Employment and new work practices in Spain

Hello everyone,

In diverse sectors, employment in Spain has been tremendously affected by the current crisis.
We invite you to share your experience on these changes in the professional world in Spain.

Did new work practices emerge over the last few months?

Is working from home becoming the new normal or is it still marginal?

What about recruitment in companies located in Spain?

Were there new laws passed regarding work? If so, what were the consequences on the labour market?

Finally, what is your personal experience on that matter and on your own job specifically?

Thank you for your contribution!

Cheryl
Expat.com team

Hi Cheryl,

Thanks for the post and invitation to share each other experience.

I would like to comment on the topic related to companies and recruitment in Spain.
I settled down in Madrid in 01/2020 and seek for a job until now.

From my standpoint as a job seeker, companies are really cautious on their hiring budget and target cost reductions wherever they can.

From February until now, I noticed a decrease of job postings in my area (risk management) and companies show some uncertainty to hire as they are reviewing their strategy.

I had multiple interviews and some companies inform that they put on hold the recruitment process until further notice. Some other continue the process knowing that they may stop at any time.

As a result, companies still show some reluctance to hire in the current conditions but it doesn't prevent them to pursue the research and selection of candidates until they get the green light to hire.

Hope that labour market will get better by end of this year !

Hi and thanks for your reply , your time and knowledge is much appreciated and has give me a lot to think about , I now think self employment is the best way as I have many trades under my belt and can't afford to wait to long before someone agrees to take me on employed , I wish you all the best and hope things work out for you in near future , thanks again

Hi James, Thanks for your kind message.

As a self-employed you may also face some other challenges than mine during this current disruption.
I am not an expert in self-employment but if you look for information about your area in Spain, i would recommend you (if not already done) to contact your Chamber of commerce (settled in Spain) to collect information relevant to self-employment, business opportunities, regulation, etc...
I am sure you also have personal or professional connections in Spain that can help you and provide advises. If not, LinkedIn can be a solution to find and connect with professionals in your field.

Hope that it will help you moving forward a bit in your project :)

Hi Ben I have a few friends out there but of a different profession I have also contacted a few local firms today hoping they can sub me work on a self employed basis, whilst there I will give my business cards to as many people as poss and hope for the best , I was a bit naive to how hard this work situation was going to be as I've always done well here , fingers crossed a, again I thank you for your time Ben and maybe when we are settled we can meet up for a drink as a thank you , I have no one else offer to help so it won't be forgotten, I hope you find work soon and get want you want from the move to Spain , all the best Ben , speak soon 👍😁