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

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.

Table of contents

What is a reduction in working hours?

A reduction in working hours is an agreement between employer and employee, under which the decision is made for the latter to decrease the number of hours they dedicate to their activity in the company.. Less time worked also implies less expense, however, it should not affect the bond between them under any circumstances.

What are the advantages of reducing working hours?

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

Reducing employees' working hours is effective for managing operating costs during an economic downturn. It also allows managing team performance optimally, by allocating more hours to higher-performing workers and fewer hours to less efficient ones.

What happens when employees work fewer hours?

What would you do with two extra hours every working day? Would you rest more? Spend more time with your children? Go to the gym? Reducing working hours is a decision that improves employee commitment 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 occurs. Extra time can make people feel unfocused, especially if they don't see any benefit in finishing their work faster.. With a reduced working day, employees become more competent in time management. and they try to do everything possible to provide exceptional customer service.
  • Employee health. The reduction of the working day contributes to improving employee health and reducing absenteeism. It also tends to increase the amount of exercise employees do after work, which helps to explain the a reduction in sick leave, an increase in energy levels and a reduction in neck and back pain for staff. Stress levels are also significantly reduced, with improved work-life balance. You can help boost these advantages with the food cheque, which helps them enjoy a healthy and balanced diet. Did you know that Ticket Restaurant is part of FOOD Programme?
  • Financial ramifications. It is important to note that while, in the short term, it might seem more expensive for the company to opt for this measure, it would actually reduce costs in the long run due to considerable improvements in employee health, productivity, and work quality. The organisation can also reduce expenditure on recruitment and turnover by create an attractive working environment that provides the the flexibility that professionals expect today.

What does this mean for the organisation?

Of course, immediate reduction of working hours is not feasible for most companies, but that doesn't mean employee engagement and well-being can't be improved in other ways. For example, with Ticket Restaurant and flexible remuneration, or by providing them with more holiday time, allowing them to work remotely and offering them access to health-related resources.

Edenred Spain