He became famous for the colors, the patchwork fabrics, the always playful atmosphere he conveyed. And for affordable prices. Let’s talk about the Spanish brand of clothing and accessories Desigual , born in Barcelona in 1984 and which today is present in 89 countries (including Italy), it has approximately 2,700 employees and 428 single-brand stores. At the beginning there were only women’s collections, over time men’s and children’s collections, accessories, footwear and sportswear have been added. Keeping the emphasis on color and a healthy eccentricity out of the current trends but renewed from season to season. Now the innovative spirit of Desigual is transferred to the organization of work, starting from the Barcelona office. After all, the company’s claim (which sounds better in Spanish than in Italian) has always been: «La vida es chula» (Life is wonderful).
At work four days out of five, three out of four in attendance
Last week Thomas Meyer, founder of Desigual, announced the new initiative and the date (October 7) for workers to express themselves to accept or reject it. The company proposes a four-day working week, from Monday to Thursday, with the option to work remotely on one of these days. For the proposal to pass, it takes 66% or more of the votes in favor and if it happens, it will result in changes to the contractual terms of the employees who will benefit from it. If the proposal passes, 502 people will have the working week reduced by 5 hours, from the current 39.5 hours to 34.5 hours.
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The (content) effect on salary
The agreement will also involve a reduction in wages associated with the reduction of hours (13%). However, the company will propose to its employees that the burden of this reduction be shared at 50%. As a result, employees will receive a 6.5% salary reduction. “The proposal stems from the desire to make Desigual the best place to work, a unique place where people can develop professionally with a better balance between work and private life, enjoying what they do and combining it with their private life”, he explained the managing director Alberto Ojinaga.
Capitalize on the pandemic experience
“The last few months have shown us that we can organize our work and our teams differently, while remaining efficient and prioritizing what is really important – added Ojinaga -. I believe this 4-day (3 + 1) work week is a challenge that will make us more attractive as an organization, will allow us to attract the best talent and it will demonstrate that we are a different, disruptive, young and optimistic company, which is constantly changing and is not afraid to propose new ideas ».
Tools to decide how to vote on 7 October
An information and analysis process has been opened to resolve any doubts that may be raised before the vote on 7 October. During these informational weeks and until the vote, employees will be able to participate in a pilot test to evaluate the benefits of the new work week. The initiative is part of a broader plan to offer innovative models of work-life balance, which will also include implementing improvements for other employees who are not entitled to these hours due to the specific needs of their work – such as shop workers and commercial and operational teams – and strengthening service to shops and centers logistic.