The reduction of working hours in Spain is already a reality. The shift from 40 to 37.5 hours per week, approved as part of the labor reform promoted by the Government, represents a significant change in the way many companies operate. This new regulatory framework seeks to protect worker well-being, but at the same time, it creates significant challenges for companies that need to maintain productivity without increasing costs.
In this new scenario, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) emerges as one of the most effective tools for adapting without compromising service levels or operational efficiency. This article will explain how to maintain your productivity despite reduced working hours, which processes you can outsource, and why doing so may be the strategic decision your company needs.
How does reduced working hours affect companies?
The 2.5-hour reduction per worker per week represents a 6.25% reduction in operational availability, while maintaining the same wages and social costs. For sectors such as retail, insurance, healthcare, telecommunications, and contact centers, this can translate into:
- Reduced hourly coverage without expanding staff.
- Internal teams becoming overwhelmed with the same workload.
- Increased overtime or the need for new hires.
- Difficulties maintaining customer service levels.
This does not include the implications for shifts, productivity, talent management, and KPI compliance, which many companies are already experiencing.
What is BPO and why can it be the solution?
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) allows companies to outsource operational processes to specialized providers who manage specific functions from other countries or regions. These services are executed with trained talent, technological infrastructure, and customer-aligned measurement frameworks. With the support of a BPO partner, companies can:
- Maintain their productivity without hiring additional staff.
- Increase their operational coverage (even 24/7).
- Reduce their fixed costs by up to 50%.
- Avoid overloading their internal teams.
According to Market Research Future, the BPO market in Spain will be valued at USD 6.7 billion in 2024, driven largely by reforms like this one that force the search for more agile operating models.
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What processes can be outsourced to compensate for the reduction in working hours?
Companies can identify non-strategic but essential processes to outsource, thus alleviating the burden on internal staff. Some examples:
- Billing, collections, and payment management.
- Document digitalization.
- Data verification.
- Calls, chat, email, social media.
- Basic or specialized technical support.
- Appointment scheduling or post-sales follow-up.
- Scheduling meetings.
- Telephone surveys or email marketing.
- Updating commercial databases.
- Payroll processing.
- Vacation and absence management.
- First-level employee service.
All of these processes can remain active even outside of traditional business hours, avoiding internal bottlenecks and maintaining operational quality.
Tangible benefits of outsourcing after the labor reform
| Benefit | Real Impact |
|---|---|
| Reduction of fixed costs | Up to 50% less compared to direct hiring. |
| Continuous operation | Extended or 24/7 support without the need for overtime. |
| Greater efficiency | Trained personnel, specialized supervision, improvement in KPIs. |
| Scalability | Ability to grow without reorganizing your internal structure. |
| Strategic focus | Free up your teams to focus on the core of the business. |
Real cases
A group of clinics in Madrid outsourced its contact center for appointment scheduling, document validation, and automated reminders.
Results:
- 35% reduction in missed calls.
- 20% increase in appointment fulfillment.
- Operations from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. with no additional internal staff costs.
A nationwide retail chain delegated after-sales support to a team in Colombia to cover evenings and weekends. Results:
- 28% improvement in CSAT.
- 48% savings in operating costs for the department.
- Coverage during peak demand periods without overloading stores.
Is this viable for medium-sized companies?
Yes. Today, there are flexible BPO models tailored to medium-sized or growing companies. You can start with a small team or with project-based services, without having to commit to large volumes or sign complex contracts. Many providers, such as Outsourcing SAS BIC, work under scalable, customized service plans that are fully aligned with the client’s quality policies.
And the control?
One of the biggest fears when outsourcing is “losing control.” But modern BPOs operate with:
- Defined SLAs (time, quality, satisfaction).
- Real-time shared dashboards.
- Regular performance reports.
- Dedicated supervisors and follow-up meetings.
In other words, you can have more control than with an in-house team, thanks to the digital traceability and culture of continuous improvement that professional BPOs foster.
How to implement BPO to respond to labor reform
1. Audit your current processes.
Identify bottlenecks that will be affected by reduced hours.
2. Prioritize repetitive functions.
Start with administrative or customer service tasks that can be quickly outsourced.
3. Select a specialized partner.
Evaluate experience, references, legal compliance, and control tools.
4. Implement a pilot.
Test with a limited process or area and measure the real impact.
5. Scale gradually.
Adjust the model based on your results and operational needs.
What does Outsourcing SAS BIC offer?
At Outsourcing SAS BIC, we offer BPO solutions tailored to companies in Spain that need to maintain their efficiency amid regulatory changes.
- Multi-channel support and extended business hours.
- Automation of administrative processes.
- Real-time control, GDPR compliance, and traceability.
- Savings of over 50% in operations and personnel.
The reduction in working hours in Spain represents a challenge… but also a great opportunity. Outsourcing processes to a reliable BPO partner allows companies to maintain their work pace, optimize resources, and focus on what really matters.
Far from being an emergency measure, BPO can become a tool for sustainable operational transformation.
What's next?
- Schedule a free consultation with our team and receive an audit of your internal processes.
- More at outsourcing.com.co
SAS BIC Outsourcing – Your productivity, even with fewer hours.