Spain: Appointment Alert! - Part 1
From ExecutivePlanet.com
Making appointments
Working hours vary both across Spain and according to the type of business but most offices are generally open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. and again from perhaps 4:30 p.m. or 5:00 p.m. until about 8:00 p.m. Monday to Friday. In July and especially August, when most people take their vacations, hours may change to 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Friday.
Banks and government offices open 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday to Friday [banks are usually open 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday] and may not open at all in the afternoon.
Whilst the siesta remains an integral feature of the Spanish way of life, it is no longer the case that all Spain 'closes' completely for the afternoon. Since Franco's death in 1975, Spanish working hours have become 'Europeanised.' Though still far from 'nine-to-five', the Spanish business day increasingly recognises that its former idiosyncrasies no longer match the demands and expectations of the modern commercial world. Thus, a shorter break is more typically taken between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. [more or less], bigger shops remain open throughout the day and close at 9:00 p.m. and many office-workers remain at their desks until mid-evening. More and more staff do not leave the office at all during the siesta.
Nevertheless, even in Madrid, Barcelona or Valencia, the working day still means arriving at the office around 9:00 a.m. For many, the day will begin leisurely at first, drinking coffee and catching up with the news or office gossip. Work does not really start until 9:30 or 10.00 a.m. but, if it includes dinner, the working day may extend beyond midnight.
Lunch usually starts between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. and, depending on the circumstances, could either be a quick, casual meal at a local café or bar or last for several hours in a fine restaurant. After returning to the office, workers stay as long as necessary, typically until 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. but often much later for professionals.
Business can be conducted over meals but you should be aware that Spaniards regard eating as a primarily sociable activity so, if you do want to discuss business, you should make this clear to your Spanish counterpart in advance. Breakfast meetings are not very popular and should certainly not be scheduled before 8:30 a.m. Also, because many Spaniards still go home for lunch, so you should not be alarmed if your invitation to eat at this time is declined.
Because of the comparatively unusual structure of the Spanish working day, it is probably best to arrange an initial meeting for the mid-morning until or unless you know your counterpart's particular practice.
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