Our workforce

At PostNL, we actively manage and mitigate negative impacts, risks and opportunities on our workforce by continuously improving our processes and fostering an open environment for employee concerns. We have established clear channels for workers to raise issues, including our whistleblowing procedure, confidential reporting systems, and direct engagement opportunities with management.

At the same time, we create positive impacts on our employees' well-being through initiatives such as health and safety programmes and the health and safety policy, our career development opportunities, efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, our human rights policy, and governance. We measure the effectiveness of these actions through employee surveys, paying close attention to retention rates, and tracking health and safety performance indicators. More information can be found in the Own workforce section of the Social disclosures in the Sustainability statement.

Safe and healthy working environment

Tackling absenteeism

In 2024, absenteeism levels remained elevated, and we dedicated significant efforts to better understanding the underlying causes and addressing them effectively. This ensured that the short- and middle term absenteeism remained low throughout the year. Unfortunately, long-term absenteeism remained high and even increased, primarily due to the combination of an ageing workforce and the physical demands of long-term labour. Our workforce has a higher-than-average age distribution (see Our performance for a breakdown of PostNL's headcount), which may contribute to higher absenteeism linked to age-related health factors. Our approach to tackle this included several key initiatives across the company aimed at supporting both employees and managers in reducing absenteeism, which we outline below.

Redesigned structure

At Mail in the Netherlands, we redesigned the leadership structure to address absenteeism more effectively. Management roles were divided into logistics-focused and people-focused teams to ensure that employee management receives dedicated attention. While we have identified a number of challenges, we continue to refine the concept. This iterative approach ensures that we adapt the structure to better meet the needs of both employees and operational processes, aligning with our commitment to continuous improvement.

Establishment of an absence management team

A new absence management team has been created to address absenteeism comprehensively. The team includes case managers, reintegration specialists, and absenteeism advisors, who work alongside direct supervisors to support employees. This team is responsible for managing all aspects of absenteeism, from handling immediate cases to coordinating long-term reintegration efforts. Their work aligns with our broader health and safety objectives, ensuring a consistent and proactive approach to reducing absenteeism.

Improved oversight and monitoring

We have implemented enhanced oversight mechanisms to monitor absenteeism and ensure strategies are delivering results. An absenteeism board, composed of business unit and HR directors, regularly reviews data and provides strategic direction. Additionally, targeted meetings—such as the absenteeism steering group in Mail in the Netherlands and bi-weekly sessions within Parcels—combine data analysis with individual case insights to develop tailored responses for each unit.

Targeting retention of parcel deliverers

Turnover among newly hired parcel deliverers remains high, reaching 60% in 2024, translating to an annual cost of approximately €5 million. While comprehensive external benchmarks on this topic are limited, industry reports indicate that workforce turnover in logistics roles tends to be higher than in other sectors. Given the absence of detailed external benchmarking, we leverage internal data by analyzing depots that consistently achieve lower turnover rates. By applying best practices from these locations, alongside enhanced onboarding, tailored training, and improved management communication, we strive to reduce turnover toward 50% by 2025. By doing so, we aim to enhance job satisfaction among our deliverers and manage costs more effectively.

Departing parcel delivers highlight a number of key challenges that impact job satisfaction and retention, including:

• Demanding work and low support: Many feel unsupported when facing difficulties, leading to stress and absenteeism
• Route changes: Sudden route changes disrupt personal plans, often without consultation or recourse
• Career growth: Employees express frustration over wages and limited growth opportunities
• Communication challenges: Clearer communication with management can help reduce uncertainty and improve understanding.

Improvement, actions and vision

We have identified several areas for improvement to enhance our ability to attract, retain, and engage talent effectively. High turnover among students and younger employees highlights the need to adapt work structures to align with the preferences of younger generations, emphasising flexibility and purpose-driven roles. Furthermore, we acknowledge the importance of enabling people managers to dedicate sufficient time to effective people management, free from distractions caused by secondary tasks.

