The takeover battle for banking group ABN Amro is having a knock-on effect on staffing, the Financieele Dagblad reports on Thursday, saying demand for traineeships has slumped dramatically.

‘Before the takeover process began, 60% of graduates (who wanted to join the financial sector) were interested in a traineeship at ABN Amro, but that has fallen to 10%,’ David Henskens of recruitment agency Van Beuningen en Partners tells the paper. ‘Lots of new graduates are sceptical about the bank’s future. People don’t like uncertainty.’
Sources at the bank itself have also told the paper that fewer people are applying for jobs. And steps have been taken to keep key personnel, such as agreeing guaranteed bonuses that make it financially unattractive to leave.
In addition, the paper says, a ‘no-poaching’ ruling has been agreed among all banks concerned with the takeover.
Other banks, however, are benefitting from the uncertainty. Rabobank head of personnel André van Iersel told the FD that hundreds of ABN Amro workers have approached his bank, and dozens have already made the switch.