Flexible hours are synonymous with family Fridays

Ecuadornews:

Companies already implement less rigid days so that their employees share more time with the family. The results are considered favorable.

Working 45 minutes more from Monday to Thursday to be able to leave at noon on Fridays from the office is possible in Movistar. Two years ago, the telephone company implemented its program called ‘Family Friday’ for its employees.

“It’s a compressed week. On Friday we worked from eight-thirty in the morning to one and a half in the afternoon, “says Cristina Larrea, manager of Personnel Management at Telefónica Ecuador.

For some years, companies in the country have implemented more flexible working days and ensure that they have good results in performance and employee satisfaction.

Last week the Minister of Labor, Andrés Madero, reported that an agreement was reached with representatives of workers and employers before the National Labor and Salaries Council (CNTS) on three issues to modify the Labor Code.

The idea now is that those 40 hours per week can be completed in six days or less. That is, the day can be extended from Monday to Saturday or reduced from Monday to Thursday, with a maximum limit of 12 working hours per day.

Last Wednesday, May 15, Richard Gómez, representative of the workers before the CNTS, said that some companies in the country already use more flexible schedules and the reform will seek to consolidate and encourage this possibility.

In the summer, Guadalupe Navarrete enjoys a more flexible work schedule and takes advantage of it to spend with her children, who are on vacation.

She holds the position of administrator of contracts in Heavy Oil Pipeline (OCP) Ecuador. That company has implemented this possibility for some years, says Esteban Silva, human resources manager of OCP Ecuador, and has evolved over the years.

For example, between July and August, Fridays work only until noon. The company also offers another benefit called ‘Time for you’, which consists of eight half days off, without a vacation charge, which the employee can take advantage of to spend time with his family or do paperwork.

The Ecuadorian technology firm Kruger Corporation also has flexible work schedules. Ernesto Kruger, founder of the company, argues that the flexible schedule depends on the coordinator of each area. “People do not have an entry or exit clock, they simply set objectives,” explains the executive.

The reforms

Schedule

The companies, indistinctly of the sector to which they belong, could hire personnel to work the 40 hours in different days. For example, that they meet them in three days or even in six days, with a cap of 12 hours a day.

Entrepreneurship

Hiring for ventures will apply to new businesses. If the contract is terminated within that period (up to 3 years) the workers receive their settlement plus the eviction bonus. If the business is maintained, the contract will be indefinite.

Fixed term

The elimination of a 35% surcharge on casual contracts and occasional service contracts was also agreed upon. This seeks to encourage fixed-term contracts in companies in the country. (I)

Source: https://www.expreso.ec/economia/horarios-trabajo-viernes-familia-tiempo-GH2845954