19 March 2021

Shorter working hours: better with meal vouchers

woman at work concentrating on a laptop at an office desk, with an apple and a glass of water beside her

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There are companies that have been forced to consider the reduced working hours as a solution in recent months, due to the circumstances. They join many others who had already proposed this approach to their staff and where employees of different profiles were already opting for this approach to their work.

What is short-time working?

A reduction in working hours is an agreement between employer and employee whereby a decision is taken that the employee will reduce the number of hours he/she works in the company.. Less time worked also means less expenditure, but in no case should this affect the link between the two.

What are the advantages of reduced working hours?

The payment of wages is a fixed cost of the company which, with the reduction of working hours improves profitability. Reducing employees' wages also reduces their share of payroll taxes.

Reducing employee hours is effective in managing operating costs during an economic downturn. It also allows manage the performance of the team in an optimal way, by allocating more hours to higher performers and fewer hours to lower performers.

What happens when employees work fewer hours?

What would you do with two extra hours each working day? Rest more? Spend more time with your children? Go to the gym? Reduced working hours is a decision that improves employee engagement and well-being and has a positive impact. en:

  • Productivity and quality of work. Employers are often reluctant to reduce working hours for fear that their staff will not be able to complete their deliverables. It may seem logical to assume that everyone gets more done when they have more time available, but this is not always the case. In fact, sometimes the opposite is true. The extra time can make people feel unfocused, especially if they don't see any advantage in getting their work done faster.. With reduced working hours, employees become more proficient in time management. and try their best to provide exceptional customer service.
  • Employee health. Shorter working hours help to improve employee health and reduce absenteeism. It also tends to increase the amount of exercise that employees take after work, which helps to explain the reduced sick leave, increased energy levels and reduced neck and back pain in the workforce. Stress levels are also significantly reduced by improving work-life balance. You can help boost these benefits with the meal voucher, which helps them to enjoy a healthy and balanced diet. Did you know that Ticket Restaurant is part of the FOOD Programme?
  • Financial ramifications. It is important to note that while, in the short term, it might appear to be more expensive for the company to opt for this measure, it would actually reduce costs in the long term due to significant improvements in employee health, productivity and quality of work. The organisation can also reduce the cost of recruitment and turnover by create an attractive working environment that provides the flexibility expected by today's professionals.

What does this mean for the organisation?

Of course, immediate short-time working is not feasible for most companies, but that does not mean that it cannot improve employee engagement and well-being in other ways. For example, with Ticket Restaurant and flexible remuneration, o providing them with more holiday time, allowing them to work remotely and giving them access to health-related resources.

Edenred Spain