\u2019s staff survey showed that the faculty scores worse than almost all other faculties and departments in terms of psychological safety. The faculty also scores above average when it comes to workload and work-related stress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the signatories, the vulnerable financial position of the ESHCC is not the cause of the complaints, but it does worsen the situation. Cost-cutting measures by management are said to negatively affect working conditions: staff experience higher workloads, have fewer resources and less flexibility. This leads to uncertainty about their professional development and career prospects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The signatories say that previous attempts to raise the issues have not led to improvement. That is why they wrote the letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serious signal<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a written response to the signatories in December, dean Martine van Selm, who has led the faculty since 2020, said she considers the letter \u2018a very serious signal\u2019. \u201cWe were also shocked by it\u201d, she says in an interview with EM. \u201cApparently certain issues around transparency, culture and inclusivity are not experienced by everyone in the way we would like.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the dean, the letter was discussed confidentially within the management team, with department heads and the faculty council at the request of the senders. \u201cWe have taken the signals seriously and have been actively working on them since November following the letter\u201d, she emphasises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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Een lijst met artikelen<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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