Introduction
As Mexico contemplates reducing the standard 40-hour workweek, companies face a significant challenge: accurately measuring productivity and actual working hours. Experts assert that organizations are not yet prepared for this change.
The Current Perception of Work Hours
Currently, the focus is more on the number of hours worked rather than the accomplishment of objectives. This perception was highlighted during a webinar titled “Adapting to the Hourly Work Schedule: Challenges and Opportunities.”
Jimena Sánchez’s Perspective
Jimena Sánchez, a labor law expert and founder of Employment Legal Aid, questioned the relevance of counting hours in assessing productivity. She emphasized the need for alternative metrics and stressed the urgency of creating differentiated regulations for certain industries with continuous, critical work schedules.
Anticipated Reforms
Following discussions and proposals, the Mexican Social Security Institute (STPS) is expected to formally present a law reform initiative in September. This reform aims to reduce the workweek, and experts hope it will address not only gradual implementation but also flexibility and monthly working hour computation.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the main challenge companies face with the proposed 40-hour workweek reduction? Companies struggle to accurately measure productivity and actual working hours, as the current focus is on hours worked rather than objective accomplishment.
- Who is Jimena Sánchez, and why is her opinion significant? Jimena Sánchez is a labor law expert and founder of Employment Legal Aid. Her perspective on the need for alternative productivity metrics and differentiated regulations for certain industries is influential in shaping discussions around the proposed workweek reduction.
- When can we expect formal proposals for the law reform? The Mexican Social Security Institute (STPS) is expected to present the formal law reform initiative in September.
- What aspects of the proposed reform are experts hoping to address? Experts hope that the reform will not only gradually implement the workweek reduction but also address flexibility and monthly working hour computation.
