How do you get young employees enthusiastic about the Works Council?

The first question, of course, is: why would you want young employees on the Works Council? Don’t people with more than 25 years of service know the organisation much better? And doesn’t a director take a senior employee far more seriously than a junior?

1. A Works Council should reflect the workforce

That is precisely why it is important that young employees are represented as well. It may even strengthen your employer branding and labour market communication.

2. A fresh perspective

It may sound like a cliché, but the fresh perspective of younger employees can lead to more innovative proposals and ideas to improve the organisation.

3. Voting should not feel outdated

Going to a physical ballot box with a paper ballot is old‑school. Younger generations are used to working digitally and are familiar with digital campaigning. ORvox is designed to support exactly that.

4. Works Council membership can be a strong career booster

You gain insight into what is happening across departments, develop knowledge about different parts of the organisation, and get a behind‑the‑scenes view of how the business operates. It is a real opportunity to make an impact — something highly valued today.You also become a direct conversation partner for senior leadership, which means they will certainly know your name. Putting yourself forward as a candidate significantly increases your visibility, and it looks great on your LinkedIn profile.

5. Development opportunities

As a Works Council member, you are entitled to at least five days of training per year. Personal development is extremely important for young employees. In your day‑to‑day OR work, you also build experience in areas such as business operations, finance, negotiation and dealing with resistance.Consider, for example, training in win‑win negotiation or managing resistance.