The coronavirus crisis has opened the floodgates to a tsunami of requests for the services of Belgium’s National Employment Office (Office national de l’emploi – ONEM). Following the closure of the ONEM offices to the public in March 2020, the organization’s contact centre was quite literally bombarded with requests from employers and jobseekers.
In May 2020, to give the public rapid access to correct information, the ONEM developed a chatbot for its website. It began by setting up a “tax certificate” chatbot, giving citizens rapid access to copies of the statements they need to submit alongside their tax returns.
This chatbot was greatly expanded in 2021 and is now able to answer a range of questions relating to unemployment and career breaks. It also serves as a promotional tool to encourage use of the e-box, Belgium’s virtual, secure mailbox that enables the authorities to communicate safely with citizens.