Fewer Hours, More Strategy: The Challenge of Working Better

On Dec. 4, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo presented the Reform Project to implement a 40-hour workweek in Mexico, an initiative previously analyzed in various working groups with business leaders, unions, academics, and representatives from the government and civil society.

According to the president, the proposal will benefit 13.4 million workers across the country and will be gradually implemented starting in 2027 until reaching 40 hours in 2030. Its purpose is to reduce work-related fatigue, decrease workplace accidents, and improve the balance between personal life, family life, and professional performance.

Additionally, the reform establishes the mandatory electronic registration of working hours for employers. This is precisely where technology and artificial intelligence will play a crucial role in ensuring the government’s plan succeeds, beyond any political or business bias.

International Experience Supports This Model

Countries such as Canada, the United States, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Poland, Greece, South Korea, Chile, and Ecuador, among others across Europe, Asia, and the Americas, already apply 40-hour workweek schemes with positive results. However, their implementation has been gradual, adjusted by each productive sector, and accompanied by digitalization processes, technology adoption, and organizational changes.

In Nordic countries and France, studies report higher levels of job satisfaction and reduced absenteeism. Shorter workweeks have shown positive effects on employee health by decreasing stress, burnout, and illnesses associated with overwork.

Another example is the pilot programs conducted in Iceland and the United Kingdom, which revealed that productivity remained stable or even increased. Moreover, shorter workweeks strengthened talent attraction and retention, particularly among younger workers. These practices also contributed to gender equality by enabling greater participation of women in the workforce and supporting their caregiving responsibilities.

Human Resources and Technology

HR leaders and departments face a major challenge, yet also a major opportunity, to usher in a new stage in the way working hours are planned, monitored, and optimized through technology and artificial intelligence. But how can this be done? Where do we find this technology?

In this context, Sesame introduced the new version of Shifts (Turnos), a business solution that is transforming shift management through AI. This results in fewer errors when planning daily activities, more efficient operational coverage, and smarter decisions regarding workload and talent distribution.

Shifts (Turnos) integrates three AI-powered functionalities designed to streamline the management of work schedules:

AI Shift Chat. With the help of a chat interface, work schedules can be configured using written or voice commands. The system automatically assigns shifts and sends notifications to staff, saving time and optimizing management.

Shift Import Agent. When you need to migrate or supplement schedule planning using files such as Excel, PDF, JPG, or PNG, the import tool automatically processes the information so you don’t have to create shifts from scratch.

Staffing Needs. This feature can configure a specific workday by selecting the number of workers, the most suitable profiles, and the roles required to ensure efficient coverage.

Another major innovation in Shifts (Turnos) is the Cost Table, which allows users to visualize both the estimated cost of planning and the actual cost resulting from executed working hours. This feature is particularly valuable because it enables real-time detection of budget variations. It also contributes to better budget control and greater efficiency in future planning.

Shifts (Turnos) can break down workdays into mini-tasks, allowing employees to better coordinate any type of activity, whether personal or company-related. For example: from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., inventory; from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., product packaging; from 12 p.m. to 2.pm., order fulfillment. The goal is for workers to clearly visualize which activities correspond to each time segment.

All indicators suggest that the 40-hour workweek will be approved as law in 2026, meaning Mexican companies must prepare in advance to address its implications, advantages, and challenges leading up to 2030. In this context, early adoption of technology will be key to easing the transition and aligning organizations with the new labor reality and global trends.

About Sesame

Sesame is a Spanish-born HR software focused on redefining the employee experience. It enables the digitalization of the most routine HR processes, allowing managers and HR professionals to focus on talent, professional development, and the well-being of their teams to help grow their businesses and build a successful corporate culture. Sesame currently has over 15,000 clients and 500,000 users across more than 30 countries in Europe, the United States, and Latin America. Its solutions integrate innovation, analytics, and user-friendly design to empower HR teams to make better decisions, foster engagement, and build workplaces where people want to stay.