International News Spain's Plan to Reduce Working Week

Spain is advancing plans to shorten its official working week from 40 to 37.5 hours while maintaining current salary levels. The Spanish cabinet is set to review the proposal before it heads to parliament, where it is expected to spark extensive debate.

Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz, the driving force behind the initiative, has stated, "This proposal is about living better, working less, and being much more productive and efficient economically." However, opposition is already emerging. The centre-right Catalan separatist party Junts has voiced concerns, and the CEOE, Spain’s main employer lobby, argues that the change would increase costs for businesses and reduce their competitiveness.

According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the global average working week, based on actual hours worked rather than official limits, is 43.9 hours. This figure varies significantly across countries, reflecting diverse economic, social, and cultural factors.

Countries with the Shortest Average Working Weeks​

The ILO data highlights the following countries where workers log the fewest hours on average:

• Yemen: 25.9 hours
• Netherlands: 26.8 hours
• Norway: 27.1 hours
• Austria: 28.4 hours
• Denmark: 28.8 hours

Notably, except for Yemen, all these countries rank in the top 20 of the latest World Happiness Report, with Denmark holding the second spot, suggesting a correlation between shorter working hours and higher life satisfaction.

Countries with the Longest Average Working Weeks​

In contrast, the countries with the longest average working weeks are:

• Bhutan: 54.5 hours
• Sudan: 50.8 hours
• Lesotho: 50.2 hours
• Republic of the Congo: 48.7 hours
• United Arab Emirates: 48.4 hours

Working Hours in Spain, the UK, and Ireland​

Spain’s average working week is 31.6 hours, while the UK’s is slightly lower at 30.9 hours, according to ILO data. For Ireland, recent data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates an average of 35.12 hours worked per week on the main job in 2023, as reported by Statista (https://www.statista.com/statistics/419584/main-job-average-weekly-working-hours-ireland-y-on-y/). This places Ireland’s working hours above those of Spain and the UK but still below the global average.

Implications and Outlook​

Spain’s proposed reduction to a 37.5-hour workweek aligns with a broader trend among high-income countries to prioritize work-life balance and productivity over longer hours. However, the resistance from political and business groups highlights the challenges of implementing such reforms in a competitive global economy. As the proposal moves to parliament, its outcome could set a precedent for other nations considering similar measures.