To address these challenges, we have outlined several strategic actions aimed at improving retention and engagement. From March 2025, we will enhance onboarding and training programmes to provide new employees with better support and a stronger sense of connection to their roles, contributing to a targeted 5% reduction in turnover by 2026. By mid-2025, we will implement a strategic workforce plan designed to ensure consistent and fair work schedules, as well as route stability, fostering greater satisfaction and reliability. Additionally, we will prioritise addressing clearer communication between people managers and parcel deliverers, ensuring workload-related issues are resolved promptly and effectively.

People coaches pilot at Parcels

One of the initiatives we have already introduced to tackle absenteeism and turnover while boosting engagement and retention of parcel deliverers was the people coaches pilot, which in 2024 demonstrated positive developments across nearly all measured metrics, with turnover as the sole exception.

The programme showed reductions in work pressure and gains in job satisfaction, as well as gains in engagement scores and NPS. As part of the pilot, all people coaches have now transitioned to people manager roles, with fortnightly sessions scheduled with participants.

A welcoming place to work

Everyone who wants and is able to work is welcome at PostNL, regardless of their unique challenges, which is why we continued to use job coaches at Mail in the Netherlands in 2024. Job coaches provide personalised support to those with a distance to the labour market and who may otherwise struggle to work independently. This tailored guidance is designed to meet each person’s unique needs and working style, enabling them to thrive in roles such as mail delivery. By focusing on ways to leverage an individual's strengths and develop their potential within our organisation, job coaches help them maintain and enhance their ‘work fitness’, focusing on their well-being and comfort on the work floor.

During the year, our job coaches provided guidance and support across Mail in the Netherlands, helping to make PostNL a welcoming workplace where everyone has a fair opportunity to thrive. In 2024, 176 individuals were offered employment opportunities with the support of our job coaches. These initiatives are designed to improve working conditions, provide enhanced support, and offer meaningful rewards, ensuring that employees feel valued, motivated, and secure in their roles at PostNL.

Talent acquisition

Addressing the shortage of mail deliverers

We face a shortage of mail deliverers in certain regions, which increases the workload for some colleagues, leads to higher absenteeism, and impacts the quality of our services. During the year, we launched a job fulfilment programme at Mail in the Netherlands, which is successfully reducing the number of mail deliverer vacancies as we work towards our target of 500 or fewer vacancies by 2025, down from 1,024 at the beginning of 2024. However, this figure does not fully reflect the scale of the challenge or the programme’s success. A significant proportion of our delivery operations had been outsourced to commercial partners, effectively masking a higher need for additional mail deliverers. As we bring more of this outsourced work back in-house, the demand for recruitment has grown considerably.

We are tackling this issue from multiple angles, across the entire Mail in the Netherlands organisation. Key initiatives include the national campaign "Blijf jezelf, word bezorger" and regional trials encouraging employees from sorting and preparation to take on delivery roles alongside their current duties. In addition to running national campaigns, we also significantly increased our investment in regular recruitment efforts. These initiatives are now more targeted and specific, leveraging data models and new insights to enhance their effectiveness.

We are addressing the reduction of vacancies not only by increasing recruitment but also by improving staff retention. To gain deeper insights into why deliverers choose to leave, we conducted a supplementary exit survey involving 1,300 participants. This initiative, which we are now establishing as a regular practice, enables us to identify specific reasons for outflow and implement targeted actions to address them.

The programme is delivering results, with vacancies dropping to 750 by year end, a significant improvement from the 1,000 in January. The programme focuses on the annual net inflow (new hires minus leavers) of mail deliverers, amounting to a net inflow of 125 mail deliverers in FTE.  

Collaboration with specialised recruitment agency

During the year, we also partnered with a recruitment specialist to trial new approaches for recruiting mail deliverers in Limburg and Amsterdam—areas where our current campaigns have been less effective. Together, we are testing innovative campaigns across new online and offline channels, building on our existing efforts. This collaboration will help us improve our own recruitment in these specific locations and increase the number of new mail deliverers.

