Reducing Working Hours: Progress or Challenge for Businesses?
The government has proposed reducing the working hours per week to 37.5 hours, a measure that has sparked debate in political and business circles. Its approval in Congress is not guaranteed, as key government allies may not support it.
Historically, collective bargaining has been the preferred mechanism for adapting working conditions to each sector. Imposing a reduction without employer consensus could disrupt the balance achieved after years of negotiations. Moreover, there is no conclusive evidence that working fewer hours automatically increases productivity, as this depends on multiple factors such as technology, training, and work environment.
Key sectors of Spain’s GDP, such as hospitality and retail, may struggle to adapt to this regulation. Reducing working hours could lead to higher labor costs and potentially increased prices for consumers. Furthermore, in many cases, rather than working fewer hours per week, the measure could be implemented as additional vacation days, without a direct impact on employees’ daily routines.
SMEs and self-employed professionals, which make up 99% of Spain’s business fabric, could be the most affected. The need to hire additional staff to maintain operations could be unsustainable for many companies. Likewise, reorganizing shifts and covering vacancies would present significant logistical and financial challenges.
In conclusion, while reducing working hours could be a step forward for labor rights, its implementation requires a balanced approach and genuine consensus among the government, unions, and businesses. You can read the full article written by our partner Alberto Novoa and published by Cinco Días at this link.
Published in
You may also like
Summary of relevant court judgments and legislative developments: working conditions and workers’ rights (Nov-Dec | 2025)
Summary of relevant court judgments and legislative developments: working conditions and workers’ rights (October | 2025)
