Office life in photos
The Historical Collection includes thousands of photos taken by employees and professional photographers alike, documenting life both inside and outside the office. From people and buildings to events and company traditions, these images were preserved for staff magazines, photo albums or personal keepsakes.
The photos come from the various predecessors of NN Group, such as De Nederlanden van 1845, the RVS, the Nationale Levensverzekering-Bank and also from Delta Lloyd's predecessors.
Since the invention of photography in the 19th century, companies have had their offices photographed—whether for documentary purposes, commemorating anniversaries, or marking the opening of a new head office. These photographs were usually packaged in beautifully designed photo albums or published as photo reports in books and brochures.
We can still imagine what it used to be like in the office, because although we work in a completely different way these days, the differences are not that big. Old photos capture moments of concentration, consultation, telephone calls and sometimes there is also time for relaxation. Today we work with our modern equipment and the clothing and manners are adapted to current times. Looking ahead, one cannot help but wonder: how will we be viewed in 100 years, if there is still office life?