Alongside reducing vacancies, we are focused on creating a more flexible employment model to better attract, deploy, and retain diverse target groups. Using new research and insights, we have identified four key target groups. A detailed analysis of their needs, using journey mapping to align policies, procedures, and processes—including contract options, training, and deployment—with their preferences, is performed to identify areas of improvement. This tailored approach aims to enhance engagement and retention.

Attracting digital talent

We successfully developed customer experience, digital, agile, and data capabilities across the organisation, and attracted new top digital talent in a competitive labour market. As a result, 33% of our workforce now operates in IT and digital roles. We also created a network of over 80 passionate frontrunners and ambassadors who drive transformation forward, gathering monthly to share knowledge on digital topics and use cases. Additionally, we fostered 'communities of practice, where experts and engineers collaborate to share the latest trends and innovations through hackathons, data science initiatives, and innovation days.

PostNL’s digital recruiter takes prize at Recruitment Tech Award 2024

In 2024, PostNL’s commitment to innovation was recognised thanks to Charlie, our AI-powered digital recruiter, which was awarded second prize at the Recruitment Tech Award 2024. During the year, Charlie helped cut recruitment costs and increase candidate satisfaction rates, highlighting our focus on enhancing the candidate experience and improving recruitment processes through strategic technological investments.

Steering on people engagement

In 2024, employee engagement, as measured by our independent service provider, was 67%, slightly less than our target of 68%. The very tight labour market has impacted certain areas of our operations significantly, notably in Mail in the Netherlands, where we have experienced mail deliverer vacancies in various regions.

To improve employee engagement, during the year we introduced a series of business changes at Mail in the Netherlands, including further optimising delivery routes to enhance efficiency. We believe these developments have had a clear impact on overall engagement levels, with employee engagement within MailNL increasing by 6 percentage points between October 2023 and October 2024. Looking ahead, while Mail in the Netherlands will need to continue adapting to external and operational challenges, we have recognised that we need to pay more attention to involving our operational staff in the changes we carry out. This includes ensuring that we avoid introducing too many initiatives simultaneously.

Safeguarding occupational health and safety

The safety and well-being of our employees remain a key area of attention for PostNL. During the year we implemented various measures aimed at fostering a safe and healthy work environment, which are outlined below.

Implementation of OHSAS management system

We introduced a new occupational health and safety working conditions (OHSAS) management system aimed at better identifying, documenting, and addressing risks and incidents in the workplace. This structured, automated system supports our commitment to employee well-being by aligning with OHSAS regulations and ISO 45001 standards, ensuring continuous improvement in health and safety. The system empowers our workforce by creating clear action plans for each identified risk, outlining responsibilities, timelines, and progress tracking to effectively mitigate or eliminate risks. As part of PostNL's ongoing dedication to a safe work environment, this tool helps monitor the effectiveness of safety measures, ensuring they are continually improved upon in line with global standards.

Employee health and well-being initiatives

To enhance employee health and well-being, in 2024 we piloted a digital health survey within one part of the organisation. The aim is to identify long-term health risks and promote better health awareness. By gathering health data via questionnaires, we can implement targeted preventative actions to reduce absenteeism and improve vitality, ensuring the well-being of our workforce. This effort complements our commitment to meeting regulatory standards, such as the Periodic Occupational Health Examination (PAGO), while also providing the opportunity to further strengthen health support across departments. The results of the pilot will be studied and further acted upon in 2025.

Reducing physical labour risks

Fostering a safe and health-conscious working environment is central to our operations. In 2024, we intensified our focus on reducing physical labour risks across all parcel depots. This initiative is not limited to specific tasks, but encompasses a holistic approach aimed at minimising physical strain across the entire workflow. Our comprehensive action plan integrates risk evaluation, alignment with health and safety objectives, and close monitoring of implemented measures, ensuring both immediate and long-term improvements.

