Uses of Time

Set of 15 measures for more healthy and efficient time organisation, in accordance with the Office for Timetable Reform proposal.

1. More flexible start time
   The working day can begin anywhere between 7:30 and 9:30 am for improved balance between family, personal and work life.
2. More flexible working hours. More compact working days
   There can be 3 working days of 6 hours each (7:30 am–3:30 pm) plus 2 afternoons. More time available for family, personal and community life.
3. More flexible finish time
   From 5 pm and, exceptionally, up to 8 pm. Workers will finish work at a reasonable time.
4. More compact morning working hours
   Workers will be able to swap their 30-minute breakfast break for 30 minutes at lunchtime. Meals will be regulated, and workers will leave work earlier for work-life balance purposes.
5. Earlier lunchtime
   Lunchtime will be between 1 and 3 pm, in order to coincide with the European standard and encourage more healthy habits.
6. Cafeterias for workers
   Facilities with a cafeteria for workers will be available from 1 pm onwards to encourage healthier eating times.
7. Working meals reduced to a minimum
   Working lunches will be reduced to a maximum of four per month. We will manage to reduce stress and improve our health.
8. Making meetings more efficient
   An efficient system with specific guidelines will be implemented in all meetings. Punctuality, timeliness and efficiency will be promoted in work meetings.
9. Meetings during working hours
   Meetings convened by Barcelona Activa staff will be between 9:30 am and 1 pm, and afternoon meetings will start between 3 and 4:30 pm.
10. More virtual meetings.
    Travel for meetings will be reduced by 30%. The use of conference calls and video conferencing equipment will be encouraged to make work time more productive.
11. More productive meetings
    Meeting rooms will have dedicated spaces for leaving mobile phones and tablets at the start of meetings. There will be guidelines to regulate times for consulting devices for any possible emergencies.
12. Better concentration and more fruitful training sessions
    Mobile phones or tablets will not be used during in-house training sessions except during scheduled breaks.
13. More productive work time
    General training in Outlook, Teams, project management, FaceTime, etc., will be scheduled to make work time more productive.
14. Guaranteed right to disconnect
    Emails and Telegram or WhatsApp messages about work must not be sent between 8 pm and 7 am or on the weekend or public holidays unless essential or in the event of an emergency.
15. No working on the weekend
    Studies and reports must not be sent on Friday to be reviewed over the weekend. These documents must be sent to those concerned between Monday and Wednesday, ideally, in order to guarantee workers’ rest on the weekend.

Some of the measures mentioned facilitate more flexible working hours, more compact hours, healthier eating times, improved efficiency and increased productivity in internal meetings and the guaranteed right to disconnect, among other benefits.