Yikes!!!!! Spain plans to cut workweek to improve work-life balance

[Mike Lavigne]

Just days after Spain’s economy was revealed to be far outpacing its peers, Pedro Sanchez’s government has a new message for voters: stop working so much.

In a move that risks invoking international stereotypes about the Mediterranean lifestyle, the premier and his cabinet agreed on Tuesday that employees in the fourth-biggest member of the euro zone should now have a shorter week.

The cap on hours will be 37.5 as of the start of next year, down from 40 at present, if the proposed law now passes through parliament. The measure was presented in Madrid as a victory for work-life balance — and so horrified business leaders that they walked out of talks on the matter.


i just hope Wadax keeps it together.....

if this thread is viewed by the mods as too political then i will understand if it is deleted. my purpose is more about Wadax than the social political aspect.

Spain plans to cut workweek to improve work-life balance

Just days after Spain’s economy was revealed to be far outpacing its peers, Pedro Sanchez’s government has a new message for voters: stop working so much. In a move that risks invoking international stereotypes about the Mediterranean lifestyle, the premier...

www.seattletimes.com

 

[Macattack]

It will be an interesting experiment.

 

[Rob181]

Just days after Spain’s economy was revealed to be far outpacing its peers, Pedro Sanchez’s government has a new message for voters: stop working so much.

In a move that risks invoking international stereotypes about the Mediterranean lifestyle, the premier and his cabinet agreed on Tuesday that employees in the fourth-biggest member of the euro zone should now have a shorter week.

The cap on hours will be 37.5 as of the start of next year, down from 40 at present, if the proposed law now passes through parliament. The measure was presented in Madrid as a victory for work-life balance — and so horrified business leaders that they walked out of talks on the matter.


i just hope Wadax keeps it together.....

if this thread is viewed by the mods as too political then i will understand if it is deleted. my purpose is more about Wadax than the social political aspect.

Spain plans to cut workweek to improve work-life balance

Just days after Spain’s economy was revealed to be far outpacing its peers, Pedro Sanchez’s government has a new message for voters: stop working so much. In a move that risks invoking international stereotypes about the Mediterranean lifestyle, the premier...

www.seattletimes.com

"and so horrified business leaders that they walked out of talks on the matter."

Nothing more than a stunt. 2.5 hours per week - what's the big deal here...

 

[Al M.]

France has a 35 hour work week:

35-hour workweek - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Devil Horns]

Good for them. May all other countries follow suit.

 

[Al M.]

Good for them. May all other countries follow suit.

Why? OK, maybe if you have a boring job.

 

[Devil Horns]

Why? OK, maybe if you have a boring job.

No one lying on their death bed wished they spent more time in the office.

 

[Al M.]

No one lying on their death bed wished they spent more time in the office.

Sure, I'm not arguing for a 60 hour week, but 40 hours of work per week really isn't that much. You can have a super healthy work/life balance with that. Especially when your job is fun and not boring.

 

[thedudeabides]

Four tens, three days off where practical. Great concept that is unfortunately not widely implemented.

 

[bonzo75]

That’s 2.5 hours less on WBF while in office for Spanish audiophiles

 

[J007B]

No wonder the Euro is in the toilet...

 

[andromedaaudio]

No wonder the Euro is in the toilet...

....
In Scandinavian countries they have a short work week and they score the highest on the life wellness chart.

The idea is to work smart not hard , but after my recent visit to South Dakota it became clear to me why they make long hours lol.

In spain they have also long lunch breaks , irs the only country where we had wine / good food during lunch incl the workshop workers.


Ps well see where the USD will be after 2025 , if they dont succeed to get control of spending ( same in EU)

 

[andromedaaudio]

Even the WEF (with my big hero Klaus lol ) concludes ;

https://www.weforum.org/stories/2021/05/study-shows-scandinavia-is-still-the-happiest-place-in-the-world/

 

[Tonari]

It all started in France 20 years ago!!

IMF Survey: France's 35-Hour Week: Benefit or Straitjacket?

France's 35-hour workweek appears to have had a mainly negative impact. It failed to create more jobs and generated a significant—and mostly negative—reaction from companies and workers.

www.imf.org

 

[crosswind]

We’ve had 37,5 hour weeks in Norway since 1986, down from a maximum of 40.

 

[PLF]

And in Spain (as in most countries) there are minimum days of paid annal leave. Imagine the horror of that! In the US there are none.

 

[Al M.]

And in Spain (as in most countries) there are minimum days of paid annal leave. Imagine the horror of that! In the US there are none.

In our highly successful biotech company in Massachusetts we have a very generous policy regarding vacation, paid holidays and other leave as needed (all Europe-style or better). Our company is smart, a lot of America is stupid.

Furiously, pointlessly hard work doesn't make you happy. It doesn't even make you "productive": it's just dumb. You’re just not productive under excessive stress and work load.

 

[Rensselaer]

Here in the UK, full-time is 37.5 hours-a-week as well.

 

[mtemur]

IMHO, that’s very predictable. As someone who has visited Spain, I would be surprised if they didn’t. I would be concerned if Germany or Japan came up with a similar proposed law (or China).

 

[PLF]

IMHO, that’s very predictable. As someone who has visited Spain, I would be surprised if they didn’t. I would be concerned if Germany or Japan came up with a similar proposed law (or China).

You are clearly a very astute man in your travels.

German working hours typically (35-40 hours) are not much longer than in Spain. On the other hand in Germany it is standard practice for 6 weeks paid vacation (30 days) - although only 20 days or so I believe are required. In Spain it is one month (22 days). There are also quite a few holidays. As such, Germany has one of the lowest annual working hours not only in Europe but in the world.