A significant milestone was achieved in September 2024 with the initial roll-out of the smart electric tug across all depots operating the evening sorting process. The full implementation was successfully completed in December (see story box and separate photo on this page). This innovation has dramatically reduced the physical demands of moving roll containers, underscoring our commitment to employee well-being.

This step is part of a broader set of measures, which also includes revised lifting protocols, task rotation, ergonomics training, and the introduction of specialised equipment to create a safer and more ergonomic work environment. Building on the findings of recent in-depth risk assessment and evaluation reports, we have introduced several targeted measures designed to address physically strenuous tasks. These include:

1. Updated lifting protocols
   For parcels over 23kg, the non-machine-suitable parcels (NMSP) process now require two-person lifts to mitigate strain.
2. Staff planning and task rotation
   Redesigned schedules ensure that workers in different processes are not exposed to repetitive or over-strenuous tasks and rotate on a regular basis during the working day.
3. Ergonomic tools and training
   The deployment of ergo coaches has reinforced safe lifting techniques and the proper use of ergonomic equipment, addressing critical gaps in posture and awareness of health risks.
4. Enhanced equipment
   Introduction of trolleys and other specialised tools has reduced repetitive strain during evening sorting and internal transport.
5. Customer delivery conditions
   Introduction of the Heavy Duty label and maximising stacking height. This makes employees aware of heavy parcels so they can take appropriate measures to minimise physical strain. By optimising the stacking height of roll containers, the need for lifting beyond healthy working limits is reduced.

As we continue to transform our operations, we are making fundamental changes to improve workplace safety and well-being. By combining targeted operational strategies with new equipment and enhanced training, we are significantly reducing tasks that exceed health limit values. Processes involving lifting weights over 23kg, working above shoulder height, or moving parcels from floor level are being systematically redesigned through ergonomic interventions. A key milestone in this transition is the introduction of tilters in 2025, further reducing the physical strain on our employees and improving efficiency. These measures not only enhance workplace safety but also ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, reinforcing our commitment to creating a healthier and more sustainable working environment.

Next steps

We conducted extensive research to identify ways to reduce physical strain by further mechanising our processes. Building on these insights, we developed plans for additional research, prototyping, development, and testing in close cooperation with technical manufacturers. In addition, we carried out thorough tests and pilot projects to eliminate the need to lift parcels from roll containers. As a result, we decided to introduce tilters in controlled phases across our depots in 2025 and prepared for the implementation of thirteen tilters at about half of our parcel sorting locations that operate an evening sorting process. Building on the successes achieved so far, our next steps will place greater emphasis on automation and mechanisation to further reduce physical strain. Key developments include:

• Smart electric tug integration: With its full implementation already completed, we continue to monitor the impact of smart electric tug and explore ways to maximise its benefits.
• Tilters: We plan to phase in tilters across our depots, eliminating the need to lift parcels from roll containers. By mid-2025, we aim to have 13 tilters operational in about half of our parcel sorting locations that operates the evening sorting process.
• (Un)loading & Lifting Tools: Development of parcel (un)load and lifting tooling to reduce lifting of parcels in the Feeding and Sorting Process.
• Auxiliary equipment trials: Ongoing improvements of innovative tools such as tippers, baggage unloaders, and roll container adjusters to further support our workforce.
• Continuous development: In collaboration with technical manufacturers, we continuously explore and develop additional forms of robotisation and automation for various process components.

Traffic safety programmes

PostNL actively promotes traffic safety through comprehensive driver education and awareness initiatives. Annual training ensures our drivers stay current with safe driving practices, while partnerships with national campaigns like 'Onze scholen zijn weer begonnen' (Our schools have started again) raise awareness about traffic risks, especially near schools.

By implementing training programmes and community initiatives, including teaching children about blind spots on trucks that hinder the driver's view, we emphasise safety for both employees and the public. These efforts reflect our commitment to fostering a safe and responsible driving culture within our workforce.

