Employee Experience in Belgium
The Global Employee Experience Report allows you to access workplace culture, employee engagement, employee happiness, and employee wellness in Belgium. These four main indexes compose the overall Employee Experience Score that sets the ground rules for the future of work.
Bases of Employee Engagement
Employees in Belgium are highly committed to their current job. Employees are generally happy with the jobs they have and are not looking for new jobs. Talent management is essential for companies in Belgium. They consider what needs to be done to retain their talent.
Diversity is high in Belgian companies. Employers take this diversity into account. Employers act by thinking that a single management style will not appeal to everyone.
Employee satisfaction is tried to be kept high within the company and comparisons are made with other companies. Employees are provided with equal rights with other companies.
Belgian companies create loyalty and trust by meeting the changing needs of their senior employees. Employers give importance to the career development of their employees. Employees are also aware that working for a Belgian company is an important opportunity for their career development.
Internal Communication and Employee Feedback Structure
Employees in Belgium are generally friendly. Internal communication between employees is strong. Meetings are valued and everyone is expected to focus. Decisions are well communicated to employees. Meetings start with 15-minute conversations, which is an opportunity to strengthen employee engagement and communication. Usually, possible decisions are discussed in the meetings collectively. Suggestions of employees are taken care of. Most of Belgium companies have employee suggestion tools and recently started adopting employee recognition software to keep employee motivation high.
Pillars of Workplace Culture
Make an appointment
The appointment system is very important for Belgians. A meeting should preferably be agreed upon a few days in advance. Belgians generally prefer to set the meeting time themselves and usually choose a time slot that falls between mid-morning or afternoon. If you are responsible for scheduling, pay attention to Belgian public holidays. July and August are also the best vacation times, so many Belgians are at least a month away from work.
Arrive on time
Punctuality is a national trait and a sign of respect. While apologies for tardiness will usually be accepted in good humor, it’s best to arrive for business meetings on time.
Demonstrate a reasoned thought process
Generally speaking, Belgians prefer communication to be logical and based on reason. They also often engage in long, critical discussions before reaching a decision, so that they can consider all the alternatives. Recent adoption of HR analytics shows the willingness of robust talent management with strong reasoning and data. In addition, they tend to prefer subtlety to directness as the latter may come across as crass.
Respect personal space
Belgians typically don’t like close contact or intense eye contact during business meetings, especially with new acquaintances. That said, steady eye contact when listening to your Belgian counterpart is recommended.
Learning & Development of Future Talents
In 2019, 47% of the young adult (25-34 year-olds) population had a tertiary degree in Belgium.
In Belgium, the percentage of first-time bachelor's graduates younger than 30 is relatively high. (94.8 % 2018)
In Belgium, the percentage of first-time master's graduates younger than 35 years old is 95.8% (2018)
In Belgium, the percentage of first-time doctorate graduates younger than 35 years old is 75.6% (2018)
Performance & Productivity GDP per Hour Worked: 100.5 (2019)
Part-time Employment Rate: 16,9%
Average Wages: 6150 EUR
Employee Turnover Rate: N/A
Minimum Wages: 1593 EUR
Unemployment Rate: Total 5,37% - Male 5,75% - Female 4,95%