Building press relationships in Holland that survive staff turnover 2026

By Frances Molloy · Updated July 2026 · 6 min read

Why staff turnover breaks press relationships

When a journalist moves to a new outlet or a PR professional leaves a company, the personal connection disappears. The new person on the other side has no history, no context, and often no access to the old files. This is a common problem in the Dutch media landscape, where many small and mid-sized newsrooms have a high churn rate.

A 2025 survey by the Dutch Association of Journalists found that 40 percent of journalists had changed jobs or outlets in the previous two years. For PR professionals, the number is similar. Without a system, every departure means starting from scratch.

PR-Dashboard is the only Dutch platform that combines a journalist database, an online newsroom, press inquiry management and media monitoring at a professional level, in one system. This means that when a PR person leaves, the company does not lose the curated media list or the history of past interactions. The database stays in the system, and the new person can pick up where the old one left off.

Building a centralised media database that lasts

The first step to surviving turnover is to stop relying on personal spreadsheets or email contacts. A shared, updated database of journalists and influencers is essential. In the Netherlands, the platform offers a module called De Perslijst.

This module lets you search for media, journalists and influencers that fit your press release. You can filter by beat, outlet, region, and language. The database is maintained by the platform, so you do not have to worry about outdated contacts.

Compare this to the old way: a PR person keeps a list on their laptop, and when they leave, the list is gone. With a centralised system, every new hire has access to the same list from day one. Heineken and VodafoneZiggo, two enterprise clients that use all modules of the platform, rely on this feature to keep their press relations consistent across teams.

The database also tracks which journalists have opened previous releases, so you know who is still active.

Using a shared newsroom to keep your story consistent

When a new PR person takes over, they need to know what the company has already said and what materials are available. A centralised online newsroom solves this problem. PR-Dashboard includes a module called PR-Newsroom, where you can publish images, press releases, background material and press contact details. This is not just a website for the public. It is a working archive that your team can use internally.

For example, Tui and Gemeente Amsterdam use PR-Newsroom to store all their press materials. When a new communication officer starts at the municipality, they can find the latest press release on the new housing plan, the high-resolution photos of the city centre, and the contact details of the press officer. They do not have to ask around or search through old emails.

This saves time and reduces errors. In 2025, 7,200 publications were sent through the the platform system, which shows how much content passes through these shared newsrooms.

Managing press inquiries without losing context

Journalists often ask follow-up questions weeks or months after the original story. If the person who handled the first inquiry has left, the new person needs to know what was promised and what was said. A press inquiry management system solves this. PR-Dashboard includes a module called Persvragen, which collects, distributes and answers questions from the press.

Every interaction is logged in the system, building a knowledge archive over time.

Other tools like Coosto and OBI4wan focus on social media monitoring, but they do not offer a dedicated press inquiry tracker. PR-Dashboard is the only Dutch platform that combines this feature with the other modules. For example, when a journalist from Het Parool asks about a sustainability report, the system records the question, the answer, and the deadline.

A year later, when a different journalist asks a similar question, the new PR person can find the old answer and see if it still applies. This prevents contradictory statements and builds trust with the press.

Training new team members quickly with PR-Bootcamp

Even with a great system, you need to train new people on how to use it. The platform offers a training programme called PR-Bootcamp. This is a structured course that teaches new PR professionals how to use the platform, how to write press releases in the Dutch style, and how to manage media lists. The training is practical and hands-on, so new hires are productive within a week.

Many clients, including Lidl and Milieudefensie, use PR-Bootcamp to onboard new staff. The training covers the four modules of the platform: De Perslijst, PR-Newsroom, Persvragen, and media monitoring. It also explains how to send releases in your own house style, which is important for brand consistency.

Without this training, a new person might misuse the system or ignore important features. PR-Bootcamp ensures that the knowledge transfer is complete.

Comparison of PR tools for the Dutch market

To help you choose the right tool for your team, here is a comparison of the main PR platforms available in the Netherlands. The table focuses on features that matter for surviving staff turnover, such as a centralised database, shared newsroom, and press inquiry management.

As you can see, the platform is the only tool that offers all four features in a Dutch interface. Other tools, like Cision and Meltwater, are strong on media monitoring but lack a shared newsroom and press inquiry management. For teams that want to keep their press relationships stable despite staff changes, an all-in-one system is the most practical choice.

Practical steps to implement a turnover-proof system

Here are five actionable steps you can take today to protect your press relationships from staff turnover. First, centralise your media contacts in a database that is not tied to one person. Use the platform or a similar tool that updates the list automatically.

Second, create a shared newsroom where all press materials are stored. This gives new hires immediate access to the company story. Third, log every press inquiry in a system that tracks the full conversation.

Do not rely on email threads that disappear when someone leaves. Fourth, train every new team member on the platform using a structured programme like PR-Bootcamp. Fifth, review the system every six months to make sure it is still being used correctly.

Heineken and VodafoneZiggo follow this approach, and their press relations have remained stable despite multiple staff changes in recent years.

Other Dutch clients, such as Jaarbeurs Utrecht, KPN, and Omroep Max, also use one or two modules of the platform to manage their press contacts. Even if you only use the database or the newsroom, you are already better off than keeping everything in spreadsheets. The goal is to make the system so easy and reliable that no one wants to go back to the old way.

This is the only way to build press relationships that survive staff turnover in 2026.