Recordable accidents

For information on our number of recordable accidents and fatal accidents as well as our ongoing commitment to further strengthening safety measures across all aspects of our operations, please see Social disclosures in the Sustainability statement.

Actions to address workplace harassment

To protect and support our employees, we have implemented a range of measures against violence and harassment in the workplace. Using insights from the Employee Engagement Monitor and Diversity Monitor, we identified key areas for action on undesirable behaviour. And in our business principles, which are the cornerstone of our operations, we outline the standards we uphold and which our stakeholders can expect from PostNL.

In the event of undesirable behaviour, we will take immediate action to address the situation decisively, ensuring that our response goes beyond process and reflects our dedication to protecting our employees and fostering a positive work environment. In 2024, we focused on two main initiatives to address workplace harassment: the continuation of our e-learning on integrity and the launch of a dedicated action plan addressing workplace behaviour.

E-learning on integrity

In October 2023, we launched a mandatory in integrity e-learning programme for management and office personnel, aimed at reinforcing the PostNL Business Principles and addressing undesirable behaviour, including harassment and violence. By January 2024, nearly 99% of the target group—2,850 employees—had completed the course, which is also integrated into our onboarding process to foster a safe and respectful workplace. The programme will be reviewed in 2025 to ensure it remains relevant to employees’ needs. More information on how we institute and monitor integrity e-learning can be found in the Our policies and Our performance of the Governance disclosures in the Sustainability statement.

Action plan on workplace behaviour

In 2024, we initiated a comprehensive action plan to prevent and address undesirable behaviour, focusing on promoting positive conduct, improving incident management, and raising awareness among all employees, including non-permanent staff. Continuing into mid-2025, this plan enhances our processes and governance, underscoring our commitment to a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace that prioritises employee well-being.

“We conducted extensive research to identify ways to reduce physical strain by further mechanising our processes”

Equality and opportunity for everyone

Advancing diversity, equity and inclusion

At PostNL, our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) progress is anchored in a comprehensive diversity policy built around six key themes: gender equality, multicultural diversity, LGBTIQ+ acceptance, age differentiation, diversity in cognitive abilities, and supporting access to the labour market. We remained committed throughout the year to fostering a workplace that reflects society, leveraging the full potential of our diverse workforce and ensuring an inclusive environment at every level of the company.

DEI survey

Every four years, we conduct our company-wide DEI survey, which provides essential insights into whether our employees feel accepted and are given equal opportunities. The DEI survey centres on the following two themes:

• Diversity: This theme examines the visibility of diversity within the workplace, including factors such as age, background, and varied perspectives
• Equity: This theme focuses on equal treatment and equal opportunities for everyone.
• Inclusion: This theme focuses on fostering an environment where individuals feel empowered to be themselves, with their unique differences recognised and appreciated.

In 2024, 5,400 employees participated in the survey. The results showed that we scored lower than 2020, with significant differences between business units. While this trend aligns with a broader hardening in societal attitudes, we want to improve and have therefore launched the following targeted initiatives:

CBS

To further support managers in effectively dealing with diverse behaviours, we introduced two targeted training programmes: Dealing with Aggression and Professional Behaviour on the Work Floor, fostering a safer and more inclusive workplace environment.

Mail in the Netherlands

We introduced a programme focusing on collaboration and listening.

E-commerce

We rolled out projects to strengthen engagement and social safety, including the ‘Attention’ and ‘I work as a parcel deliverer’ (IWAP) initiatives. Through the Attention project, we aim to listen better and give even more attention to our employees, while IWAP focuses on reducing turnover among parcel deliverers.

Additionally, in partnership with the central works council, we developed a procedure to address undesirable behaviour, including a reporting point, guidance on behaviour standards, and training for leaders. We appointed two internal confidential advisors.

