Dutch businesses turn to AI and robotics amid staff shortages

Nearly two-thirds of businesses in the Netherlands are struggling with staff shortages, and most are now turning to automation to cope, according to national statistics office CBS.

In April, 64% of firms reported a shortage of workers. Of all businesses, 30% — nearly half of those facing shortages – named stepping up automation, such as robotisation or AI support, as their main response.

A year earlier, most had instead pointed to making themselves more attractive to work for, through higher pay and similar measures.

Large companies were the most likely to automate, at 40%, compared with 20% of small firms. Smaller businesses more often said they were limiting production to match the staff available.

The share of firms turning to automation rose in almost every sector compared with a year earlier, the only exception being culture, sport and recreation. The increase was sharpest in information and communication, where it reached 44%, up from 29% – also that sector’s most common answer to the shortage.

Over three-quarters of businesses said they were taking steps to raise productivity, rising to 85% among large companies. Investment in technology and automation, and more efficient working processes, were the measures cited most often.

The figures come from the Business Survey Netherlands, carried out by CBS with the chamber of commerce KVK, construction research institute EIB and business organisations MKB-Nederland and VNO-NCW.