A total of 41 companies have submitted their applications for grants aimed at boosting productivity improvement in small and medium-sized industrial enterprises through pilot projects for reducing working hours. This pioneering call, launched by the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Tourism through the EOI Public Foundation, is specifically targeted at Spanish industrial SMEs.
According to Minister Héctor Gómez, “This first pilot program demonstrates that companies are open to a new way of organizing their working hours, with reductions in working time without affecting salaries and improving their business results: everyone wins, both SMEs and workers.”
The 41 applications from industrial SMEs come from 13 autonomous communities: Catalonia (11), Andalusia (6), Galicia (4), Basque Country (4), Principality of Asturias (3), Navarre (3), Canary Islands (3), Madrid (2), Cantabria (1), Castilla y León (1), Castilla-La Mancha (1), Extremadura (1), and Balearic Islands (1). During the application period, a total of 165 information requests were received from entities in various sectors.
The total value of eligible expenses requested for the 41 submitted projects amounts to €2,831,017.60, and the total number of employees involved in the pilot projects is 503. Officials say, the diversity and quality of the proposals submitted demonstrate the talent and creativity of the interested industrial SMEs, covering a wide range of sectors such as engineering, architecture, electrical equipment and materials, rubber, pharmaceuticals, textiles, distribution, and food.
According to Minister Héctor Gómez, “This first pilot program demonstrates that companies are open to a new way of organizing their working hours, with reductions in working time without affecting salaries and improving their business results: everyone wins, both SMEs and workers.”
The 41 applications from industrial SMEs come from 13 autonomous communities: Catalonia (11), Andalusia (6), Galicia (4), Basque Country (4), Principality of Asturias (3), Navarre (3), Canary Islands (3), Madrid (2), Cantabria (1), Castilla y León (1), Castilla-La Mancha (1), Extremadura (1), and Balearic Islands (1). During the application period, a total of 165 information requests were received from entities in various sectors.
The total value of eligible expenses requested for the 41 submitted projects amounts to €2,831,017.60, and the total number of employees involved in the pilot projects is 503. Officials say, the diversity and quality of the proposals submitted demonstrate the talent and creativity of the interested industrial SMEs, covering a wide range of sectors such as engineering, architecture, electrical equipment and materials, rubber, pharmaceuticals, textiles, distribution, and food.