Peru is the second country with the greatest workload in South America: is it possible to reduce working hours?

In South America, Peru It is among the countries with the most extensive working days. According to data from the International Labor Organization (ILO), Peruvian workers work on average 44.7 hours per week, only below Colombia, where the average reaches 46.6 hours. In third place is Paraguay with 43.4 hours, while other countries in the region have smaller days, such as Chile (41.7), Bolivia (39.6), Brazil (39,3), Uruguay (37, 4) and Argentina (37.1).

At the global level, India leads the ranking with a weekly workload of 56 hours, followed by Bután (53.3), Bangladesh (50.4) and Uganda (50,3). In contrast, the shortest days are recorded in the Netherlands (29.8 hours), Rwanda (29.9) and Iraq (31.6). In Europe, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Germany have averages between 32.4 and 33.5 hours.

These differences show how the amount of hours of work responds to factors such as economic policies, cultural dynamics and legal frameworks. While in some countries extensive days are prioritized as a strategy to increase productivity and sustain the economic growthin others they are committed to smaller schedules to improve the quality of life of workers and promote the balance between personal and work life.

In this context, the possibility of reducing the day in Peru generates questions about its viability. High informality, low work performance and lack of clear regulation are some of the factors that hinder its implementation. To analyze this topic, The Republic consulted al Labor lawyer César Rázuri Vargas, who analyzed the challenges and opportunities of this measure.

Is it viable in Peru to reduce working hours?

Labor lawyer César Rázuri Vargas considers that the debate on the reduction of the workday In Peru, it should not focus solely on the number of hours worked, but on the productivity of the country. “The labor problem in Peru is not necessarily solved by working more hours. That is, working more hours does not guarantee better performance,” he said.

According to the specialist, both in the formal and informal sector, employees work for many hours without improving improvements in working conditions or performance. Therefore, it emphasizes that before thinking about a reduction in the day, effective strategies that promote productivity must be implemented. “If productivity is improved through adequate plans, strategies and policies, then one could start talking about a reduction of weekly working hours in the country, where productivity is currently low,” he said.

Informality and its impact on the reduction of working hours in Peru

Regarding the high rate of Informality in PeruRázuri Vargas points out that this problem would not be an absolute impediment to reduce working hours. “Informality is a big problem, a problem of years in the country. But first we should ask ourselves if informality levels are an obstacle to modifying the workday,” he explained.

The lawyer stressed that, according to figures from the Ministry of Labor, in 2023 around 4 million Peruvian workers were on a formal form. From its perspective, reducing the day would benefit this sector without directly affecting those who work in informality. In addition, he stressed that the problem of informality should be treated as a structural issue, but that the debate on the working day should not necessarily condition.

Can the working day be reduced without affecting wages?

One of the main fears of workers is that a reduction in working hours implies a decrease in their income. However, Rázuri Vargas argues that this would depend on the remuneration model applied in the country. “In Peru, the remuneration is paid for a unit of time, not specifically for the hours worked. However, this could change if a remuneration scheme based on the disposal of the worker to the employer was implemented,” he explained.

The lawyer mentioned that there are currently cases in which workers continue to receive their salary without being active, such as holidays, vacations and weekends. In that sense, it considers that an adjustment in the regulations would allow to apply this logic in the reduction of the working day without this representing an economic loss for employees.

Benefits and challenges of a shorter working day

According to the labor lawyer, the reduction of the working day would bring significant benefits for workers, such as a better quality of life and lower level of stress. “For workers, the main benefits would be to have more hours of recreation, to be able to share with their loved ones and enjoy a less stressful life,” he said.

However, it also warns important challenges. For employers, the main challenge would be to ensure that the reduction of hours does not affect productivity. “Employers would have to modify work management, which is not always an immediate process,” he said.

There is also the risk that some companies choose to reduce wages as a first measure in the face of the decrease in working hours, which could generate economic uncertainty among workers.

Necessary measures before reducing the working day in Peru

According to Rázuri Vargas, any attempt to reduce working hours in Peru must be accompanied by a structured plan and coordinated by the Ministry of Labor. “The Ministry could open communication channels, not only with employers, but also with other parts involved. This would allow support and guidance on how to carry out the transition to a new working day,” he suggested.

The lawyer mentioned that the case of Chile could serve as a reference, since there the reduction of the day was applied progressively. In his opinion, a similar strategy in Peru would allow companies to adapt without affecting the stability of the labor market.

How would the Peruvian economy affect a reduction in working hours?

On the impact on Peruvian economy, Rázuri Vargas said that this would depend on how the measure and capacity of companies to maintain their profitability is implemented. “I believe that any economic sector will be affected in one way or another. Some will be more benefited, while others, perhaps, do not perceive a positive impact,” he said.

Although in some countries the reduction of the working day has demonstrated benefits in terms of productivity and well -being, the lawyer warned that Peru must carefully evaluate its application. “It is not about copying what other countries do, because replicating solutions without adaptation is not the answer, but we could rescue what has worked and adjust it to our reality,” he concluded.