However, there is a fact that accompanies this news: although there are more people employed than in 2008, workers are working fewer hours in their jobs. In fact, there has been a 7.1% decrease in the hours worked by all employed people.
This phenomenon is attributed to two main factors. Firstly, the weight of partial contracts in the labor market has increased, which means that there are more people working part-time, which translates into a decrease in the hours worked per individual.
According to the economic newspaper Expansión, this phenomenon can also be attributed to the increases in the SMI, which may be leading more people to find part-time work instead of full-time.
Secondly, the increases in the Interprofessional Minimum Wage (SMI) may also be contributing to this trend. It is possible that companies, in order to keep their costs under control, are choosing to hire more part-time employees instead of having fewer full-time workers.
Furthermore, there is data that reveals a significant reduction in the average working week in Spain over the years. According to the newspaper El Economista, the average working week has decreased from 37 hours in 1987 to just 33 hours according to the latest EPA. This may also influence the decrease in the hours worked by the employed in the country.