APG is the most attractive employer in the financial sector. The pension fund administration organization surpasses sector peers such as De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), Rabobank, NN, and ING. When it comes to the entire private sector in the Netherlands, APG is among the top 10 best employers in the country.
This is evident from the Employer Brand Research by Randstad. The research clarifies how employees view, experience, and appreciate employers. When asked "Would you like to work for APG?" 35.1 percent said ‘yes’. This gives APG the highest score within the financial sector, followed by DNB (31.6 percent) and Rabobank (29.9 percent). APG also ranks high within the entire private sector in the Netherlands, securing the 7th position. APG only trails behind companies like ASML, Damen, De Efteling, KLM, Philips, and GE.
Good score on work-life balance
APG scores well on the drivers of work-life balance and job content. Other factors measured include salary, career advancement opportunities, and work atmosphere. Especially the 45-64 age group finds APG an attractive employer; 41.6 percent name APG as a company they would like to work for. More than a third (34.4 percent) of the 25-44 age group finds APG an attractive employer. Among the younger generation (18-24 age group), this percentage is significantly lower at 11.6 percent. "We are proud of our 4,300 permanent and flexible employees who work every day for the pensions of 4.5 million people in the Netherlands. And we are very pleased with this recognition. However, this does not mean we are resting on our laurels. We continue work on an inclusive work environment where everyone can be themselves and where unique qualities are embraced", says Jurriaan Spoel, Head of Talent Sourcing at APG. Irma Bousardt, labor market communication advisor at APG, sees opportunities to increase APG's awareness among young people. "We work hard on APG's recognition as an attractive employer, among other things through our Instagram channel apg.life, which also targets the younger audience. Especially within our IT, Data, and Change departments, there is a high demand for talent. We are also addressing this in our campaigns."
Salary is the most important driver
The research generally shows that offering an attractive salary and secondary employment benefits is the most important driver when choosing a new employer. However, employers do not meet employee expectations in this area. On the other hand, the companies surveyed perform better on non-material aspects of the work environment, such as interesting work and job security. This shows that, despite employees often being critical of salary levels and secondary benefits, there are other aspects that compensate for this. Women find a pleasant working atmosphere (78 percent) and a good work-life balance (70 percent) more important than men (68 percent and 62 percent respectively). A significant difference is seen in the desire for interesting job content: this is much more important for highly educated individuals (70 percent) than for those with medium (46 percent) and lower education levels (32 percent). Respondents aged 55 and older value the financial stability of the employer more (55 percent) than younger people (42 percent).
See here for all research results (in Dutch).