Reduction of Working Hours: Challenge or Opportunity for the Hospitality Industry?
The recent reduction in maximum working hours in Spain, from 40 to 38.5 hours in 2024 and to 37.5 hours in 2025, aims to align with European standards. While this measure seems manageable, its implications for the hospitality industry are complex.
by mercedes galán
Experts: Carlos Pinilla Domínguez, partner responsible for labor at Garrigues Canarias, Raquel de la Viña, head of the labor department at Andersen and Alfredo Aspra, managing partner at Labormatters Abogados.
CHALLENGES IN HOSPITALITY
Reducing working hours without considering the particularities of the sector can bring significant challenges. Carlos Pinilla Domínguez, partner responsible for labor at Garrigues Canarias, warns about the increase in the wage bill due to the need to hire more staff. The labor shortage and the need to offer competitive salaries further complicate the situation, although, as he explains, “the labor shortage has led hotels to pay higher wages than those established in collective agreements to avoid frequent turnover.” Pinilla suggests that “the reduction in working hours should be adapted to each sector and addressed alongside issues like hiring and absenteeism.”
Raquel de la Viña, head of the labor department at Andersen, notes that “the most significant impact will be the difficulty for companies to maintain competitiveness and current customer service hours without incurring substantial cost increases.” She emphasizes that the restaurant industry, in particular, will be affected, as reduced hours would limit the number of diners and increase labor costs.
Regarding the measures companies can take to adapt to this new framework, De la Viña recommends that each company conduct a study and analysis of its situation to implement appropriate measures individually or collectively, thus optimizing results and controlling costs. The most common measures, she points out, include reducing hours, although this may affect service; increasing hiring, despite the labor shortage; and strategies such as irregular distribution of working hours, shift reconfiguration, and increasing annual rest days, up to 15 additional days.
Due to the complexity of the hospitality sector, De la Viña insists on the need for a sectoral approach to reducing working hours. “It is crucial that this measure is not implemented uniformly, but rather adapted flexibly to the seasonal and specific scheduling needs. Each company must conduct a detailed study to optimize the measures,” De la Viña notes.
COSTS AND BENEFITS IN THE SECTOR
