A Dutch workday: 5 office habits every expat should know

Ever wondered what a typical day in a Dutch workplace looks like? A cheese sandwich for lunch, a quick chat at the coffee machine, an ommetje (stroll) with a colleague and perhaps a vrijmibo (Friday get-together) to finish the week.

Dutch workplaces have their own habits and unwritten office etiquette, and some are probably quite different from what expats working in the Netherlands are used to. The good news? These quirks also offer plenty of opportunities to connect with your colleagues and practise your Dutch at work.

So, let's take you through a typical Dutch workday, from what to expect at lunch to Friday afternoon drinks and everything in between.

1. Lunch break: simple does the job in Dutch office culture

If you're used to a hot or elaborate lunch at work, your first Dutch office lunch may come as a surprise. Around noon, your colleagues open their lunchboxes and out come the sandwiches.

Bread with cheese, hummus, cold cuts of meat or appelstroop are all perfectly normal office lunches in the Netherlands. And don't be surprised to see someone drinking a glass of milk with their sandwich. If there is a canteen nearby, you may also encounter another Dutch classic: a broodje kroket, a bread roll with a hot croquette and mustard.

The food may be simple, but lunch itself is often an important social moment in the day and a crucial part of working in the Netherlands. Instead of eating at your desk, join your colleagues at the table. It is an easy opportunity to practise speaking Dutch with colleagues and get to know people better.

Not sure whether you can join them? Try the Dutch phrase "Is deze plek nog vrij?" or "Mag ik erbij komen zitten?" next time you are in the office.

And if you're curious about someone's unusual-looking sandwich, ask "Wat heb jij op je brood?" You may discover some more interesting Dutch eating habits!

2. Coffee is about more than coffee

Before lunch, after lunch or several times in between, coffee is an office staple. The coffee machine in particular has an important social function in many Dutch office dynamics. A quick hot drink can easily turn into a conversation about the weather, someone's holiday plans or what everyone did at the weekend.

For internationals and expats, these moments are particularly useful. The conversations are informal and short, and you hear the kind of Dutch people actually use in everyday life.

Don't wait for someone to start talking to you. Try "Heb je nog iets leuks gedaan dit weekend?" or "Drukke dag vandaag?"

And if your colleagues automatically switch to English when you arrive, be direct and say "Jullie mogen gewoon Nederlands met me praten. Ik wil graag oefenen!"

Most colleagues will be happy to help you practise Dutch, you just might have to occasionally remind them.

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3. Time for an ommetje: The Dutch workplace walking habit

After all those sandwiches and cups of coffee, it's probably time for some fresh air. Taking a short walk, een ommetje maken, is common practice for work-life balance in the Netherlands, especially around lunchtime.

An ommetje isn't only a chance to stretch your legs. Walking together creates a different kind of conversation. You might talk about work, your weekend or something that's been bothering you. Want to invite a colleague along? Try "Ga je even mee naar buiten?" or "Zullen we een rondje lopen?"

A short walk can even be a good time to discuss a problem at work. Sometimes a conversation feels easier when you're walking side by side instead of sitting opposite each other in a meeting room.

4. It's your birthday, bring the cake to the office

Here's a Dutch office tradition that can be confusing at first. It is your birthday, but instead of your colleagues treating you, you are expected to bring something for them. Welcome to trakteren, a staple of Dutch workplace culture.

Cake is always a good choice, but chocolates, cookies, stroopwafels, fruit or savoury snacks work just as well. Put your treats in the office kitchen and announce "Ik ben jarig, dus ik trakteer!"

It's a small tradition, but also a nice way to create an informal moment with your colleagues. And don't be surprised if everyone suddenly knows it's your birthday.

5. Ending the week with a borrel (Friday afternoon drinks)

Finally, you've made it to Friday afternoon. Time for a borrel. A particularly well-known version is the vrijdagmiddagborrel, usually shortened to vrijmibo. Depending on the company, this might happen every Friday, once a month or only occasionally.

There may be beer or wine, but a borrel is really about the social side of work: chatting with colleagues, having some snacks and talking about something other than deadlines and meetings.

It's also a good opportunity to speak Dutch at work in a relaxed setting. Need an easy conversation starter? "Heb je nog plannen voor het weekend?" Before you know it, you are having a complete conversation in Dutch.

Do as the Dutch do and speak Dutch!

You don't have to adopt every aspect of Dutch office culture. You may never understand the appeal of a cheese sandwich and a glass of milk for lunch. But joining your colleagues for lunch, having a chat at the coffee machine, going for an ommetje or staying for the occasional borrel can help you feel more at home at work.

And all these everyday moments offer something else: a chance to practice your Dutch outside the classroom.

So don't wait for your colleagues to guess what you want. Use a little Dutch directness yourself: "Ik wil graag Nederlands oefenen. Willen jullie Nederlands met me praten?"

Because sometimes the best Dutch lesson doesn't happen in a classroom. It happens over a sandwich, at the coffee machine or during a Friday afternoon borrel.