Based on the survey findings, we have also evaluated and updated our DEI policy to reflect a new DEI framework. This policy guides us in taking focused steps towards a safer and more inclusive work environment across the company.

Promoting DEI across the company

Throughout the year, we continued to promote DEI both within PostNL and across our value chain. PostNL meets the binding diversity quota for the Supervisory Board and has set ambitious diversity targets for the Executive Committee (EC) and senior leadership.

Under our DEI policy, we aim to ensure balanced representation within our Board of Directors. For a two-member Board, we aim to appoint at least one woman and at least one man, reflecting our commitment to gender diversity. In alignment with the legal framework governing Board composition, we adhere to the requirement that the Board should consist of no less than one-third men and one-third women. We are also driven by an ambitious long-term vision: to achieve 36% female representation in senior management, including members of the Executive Committee, by 2030.

In 2024, the share of females in operational management positions was 24% (2023: 28%), in middle management 35% (2023: 34%) and in senior management 35% (2023: 33%). One example of how we achieve this is through our Women Inclusion Network (WIN, detailed below), which has carried out a vertical mobility study to understand perceptions of the ‘glass ceiling’ and explore how PostNL can better support the advancement of women into senior management roles. One such initiative is the WIN mentoring programme, which fosters the personal and professional growth of women by connecting them with senior management mentors. These efforts are key to strengthening gender diversity at all levels of the organisation, ensuring we continue to create an inclusive and equitable workplace.

We also collaborate with partners to uphold these values throughout our operations, encouraging others to adopt similar standards using our Diversity Index as a benchmark. To further our commitment, we train recruiters and managers on unconscious bias and provide tools to work effectively with diverse cultural backgrounds. This inclusive approach is embedded in our recruitment and selection processes.

To make our diversity themes a reality, we focus on four key areas, outlined below. Each of these is sponsored by members of the EC, who provide regular updates to the Supervisory Board on our progress. This structure ensures that DEI remain a strategic priority, fully supported by PostNL’s leadership at the highest level.

PRIDE POSTNL - LGBTIQ+ network

Our LGBTIQ+ network champions the acceptance and inclusion of the LGBTIQ+ community across PostNL, actively campaigning for greater awareness and understanding.

Women Inclusion Network (WIN)

WIN is dedicated to empowering women within PostNL by supporting their professional growth. The network’s mentoring programme, involving senior management as mentors, helps talented women develop the skills and confidence to take on leadership roles within the company.

Young PostNL

The Young PostNL network nurtures young talent within the company, organising events and initiatives aimed at fostering professional development and engagement among younger employees.

Multicultural diversity

Focusing on attracting, retaining, and developing multicultural talent, this area emphasises creating a rich and diverse workforce that reflects the global community we serve.

Each of these networks and areas is sponsored by members of the EC, who provide regular updates to the Supervisory Board on our progress. This structure ensures that DEI remain a strategic priority, fully supported by PostNL’s leadership at the highest level.

Inclusive employment

Another important aspect of our commitment to equality and opportunity for all is our focus on inclusive employment, particularly for individuals with a distance to the labour market. Currently, 8% of our total mail delivery hours are carried out by people from this group. In 2024, we continued working with social organisations and specialist agencies to employ over 3,300 individuals with a distance to the labour market, over 1,426 of whom were directly employed by us. These employees are supported by job coaches and work in close collaboration with sheltered workplaces.

Our PSO certification (Performance Ladder for Social Entrepreneurship) signifies our dedication to helping persons with disabilities or in need of guidance accessing the labour market, going beyond standard practices to promote social inclusivity. This certification, widely recognised in the Netherlands, reflects our structured efforts to create employment opportunities for people with a distance to the labour market. Maintaining level 3 of this certification is part of our ambition, demonstrating that we meet the highest standards of social entrepreneurship. It reinforces our commitment to creating a more inclusive workplace, contributing to societal well-being while strengthening our position as a socially responsible organisation.

