The discussion was sparked by a single line in a PowerPoint presentation by Git van Leeuwenstein, UM’s head of Occupational Health and Safety, referring to the recent creation of an employee community group called Van werkdruk naar werkgeluk (“From Work Pressure to Work Pleasure”). When LO members asked for clarification, Van Leeuwenstein explained that the initiative was launched after a professor had raised concerns about work pressure with the university’s Leadership Academy. He wasn’t looking for professional support, but rather a forum to discuss the issue with fellow professors. This took place under expert guidance, added Van Leeuwenstein. Although the pilot project has officially ended, the group still meets up. “We’re now exploring the possibility of expanding the initiative”, she said.
Not amused
Carijn Beumer, an assistant professor representing the AOb union, and Mark Govers, a University Council member and assistant professor representing AC/FBZ, were not amused. Both LO members pointed out that they have been raising concerns about excessive workloads at UM for years, to no effect whatsoever. “If this ends up in Observant, a lot of staff members will be rightfully offended”, said Govers. Beumer cynically remarked, “So when it’s a professor raising concerns, something actually gets done straight away.”
However, Van Leeuwenstein rejected this interpretation when speaking to Observant several days after the LO meeting. “I was already working on the idea of an employee community group for peer support”, she said. “This professor’s request happened to align with that. It was a coincidence that he was a professor – it could just as easily have been another staff member.”
Frequent absentees
The meeting also touched on the issue of sick leave (2.9 per cent in both 2023 and 2024), drawing further criticism. Staff who report sick three or more times in a year are classed as “frequent absentees” and receive a letter instructing them to discuss the matter with their line manager. “Isn’t that rather excessive?” asked Huub Hamers, Head Instrumentation at FPN and LO representative for CNV Overheid. “People don’t appreciate this at all. It mainly affects administrative and support staff, not academic staff – they can work from home, unlike most support staff members.” In other words, support staff absences are more noticeable. But academic staff aren’t happy with the policy either, noted another LO member. “It makes people anxious. I hear colleagues say things like, ‘I’ll just work from home or take leave.’ They feel like they’re being classed as a risk.”
Telling-off
Van Leeuwenstein stressed that staff “aren’t getting called in for a telling-off. The aim is to identify early signs of long-term sickness absence and make it easier to start a conversation about it.” She added that UM is still considering whether the letter should be sent after three absences or at a later point.