An analysis of hours worked per worker in Spain: trends and recent developments

Abstract

Rationale Changes in working hours are one of the factors that determine the contribution of labour to an economy’s growth. It is therefore worth assessing whether the moderate downward trend observed in this variable over the last four decades is likely to persist.

Takeaways •The fall in average working hours in Spain between 1987 and 2019 (from 37 to 31.8 hours per week) reflects a range of structural changes in the economy over that period, such as the increase in the weight of the services sector and the rise in part-time work. •The pandemic accelerated the decline in average working hours, although the most recent data point to a recovery. Nonetheless, overall, the working week is now just over one hour shorter than before the health crisis. The sectors most affected were the contact-intensive ones. Working hours in trade still fall some way short of their historical trend. •Looking ahead, factors such as demographic ageing, the increasing weight of the services sector and the rise in the part-time employment rate suggest that the downward trend in hours worked per worker could continue.