{"id":8038,"date":"2025-06-12T20:01:01","date_gmt":"2025-06-12T18:01:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rvdb.nl\/series-why-cant-you-stay-behind-as-an-organization-why-human-centered-organizing-is-no-longer-a-choice\/"},"modified":"2025-07-15T10:57:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-15T08:57:18","slug":"series-why-cant-you-stay-behind-as-an-organization-why-human-centered-organizing-is-no-longer-a-choice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rvdb.nl\/en\/series-why-cant-you-stay-behind-as-an-organization-why-human-centered-organizing-is-no-longer-a-choice\/","title":{"rendered":"Why human-centered organizing is no longer a choice"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Why human-centered organizing is no longer a choice<\/h1>
Written by: Sven Hogervorst<\/em>, PhD Researcher and People & Culture Consultant, and Nienke Sinnaeve<\/em>, Community Manager at Rvdb, June 2025<\/div>

<\/span><\/b><\/p>

\u201cWe are not in an era of change, but in a change of era.\u201d<\/span><\/b><\/p>

– <\/span>Jan Rotmans<\/span><\/p>

<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>

Man as pivotal in a fundamental shift<\/span><\/h3>

The world around us is changing faster than ever before. Technological developments, societal shifts and demographic trends are putting pressure on organizations. But what is perhaps most pressing: the way we organize work no longer matches the times we live in. <\/span><\/p>

The numbers are clear. Labor force participation is declining, workloads are rising and trust in traditional hierarchies is crumbling. Organizations that continue to cling to old structures are losing relevance. This is not a temporary storm to ride out; it is a new climate in which we must learn to navigate. <\/span><\/p>

And in that climate, one thing is central: people.<\/span><\/p>

The harsh reality of the labor market<\/span> <\/h3>

Figures from the Social and Cultural Planning Office (2023) predict that the labor market will continue to shrink until at least 2040. We simply do not have enough people to fill all vacancies. The hunt for talent has become not only more intense, but also longer lasting. And once found, it turns out to be at least as difficult to keep people captivated and involved. <\/span><\/p>

In a job market under structural pressure, the question is no longer how<\/em> to find people, but why<\/em> they want to stay with you.<\/p>

Organizations that do not invest in people-centered organizing lose their right to exist because people simply make different choices. They choose work that matters, in which they feel seen and appreciated. Organizations that do not respond to this will end up empty. <\/span><\/p>

The business case for happiness<\/span> <\/h3>

It sounds almost too good to be true: happy employees are more productive. Yet that is exactly what repeated scientific research shows. The so-called \u201chappy productive worker thesis\u201d (HPW) shows that employee well-being contributes directly to their performance (Burger, M. et al., 2025). <\/span><\/p>

And it doesn’t stop at productivity. Happy employees are more innovative, more loyal and act as powerful ambassadors of your organization. <\/span><\/p>

Gallup’s figures (2024) are compelling:<\/span><\/p>