All you need to know to be successful
as member of a Works Council

In accordance with the Dutch Works Councils Act, the board of directors has an obligation to consult the Works Council on critical matters and to consider their advice carefully when taking decisions. In order to function successfully as a company in the Netherlands, the Works Council has therefore an important role to play.

Many members of Works Councils have no previous experience in this area and are unfamiliar with the unique Dutch environment and legislation. You may be looking for a course to gain insight in:
- the main topics of the Dutch Works Councils Act,
- your legal rights and obligations,
- the main aspects of how a Works Council functions 
   successfully in practice,
- in your team: how to build on each other’s strengths in the 
  best possible way.

We offer you such training and OR-coaching, provided in English.

Possible Works Council course topics

- The Dutch Works Councils Act: rights and duties of the WC
- Purpose and resources of the WC
- Regulations of the WC
- Strategy of the WC
- Teh work of a WC
- Teambuilding
- How to communicate successfully to your stakeholders
   (employees and clients)
- Written communication (also via intranet and social media)
- Successful and resolute meetings of the WC
- Negotiating skills (with actor, playing the role of managing director)
- Personal power
- Strategic policy of the company
- Analysis of the company
- Finance policy
- Social policy
- Cooperation with a trade union

I am also available to assist in consultations with the board of directors and to help you negotiate in specific situations.

My background

In the past I have been a manager of a business unit. I had to sit on the other side of the table, deliberating with Works Councils. Now I train and coach Works Councils and I have done so for many years in Dutch as well as in English.

Satisfied Customers
 

Helps to establish mutual understanding with our CEO

Being the first Works Council of an international company, Frank has helped us to get started and define our position within the organisation. His interactive and constructive training was tailored to our specific situation. The CEO joined for parts of the training and Frank was able to help us establish a mutual understanding and way of working.

Jordi Wasserman, secretary Works Council Brigtsight of Security Evaluation Lab
 

Thanks to his experience he answered our questions about specific issues

Frank gave us a clear and well structured introduction training about the Works Council. Thanks to experience, he answered our questions about specific issues encountered in our company. He is not only dedicated during the training but also in providing support afterwards. Now it is up to us and our management to make this work.
Jerome Carone, engineer and secretary of the Works Council of RHEA System BV
 

Creative, honest, social, successful, professional and humorous

For more than twelve years Frank Dijkstra has trained and accompanied the Works Council of Sodexo Altys (the former KLM Facility Services). Key words that apply are: creative, honest, social, professional and humorous.
Marc Gilbert, Secretary of the Sodexo Altys WC

Conflict solved successfully with te municipal clerk

Frank has, among other things, mediated in a conflict between the Central Works Council and the municipal clerk. For the rest of our term, we cooperated with the municipal clerk in the most constructive way - just as it should be!
Arend van der Veen, former chairman of the Works Council of the city of Delft

An important reorganisation brought to a successful conclusion

Thanks to Frank’s creative, humorous and professional help we managed to create a well-functioning Works Council. With this WC, we initiated an important reorganisation, which we have since brought to a successful conclusion.
Jan van Dijk, former chairman of the Works Council of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries

Capable of unravelling even the most challenging situations

His empathy and sound advice are well recognized and appreciated by all partners, irrespective of their origin. He has proven to be a skilled mediator. Frank is highly respected and recommended as a reliable and genuine broker, capable of unravelling even the most challenging situations.
Louis Walpot, engineer and member of the AOES WC in Noordwijk

He is an excellent Work’s Council adviser on specific and delicate issues.

Paul Hodgetts, engineer and member of the Staff Association Committee at ESTEC (European Space Agency) in Noordwijk