Employee Experience in Spain
The Global Employee Experience Report allows you to access workplace culture, employee engagement, employee happiness and employee wellness in Spain. These four main indexes compose the overall Employee Experience Score that sets the ground rules for the future of work.
Bases of Employee Engagement
Employee engagement levels in Spain are higher than in the rest of Europe. In Spain, employers attach great importance to employee wellbeing and they prefer to take time and vacation to relieve stress. They also give priority to socializing and spending time together within the company. In this context, they are sensitive to providing flexibility in the workplace which increases employee motivation. The high rate of employee engagement in Spain can be partially explained by these reasons. The career opportunities mostly drive work passion; it is necessary to structure performance management and continuous learning.
Internal Communication and Employee Feedback Structure
Hierarchical order is important in Spain; often, companies have a rigid and vertical structure. Subordinates and superiors are clearly identified. The decision-making process is mostly up to the top management. Meetings and internal communication are often formal. On the other hand, Spanish employees like to follow company news and updates closely. Although the communication happens mostly in person, they are open to adopting internal communication tools to stay in touch with each other. Spanish working culture likes to celebrate shared successes; instant appreciation sharing triggers loyalty and employee engagement. Also, receiving and giving employee feedback is expected for talent growth strategies.
Pillars of Workplace Culture
Be Prepared For Flexible Hours
Working hours and punctuality in Spain are not similar to other western countries. Meetings may start and end late, and deadlines may change. Employees' lunch breaks could be longer. Businesses usually stop working around 14.30-15.00 on Friday afternoons. Being late can be common in Spain as compared to other work cultures.
Strengthen Your Communication Skills
Strong communication is essential for successful business processes in Spain. Being humble when talking about personal accomplishments and experiences is important. Sharing personal life could be expected in the following meetings but not a must for the initial meetings. During conversations, strictly avoid insulting sentences. Additionally, you may be interrupted when speaking, don't get this wrong, in Spain this is not considered rude.
There may be a noisy environment during the meeting, this is quite natural. Spanish people like to use their body language. Both English and Spanish documents are usually ready in the meetings. Spanish is the preferred language for communication; it will be more pleasant if you learn Spanish or communicate through a translator.
Consider Sociality in The Work Environment
In general, Spanish colleagues give high value to their family, personal relationships, and cultural traditions. They like to make the most of every day and avoid rush hour. They spend a long time having lunch and breakfast at work. They give importance to meeting and bonding before talking business. There is no corporate gift-giving in etiquette. Usually, a gift is given as a result of achievement. These gifts should not be too expensive not to be perceived wrong.
Learning & Development of Future Talents
At 42.4%, Spain's higher learning attainment rate in 2018 is high. 95% of the talents receive education at universities, and the remaining 5% in institutions that are at the university level or that are not considered universities due to their special nature.
Performance & Productivity: GDP per hour worked: 101
Part-time Employment Rate : 16.6%
Average Wages (EUR): 1.200
Employee Turnover Rate : 21.4%
Minimum Wages (EUR): 1.050
Population: 47.351.567 (2021)
Unemployment Rate: Total 15.98% - Male 14.1% - Female 18.3%