Loonkosten per eenheid product; nationale rekeningen

This table provides data on the development of unit labour costs (labour costs consist of compensation of employees plus final charges minus labour cost subsidy). Unit labour costs are usually calculated on the basis of employment. However, hours worked are a more reliable measure of labour turnover. Therefore, the table shows unit labour costs also on the basis of hours worked. In addition to the original figures, the table also contains seasonally adjusted figures. Unit labour costs are shown in thirteen industries based on Standard Industry Classification 2008 (SIC 2008). Data available from: Quarter of 1996. Status of the figures: Figures for the three most recent years are still provisional because the figures can be adjusted on the basis of the availability of new or updated source material and on the basis of reconciliation with more recent national accounts results. Amendments as of 25 October 2021: Figures for the second quarter of 2021 are added in this table. Due to the coronavirus crisis and related measures, there are fluctuations in the figures for 2020 and 2021. These figures should therefore be used with caution. Hours worked, value added, wage costs and number of employees are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus crisis and the government measures taken. For example, the temporary emergency measure bridging employment (NOW subsidy) significantly reduces labour costs. Hours worked and value added are also falling sharply. On the other hand, the measures have (temporarily) ensured that workers are not yet immediately dismissed. In the labour accounts, the estimation of employees’ hours worked and labour cost subsidies deviated from the normal practice. The NOW subsidy, which entered into force in March 2020, allowed workers who had ceased work to continue to be paid and thus reduced job losses. This resulted in fewer hours worked, but this was not reflected in the number of hours recorded in the main source of labour accounts: The register of employers’ wage declarations. Data from the labour force survey (EBB) have therefore been used as a complement. These have been used by (parts of) sectors affected by the coronavirus measures. In the estimation of labour cost subsidies, advances from the NOW scheme were included. The estimate uses detailed data from the UWV on the NOW scheme. This information includes the periods of expected decreases in turnover and NOW subsidies paid by company. When will there be new figures? Data are published three months after the end of a quarter. For the purpose of calculating the fourth quarter, the data for the previous three quarters of that year shall be revised. On the figures for publication, the figures for the previous quarters may change. This is due to the fact that, following publication of the fourth quarter (which includes a revision of the first three quarters), the quarterly figures are revised three times: For each new annual calculation, the quarterly figures are adjusted so that the quarterly figures correspond to the new annual figure. This is done for the first time in June and a second time in the final annual calculation one year later. Finally, the quarters are definitively fixed the following year, with annual totals no longer changing. In addition, a number of series with quarterly data for seasonal effects are corrected. Each time a new quarter is added, the seasonal adjustment is carried out on the whole time series, with all quarters being adjustable. In general, revisions to previously published figures are small.