Equal pay for equal work

PostNL is committed to the principle of equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender or background. We advocate for equal opportunities for all and ensure compliance with statutory minimum wage levels. Our payment policy is designed to avoid any form of discrimination and to promote fairness. As a socially responsible organisation, we believe it is vital to lead by example in ensuring fair and equal pay, while making a positive impact on society. Our pay policies are built on the principles of equality, transparency, and consistency, which are embedded in our job grading system and salary structure. These policies are primarily governed by CLAs, developed in collaboration with trade unions.

The unadjusted gender pay gap highlights the difference between the average gross hourly earnings of male and female employees in the Netherlands. By contrast, the adjusted gender pay gap provides a more detailed and balanced measure, taking into account factors such as CLAs, job levels, and age groups. This adjusted figure offers a clearer picture of how we address the principle of equal pay for equal work.

Results 2024

In 2024, our unadjusted gender pay gap stood at 6.67%, a notable improvement compared to 2023 (9.27%). This reduction reflects progress in closing the gap, which primarily arises because a higher proportion of male employees occupy roles in higher salary scales. Meanwhile, our adjusted gender pay gap for 2024 was 0.15% (2023: -0.05%), demonstrating that men and women continue to receive nearly equal pay for equivalent roles.

Further analysis confirms that pay differences between men and women within the same salary scale remain minimal. While we are encouraged by this outcome, we are not complacent. We will continue to analyse our gender pay gap and integrate the insights gained into our standard processes. In addition, we are actively fostering a diverse working environment through various initiatives, such as an updated recruitment and selection process for senior management roles.

Next steps

Looking ahead, the EU Pay Transparency Directive is set to come into effect in mid-2026, requiring implementation into national law. In preparation for this, we have already begun aligning our processes with the forthcoming legislation, ensuring they are consistent with our commitment to equal pay for equal work.

Training and talent management

At PostNL, we are committed to fostering the growth and development of our employees. By offering comprehensive training programmes, we empower our workforce with the skills needed to thrive both in their current roles and in the future. Our approach centres on three key pillars: license to operate, license to perform, and shaping a learning culture.

License to operate

Through our license to operate trainings, we ensure employees possess the necessary certifications, skills and knowledge to perform their roles safely and effectively. This boosts productivity, reduces operational risks, and enhances job satisfaction.

We are committed to equipping our workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge to operate safely and efficiently. For example, the 800 drivers who work within our time-critical network (TGN) receive structured training through a combination of on-the-job sessions and online e-learning via the Mijn Leerplein learning platform. To ensure compliance and safety, all drivers must complete mandatory training—including hazardous materials training—within two months of starting their role. Additionally, new drivers undergo a foundational training programme to build essential skills from the outset.

In 2024, 20 participants successfully completed a comprehensive driver training programme, while all 800 drivers refreshed their knowledge through targeted training sessions. Additionally, 800 employees took part in essential work instruction training, reinforcing safety and operational best practices. To enhance job-specific learning, we utilise Knowingo, an innovative platform that leverages gamification and artificial intelligence to make training engaging, personalised, and effective. Through interactive quizzes accessible via smartphones, Knowingo adapts the learning experience to each user’s knowledge level and learning needs, ensuring maximum retention and impact. This platform enables us to efficiently train employees across various roles, including mail deliverers, sorters, and call centre staff, by reinforcing factual knowledge and increasing awareness.

During the year, a total of 6,018 employees from seven different departments—5,129 of whom were mail deliverers—engaged with Knowingo, completing an average of 46 quizzes each. Collectively, this amounted to 4,588 hours of training, underscoring our ongoing commitment to continuous learning and professional development.

License to perform

Our license to perform trainings are designed to prepare employees for future job demands, ensuring sustainable employability and organisational growth. in 2024, 72 employees completed leadership development programmes, including tertiary vocational education (MBO) for logistics supervisors. Additionally, Mail in the Netherlands restructured its operations in the Netherlands, leading to the creation of new roles based largely on existing roles. To support this transition, 381 employees across various organisational levels completed relevant training, with a strong emphasis on fostering a culture of change.

