OECD Endorses Mexico’s Workweek Reduction Plan

OECD has officially backed Mexico’s proposal to reduce its workweek to 40 hours, positioning the reform as a crucial intervention for improving public and occupational health, beyond its implications for productivity and labor equity.

At the Foro por las 40 Horas (40 Hours Forum) in the Chamber of Deputies, Mario López Roldán, Head of the Mexico Centre for Latin America, OECD, emphasized that excessive work hours have become a systemic health issue. Mexico currently ranks last among OECD countries in work-life balance, a disparity linked to heightened stress levels, burnout, and chronic health conditions. “Reducing working hours has the potential to significantly improve productivity, emotional health, and social equality,” López stated.

While 37 OECD member nations average fewer than 40 working hours per week, and 12 hover around 35, Mexico continues to uphold one of the world’s most demanding work schedules. The result: a workforce increasingly burdened by physical and mental health challenges. López underscored the importance of aligning economic growth with health outcomes: “There is no point in growth if it does not translate into well-being.”

The OECD has pledged technical assistance for a phased and sector-sensitive implementation, with the initial rollout expected between 2025 and 2030. Public forums beginning June 2 will refine guidelines in collaboration with employers, unions, and health experts.

The conversation around working hours is unfolding alongside broader national efforts to improve workplace health and safety. IMSS and STPS recently marked World Day for Safety and Health at Work by reaffirming their commitment to healthier work environments, reports MBN. 

A recent Betterfly report shows that occupational illnesses are driving up healthcare costs and lowering productivity, reports MBN.  Similarly, the Better Work 2024 report found that 70% of Mexican employees feel their benefits packages are inadequate, with healthcare emerging as the most pressing unmet need.

In 2024 alone, more than 1.5 million Mexican workers suffered workplace injuries, leading to nearly MX$10.7 billion (US$629.4 million) in wage subsidies. “Every workplace accident is an avoidable tragedy and a call to invest in prevention,” said Mauricio Hernández, Director of Economic and Social Benefits, IMSS.

Key to this strategy is the Entornos Laborales Seguros y Saludables (ELSSA) program, which has conducted over 140,000 advisory sessions across 31,000 work centers. These sessions focus on risk factors that affect both physical and mental health, including ergonomic stressors, air quality, and psychosocial hazards.

Mexico’s 2023 overhaul of its occupational disease framework signaled a major shift, expanding recognized illnesses to include anxiety, burnout, and other mental health conditions. This change reflects growing recognition of how modern work patterns, including remote and platform work, are shaping new health risks.

“Preventing is cheaper, faster, and more effective than correcting,” says Johnny Hernández, Commercial Director,  Grupo Diagnóstico Aries (GDA).