The gradual implementation of the 40-hour workweek will force companies to examine shift management, incidents, breaks, and other processes related to working time management. Beyond regulatory compliance, the challenge will be to maintain productivity, optimize resources, and ensure that operational decisions are supported by reliable information.

Understanding how working hours are used; verifying the quality and traceability of records; reviewing the concepts paid as overtime; strengthening operational planning; and integrating time management with decision-making are actions that organizations can begin implementing today to prepare for the gradual reduction of the workday.

The activation of this reform will force companies to review the administration of shifts, incidents, rest periods, and other processes related to time management. In organizations with large workforces, the challenge will not be limited to adjusting schedules, as it is crucial to have reliable information that allows maintaining efficiency levels, supporting operations, and facilitating the adoption of the new labor schemes.

Although most of these companies already rely on digitized systems to manage attendance, payroll, and human resources, it is still common to find information scattered across different platforms, manual processes, or operational rules that make it difficult to have a comprehensive view of working time.

“This reform represents an opportunity for companies to better understand how time is used within their operations. Visibility into the actual workday makes it possible to identify areas for improvement, optimize resources, and make more informed decisions without affecting productivity,” explains Tomás Kachadourian, Director of Business Intelligence at InfoBlock.

Given this scenario, the executive proposes five actions that large companies can explore from now on, regardless of the stage in which they are required to implement the new working hours duration.

1. Understanding how time is used: before modifying calendars or templates, it is essential to have accurate data on current operations. Identifying areas with the highest workload, shift changes, recurring incidents, or constant use of overtime provides a starting point for planning the transition and discovering opportunities for improvement.
2. Check the quality of the records: The information must be consistent, traceable, and capable of supporting decisions related to attendance, breaks, vacations, leaves, and other incidents. In addition to facilitating labor compliance, this allows for a better understanding of operational dynamics and the detection of optimization opportunities.
3. Validate which concepts are being paid as overtime: It is advisable to review which concepts are being considered as overtime and verify that they are supported by valid and traceable records. There are situations where certain payments originate from administrative processes, historical practices, or information that is not always linked to an actual attendance or effective work event. Before assuming that the transition to a shorter workday will imply higher costs, opportunities must be detected to eliminate excess payments and improve process accuracy. “Many organizations discover discrepancies between paid overtime and that which is actually recorded. Therefore, it is worth analyzing in detail what is being paid and the operational basis of each concept,” emphasizes Kachadourian.
4. Strengthen operational planning: The reform requires analyzing how shifts are assigned, how the needs of each area are met, and what the potential effects on critical departments could be. Data-driven planning makes it possible to anticipate scenarios, better distribute the workload, and establish alternatives to ensure business continuity.
5. Integrate time management with decision-making: when this information is incorporated into analysis and management processes, organizations gain a more complete view. “There is talk about the digitalization of financial, commercial, or production processes, but work time management still tends to operate in isolation. The next step is to turn that data into an ally to increase productivity and support better business decisions,” adds Kachadourian.

The discussion on the 40-hour workweek will update processes that have remained unchanged for years. Beyond regulatory compliance, organizations that precisely understand how each hour of work is utilized will be better prepared to adapt to the new work environment without compromising the continuity of their operations.

About Infoblock
InfoBlock is a Mexican company specializing in work time management and productivity. Through its own ecosystem of hardware y software, helps organizations transform time and attendance records into reliable information to optimize operations, ensure labor compliance, and improve decision-making. Currently, the company has a presence in 10 countries, manages more than 500,000 employees, and has over 12,000 Libera devices installed in Mexico and Latin America, establishing itself as one of the leading benchmarks in labor time management technology in the region. To learn more about InfoBlock, visit https://infoblock.mx/.

This article was published in the At the Moment by Tomás Kachadourian.