PostNL Recruitment and career development as indicated
2023 - 2024

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During 2024, training hours per FTE increased from 21 to 25, driven by more new hires in operational roles. Average training costs per FTE rose from €711 to €828, mainly due to higher wage costs.

Shaping a learning culture

At PostNL, we cultivate a learning culture by providing employees with easy access to development opportunities through our learning platform, Mijn Leerplein. This fosters an agile, adaptable workforce. In 2025, we will pilot Mijn Leerplein access for segments of the value chain, starting with e-commerce. By enhancing platform usability and integrating tools like Goodhabitz, we have tailored learning experiences to individual needs, increasing engagement across the workforce.

We also continued to expand our training offerings with new Digital Learning Labs, informed by the latest industry trends and developments. These labs focus on three strategic pillars: elevating the customer experience, accelerating our digital transformation, and embedding an agile way of working. In 2024, our employees completed an impressive 330 Digital Learning Labs. Additionally, we also hosted an AI Hackathon, attracting 75 enthusiastic participants. This underscores the increasing interest and commitment to developing AI-driven solutions while equipping our workforce with vital digital skills for the future.

By delivering such targeted initiatives, we empower our people to stay innovative, adaptable, and aligned with our strategic ambitions, ensuring we consistently deliver exceptional value to our customers and stakeholders.

Collective labour agreements

New CLA for PostNL mail deliverers

In April, we signed a new collective labour agreement (CLA) with trade unions BVPP and CNV that covers around 15,000 mail deliverers. The CLA runs from 1 January 2024 through 31 December 2025, and provides mail deliverers with improved employment conditions and a pay rise of at least 19%. The CLAs are an important element in maintaining the human rights of all PostNL employees. More information on the policies that uphold the human rights of our people can be found in the Our policies section of the Social disclosures in the Sustainability statement.

Rising pay and improved employee benefits

A key element of the new CLA is the new pay structure, where we have introduced an option allowing mail deliverers to receive higher pay that reflects their level of experience, as well as the increase in the legal minimum wage. There will be multiple pay increases in the course of the new CLA, the first of which – the legally required raise of 9.9% – came into force on 1 January 2024, while the last will take effect on 1 July 2025. By that date, pay will have increased by between 19% and 25% relative to 31 December 2023. In addition to these pay rises, other agreements include higher pay for 16- and 17-year-olds, an end to youth wages from age 18, a bonus payment for mentors, higher bike allowances and monthly payment of the holiday allowance for new mail deliverers.

New CLAs for PostNL and Saturday deliverers

In 2024, we finalised new CLAs for PostNL and Saturday deliverers, which came into force on 1 April 2024 and extend through to 30 June 2026. These agreements outline a structured total pay increase of 7%, implemented as follows: a 2.5% increase effective from 1 July 2024, 1.5% from 1 January 2025, a further 1.5% from 1 July 2025, and an additional 1.5% from 1 January 2026. The initial increase from July 2024 was paid retroactively in December.

Additionally, as of 1 January 2025, youth wages from age 18 have been discontinued. To reflect these adjustments, the salary structure has been revised accordingly in the new CLAs. The agreements will also incorporate other employment conditions, including provisions for the individual RVU (early retirement scheme), the bicycle scheme, and special leave for prospective parents.

Social plan

In January 2025, we reached an agreement with trade unions on a new social plan, applying to all employees covered by the PostNL collective labour agreement. The social plan took effect on 1 January 2025 and will run until 31 August 2027.

Changes to the minimum wage in the Netherlands

As of 1 January 2024, the minimum wage increased by 22%-29% compared to 31 December 2022. For PostNL, and depending on the applicable collective labour agreement, this resulted in higher wages paid of €40 million - €45 million compared to 2023. We expect 18,000 employees from across the company to benefit from this.