Workforce too diverse to dictate one set of working hours – employers

Malta’s workforce is too diverse to dictate one specific set of working hours, according to the Malta Employers’ Association.

The MEA was responding to comments made by former Malta Chamber president Marisa Xuereb on the latest episode of TimesTalk, during which she said that most people are not able to produce more than five hours a day of top quality work.

“Most people take too long to complete tasks that can be done in much less time, and there are still many inefficiencies in the workplace,” she said, explaining that five hours of intense work could yield the same results as eight hours of less productive work.

Malta Employers' director general Kevin Borg told Times of Malta the focus should instead be on working not just harder but also smarter.

“While debate is essential, we caution against one-size-fits-all solutions that risk exacerbating existing productivity deficits, especially in a labour market already grappling with shortages,” he said.

Borg added that there was currently nothing to stop companies from implementing a shorter working week where it made business sense. “However, generalisations can be dangerous and, often, do not benefit the common good. It is widely recognised that the experience of a minority cannot be universally applied, particularly given the diversity of Malta’s workforce.”

Malta’s labour market, he said, is predominantly composed of a wide spectrum of workers with varying levels of ability, aptitude and motivation.

“A large segment of the workforce, such as cleaners, installers and those in retail and nursing, perform roles where physical presence is indispensable, and shorter working hours could prove unfeasible for employers, particularly in a scenario of a dire shortage of manpower.

The association stresses that any national conversation about working hours must be evidence-based and grounded in economic reality. Without such an approach, Malta risks undermining not only its economic standards but also the well-being of its workers.”

Borg’s comments were echoed by his predecessor, Joseph Farrugia.

“I believe the solution is to offer flexible working hours, which an increasing number of companies are becoming receptive to. Otherwise, we risk creating different classes of workers,” he said.

Farrugia expressed doubts that a five-hour day would automatically result in a happier workforce.

“We aren’t machines, after all. I believe that, even if the workday is cut down to five hours, workers will still engage in small talk and so on – what we call winding up and winding down – at the start and end of their shifts,” he said.

Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association president Tony Zahra agreed. “Chats by the water dispenser and cigarette breaks are essential for workers to enjoy their time at work,” he said, adding that, although he valued Xuereb’s opinions, he disagreed with her in this case.

The debate on a shorter working day follows calls by the Nationalist Party in recent months to explore the feasibility of introducing a four-day work week.