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IND investigates internal culture

Last update: 26 January 2022

​Recently, over 2000 employees (out of over 5000 in total) of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service have participated in a so-called culture scan: an investigation into the internal culture. Last summer, EY concluded in its report that additional attention is needed for the internal culture at the IND. As part of a wider improvement process, the IND itself requested this culture scan.

The IND is a changing organisation. The results of the culture scan show that staff also feel the need for this. From the investigation, a difference emerges between what staff experience in the current culture and what kind of culture they wish to work in. For example, they indicate that they want to see more long-term perspective, involvement of staff, clarity and open communication within the organisation. In addition, the investigation points out that the IND's work can possibly be complicated by factors such as short-term direction, bureaucracy, too much rigidity of hierarchy and compartmentalisation. Staff also mention elements they appreciate in our culture, such as performance orientation, social responsibility and the balance between work and private life.  

Valuable insight

'Attention for and insight into our culture are necessary to achieve the task to change,' reacts acting IND managing director Annelore Roelofs. 'I am happy with the clear wish for change. It is incredibly valuable for us to know how staff see our culture now and how they would like it to develop. As a good employer, we take the outcomes of the investigation extremely seriously and we will put them into action.'

Social task

The IND is faced with an important social task. The decisions that are taken considerably influence the personal lives of people who want to stay in the Netherlands. Staff can only carry out this important task if they have enough scope to do so and can discuss dilemmas.

Having a conversation together

A culture does not change from one day to the next. It is important to discuss and interpret the insight gained from the investigation together first. For this reason, staff and managers will have a conversation among and beyond their teams about what they experience in daily practice, what must change and what can be better. After all, they shape the IND's culture together. 'It is really important to take this into consideration in the coming period. This is the only way we can achieve change,' says Roelofs. 

Task to change

The process around the culture scan fits into the broader change put in motion by the IND. It particularly concerns increasing reliability by becoming more predictable, acting more transparently, appreciating the human dimension better and being more in line with what is going on in society.

The report and culture scan can be requested at pers@ind.nl.