What does your role as a social worker involve?
"I support employees who are experiencing excessive strain, whether work-related, personal, or due to an imbalance between the two. These are situations that throw people off balance and demand more from them than they can realistically handle. Social safety often plays a role in these cases. I frequently speak with individuals who feel they’ve been treated unfairly, or who don’t feel safe speaking up because of hierarchical structures. That can also lead to a sense of being unjustly evaluated.
We help and empower people in various ways. For example, by supporting them in becoming more resilient, encouraging them to initiate difficult conversations, or helping them set boundaries earlier. When needed, we also refer them to other professionals, such as an ombudsperson, mediator, or occupational and organisational expert. In addition, we regularly offer group trainings on stress management and prevention."
To what extent is VU Amsterdam socially safe?
"That’s a difficult question to answer. The people I see are going through a tough time, but they don’t represent our entire university. That said, I do believe that universities are inherently high-risk environments when it comes to social safety. There’s a pronounced hierarchy, intense competition for funding, a scarcity of desirable positions, and high workloads. All of that increases the risk of social insecurity and a tense work atmosphere.
It’s also hard to address, because it’s part of a longstanding culture and system that we’ve collectively sustained over time. Things have been done this way for many years, and people have come to rely on the rights and privileges that stem from it. That said, we are living in a time where there’s growing awareness of social safety, and the threshold for speaking up has fortunately become lower."
What can be done to improve social safety?
"I believe a certain level of competition is necessary at a university to help people excel. But we should also be paying more attention to the softer aspects of our work: the way we collaborate, the atmosphere within teams, and how we treat one another. VU Amsterdam is already taking steps in this direction. For instance, the Recognition and Rewards programme is helping us refocus on career choices and collaboration. And through The Art of Engagement, we’ve outlined principles that can help teams strengthen cooperation and create a healthy working environment.
Make those kinds of topics a regular part of team meetings. And speak up when things aren’t going well or when you notice something isn’t right. It’s not always easy, but fostering a culture of open dialogue is incredibly important. I still see a fair amount of hesitation around this. People often struggle to give direct feedback or to call out behaviour they find inappropriate. And that’s when you end up with what I’d call 'soft healers who make festering wounds.' That’s why it’s so valuable that we now have the TeamUp workshop, which helps teams strengthen their internal communication and collaboration."
"I’d also like to stress that most people mean well. The majority don’t set out to hurt others or make them feel unsafe. But we’re often unaware - myself included - of how our words and actions affect others. Creating space for open conversation around that can be the key to change. I truly believe we can make progress on social safety. The optimist in me is convinced that, in the end, most people genuinely want to work together in a constructive and respectful way."
