# Global movement toward reduced working hours

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/global-movement-toward-reduced-working-hours
> Updated: 2026-10-09T17:35:14.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 3.

A global movement toward reduced working hours is gaining momentum, characterized by various national approaches to labor reform.

In the United Kingdom, a pilot program involving 61 companies and roughly 2,900 workers utilized a ‘100-80-100’ model, which aimed to maintain 100% salary and productivity while reducing time to 80%. The trial reported improved well-being, with 71% of participants reporting reduced burnout, and 92% of firms chose to continue the system.

In Spain, the reduction of working hours has transitioned from a marginal proposal to a central labor topic. Meanwhile, Mexico is preparing for a gradual implementation of a 40-hour work week scheduled between 2026 and 2030. This reform to the Federal Labor Law is expected to affect 20% to 30% of company payrolls, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing, commerce, hospitality, transport, and logistics.

As the transition progresses, Mexican industry leaders, including Rodrigo Sánchez Espinosa of Industriales Potosinos A. C. (IPAC), have clarified that the shift will be gradual, debunking rumors of a mandatory 40-hour week by 2027. In the northern manufacturing sectors, companies are responding by focusing on process automation and reorganization, aiming for a ‘25% increase in productivity’ to absorb operational costs. Executives from Viakable and AmCham/Mexico have emphasized the necessity of moving toward strategic productivity and talent management.

Specific implementation timelines for the Mexican constitutional reform indicate that maximum weekly hours will be reduced to 46 in 2027, 44 in 2028, and 42 in 2029, reaching the 40-hour target in 2030. While labor leaders like Edgar Azcuaga Cabrera of the Federación de Trabajadores y Obreros de Tabasco (FTOT) advocate for an orderly implementation to protect worker rights, business representatives such as Mauricio Mahbub Tamez of Canaco Servytur warn of cost pressures on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

## Timeline

### 2026-10-09: Mexico prepares for gradual reduction of weekly workweek to 40 hours

Mexico prepares for a gradual reduction of the workweek from 48 to 40 hours starting in 2027, prompting calls for business efficiency and orderly implementation to protect both workers and economic stability.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mexico-prepares-for-gradual-reduction-of-weekly-workweek-to-40-hours

### 2026-09-15: Mexico industry prepares for gradual reduction in working hours

Mexican businesses are adapting to a gradual reduction in working hours toward a 2030 deadline, focusing on productivity and automation, while workers demand more flexibility due to seasonal commute increases.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mexico-prepares-for-40-hour-work-week-implementation

### 2026-09-13: Global shift toward shorter work weeks impacts labor planning and well-being

Global discussions on reducing working hours intensify as trials of the four-day work week show improved employee well-being and stable productivity in the UK, while Mexico prepares for a 40-hour week.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/global-shift-toward-shorter-work-weeks-impacts-labor-planning-and-well-being

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Cite as: Global movement toward reduced working hours. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/global-movement-toward-reduced-working-hours