I recently researched the prices for my main service – workstation assessments – in my home market The Netherlands.
Since most Occupational Health and Safety Services (Arbodiensten) in The Netherlands don’t publish their prices online, I’ve requested them via email or phone. This is definitely not a statistically representative survey. But I do think it gives a good picture.
Prices vary enormously. For example, I charge €100 for a workstation assessment (including report), but there are also providers who charge more than €600 😮.
Why is there such a big difference in prices?
1. Amount of time spent during a session
Many providers spend a lot longer on a session than I do (45 minutes). Some providers also provide a report of their findings after each session. I do this for an additional charge of €25).
2. Online versus in person
Almost all providers I have compared visit the client in person for a workstation assessment. I work almost exclusively online. It is understandable that someone who has to visit a client charges more, as additional time is spent on traveling and other logistical challenges. It doesn’t justify the big differences in proces though. When I (in exceptional cases) visit clients with employees working in special locations that I don’t yet have much knowledge of (e.g. croupiers at my client Holland Casino), I don’t charge extra, beyond the legally stipulated mileage allowance.
Unsurprisingly, I think that it is almost never necessary to conduct a workplace survey in person on location. I find that in the thousands of sessions I have now done online, I can give just as good workplace advice as in the pre-video-meeting era when I visited all clients in person. And maybe even better!
A) It’s more efficient: because I can do many more consultations in a day, I can greatly reduce client costs. I can also complete a project much faster. If I visited colleagues at a company with a hundred employees in person at their homes, it would probably take several months. Now I do this in a few weeks.
B) For employees it’s much easier to discuss more sensitive topics (mental well-being, problems with colleagues, etc.) in a 1-on-1 online conversation, than live in the office with other colleagues present.
3. Difference in quality?
Ondoubtedly there is a difference in quality between providers, but it is impossible for me to judge this. I included in my comparison only officially recognised occupational health services and providers who work with occupational therapists or physiotherapists and are therefore properly trained.
4. Overhead costs
Occupational Health and Safety Services (Arbodiensten) employ a lot of people to do sales and administrative work, and often have expensive offices. This is one reason small self-employed people like me (I don’t even have an office) can often offer their services for a lower price.
Fees Occupational Health and Safety Services
According to Goudse verzekeringen a workstation assessment costs between €400 until €600 and more (link in Dutch).
Only 2 of the Occupational Health and Safety Services (Arbodienst) that I contacted sent me information on their prices. Also I only found 2 who (dare to?) publish their prices on their websites.
One of the biggest Arbodienst in The Netherland – Arboned – asks € 440 (without a report) or € 705 (including a report). Omwender (Zorg van de Zaak) charges €585 including a report. Preventie & Werk (a sister-organisation of Arbodienst ArboAnders) charges €520.
Kosten werkplekonderzoek overige aanbieders
Werkplek-onderzoek.nl (occupational therapist): € 95 per hour
Arbody (various roles): € 350 for a 1 hour session
Jolien Glas (remedial therapist): € 290 for a 35 minute session
Tigra (various roles): between € 464 and € 595
Beteropjewerk.nl (occupational therapist): € 110 for a one and a half hour session.
Ergonomiespecialist.nl (physiotherapist and occupational therapists): € 295 per session
VOSERGO (occupational therapists): €135 for a one hour session, including report
Argo at work (physiotherapist and occupational therapists): €115 per hour.
Amplio 360: €1159 for a workstation assessment 😮
Looking for affordable workstation assessments? I’d love to hear from you!