Young employees will invest more in personal development in 2026
5 January 2026
Employees are determined to turn their workplace New Year’s resolutions into reality, especially when it comes to personal development. This is evident from BeFrank’s annual New Year Survey 2026 among more than 1,400 working Dutch people. Over a quarter (27%) plan to take a course, training, or education through work in 2026. Most striking is the high realization rate: 77% expect to actually achieve this goal.
Investing in career and pension
The intention is to invest in personal development. This proactive attitude is particularly strong among Gen Z and Millennials. At the same time, this trend is closely linked to growing awareness of the future. More than half of employees (54%) consider pension conditions during salary negotiations for a new job.
Jan Hein Rhebergen, Commercial Director at BeFrank, says:
“This research shows that employees are actively pursuing their development. This offers employers a tremendous opportunity to attract and grow talent. The increasing focus on pensions as an employment condition highlights the need for clarity and flexibility, so employees can shape their future as actively as they shape their careers.”
Sustainable pension and knowledge level
As in previous years, sustainability remains important. Half of employees (50%) believe it is important that their employer offers sustainable employment conditions. In addition, nearly three in ten employees (29%) expect their employer to choose a pension provider that invests pension funds sustainably, with consideration for the environment and society.
Although pension awareness is increasing, concrete knowledge still lags behind. Only about one-third of employees (29%) know exactly how much income they will have after retirement. There is improvement, however, as this percentage was just 23% last year.
Key Figures
- 54% consider pension conditions during salary negotiations for a new job (an increase of 8.2%).
- 66% want to decide for themselves when and how much pension to withdraw.
- 41% worry about the transition to the new pension system, especially Gen X.
- 60% are concerned whether there will be enough pension left due to population aging.
- 29% know exactly how much income they will have after retirement.
Top 5 New Year’s resolutions
Compared to last year, the top 5 resolutions remain unchanged:
- Find a better work-life balance (29%)
- Take a course, training, or education (27%)
- Live healthier at work (take the stairs more often, snack less, eat healthier lunches, etc.) (22%)
- Ask for a salary increase (18%)
- Make more time for social contacts outside work (17%)
A better balance is the most common resolution across all generations, except Gen Z, where it ranks second. For Gen Z, taking a course is number one. This resolution also ranks high among Millennials (second place) and becomes less common with age. Over a quarter of Baby Boomers have no resolutions at all. For those who do, finding a better work-life balance is most important, followed by living healthier at work and working fewer hours.
Generational differences
- Gen Z and Millennials focus strongly on development and bringing in new ideas.
- Gen X is more concerned about pensions and work-life balance.
- Baby Boomers often have no resolutions (over a quarter), but if they do, a better balance ranks first and working fewer hours second. In addition, 29% of Baby Boomers want to (partially) continue working after retirement.
Broadly speaking, the generations are divided as follows: Baby Boomers (1946–1964), Generation X (1965–1980), Millennials or Generation Y (1981–1996), and Generation Z (1997–2012).
General Figures from the Report
Nine out of ten employees (89%) are not afraid of losing their job. For the coming year, 8% plan to switch jobs to another company, 9% will look for a new job in a sector or role where they have no prior experience, and 5% want to follow their passion and do something completely different.
43% of respondents expect no salary increase or extra income from their employer in 2026. To increase job satisfaction at their current employer, nearly a quarter of employees intend to show more of themselves (25%) and complain less (23%).
About the research
Commissioned by BeFrank, Panelwizard conducted research in December 2025 among more than 1,400 Dutch employees aged 25 and older. The survey is representative by gender, age, generation, labor participation, and education level.
About BeFrank
BeFrank has been active in the collective pension market since 2011 and is the first Premium Pension Institution (PPI) in the Netherlands. BeFrank offers an online pension, clear communication, and innovative services. It is part of NN Group. Since April 2024, BeFrank has been B Corp certified.