Managing mixed, multicultural and multi-office teams

Key rules

• Regional identity: Do not call colleagues "Spanish" if they identify with their region, and stay neutral on politics.
• Latin American colleagues: Differences between countries are large, so ask each person instead of generalising.
• Place of work: Each employee follows the holidays of their own workplace, so keep one calendar per location.
• Hub language: English is common in international hubs in Madrid and Barcelona, but not in local firms or the public sector.

Treat your team as several groups, not one

A mixed team is not one cultural block. Regional identities, Latin American colleagues, English-speaking hubs and offices with different calendars each need separate handling. Start with who is in your team and where they work, then use the sections below that apply.

Regional identities

In Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, Valencia and the Balearics, Spanish and the regional language are both official. Many people use the regional language socially. Spanish is still the normal working language in most companies, so do not assume anyone in these regions lacks it.

• Never suggest the regional language is a dialect or lesser.
• Do not call people "Spanish" when they identify with their region.
• Stay neutral on politics and independence.
• Let colleagues choose the language in side chats.
• Switch to Spanish (or English) when someone present does not understand.
• Learn greetings and place names and say them correctly. The effort is noticed.

Customer-facing and public-sector work may carry language-use obligations, and job adverts in these regions often favour or require the regional language. This matters less in Madrid and most other regions.

Latin American colleagues

Latin America is not one culture. Differences between countries, companies and people are large, so ask each person how they like to work instead of assuming.

Some common tendencies:

• A more formal and indirect style, with more use of usted (the formal "you") and of titles.
• More deference to hierarchy.
• Softer ways of saying no or disagreeing.
• Words that are rude in one country can be harmless in another.

Spanish workplaces are often more egalitarian and more openly argumentative. Newcomers can read that as aggressive, so explain that a direct debate is normally not personal. In Spain, Spanish employment law and local conventions apply to everyone, whatever their country of origin. Hours, holidays and contract terms follow Spain's rules, not those of the home country.

English-speaking hubs

International hubs in Madrid and Barcelona (tech, startups, shared-service centres, multinationals) usually work in English for meetings, documents, chat and email with global colleagues. Spanish is common in social chat, at lunch and with local clients or authorities.

• Set English as the team language, and accept that local staff will speak Spanish informally.
• Contracts follow Spanish law.
• Hours and lunch breaks can be later than in northern Europe, though many hubs keep an earlier schedule. Agree the schedule explicitly.
• English levels vary. Many tech teams are fluent. Traditional firms are often weaker.

Do not assume every office works in English. Local-language Spanish firms and the public sector usually do not.

Multi-office calendars

Staff take the public holidays of their place of work. Spain has up to 14 a year: national holidays set by the state, holidays set by each autonomous community, and up to two local holidays set by each town. Local holidays can differ even between neighbouring towns.

To keep deadlines safe:

• Use the labour calendar (calendario laboral) for each location, every year.
• Keep a shared calendar per work location and per remote employee.
• Plan around long weekends (puentes). Regions can move a holiday that falls on a Sunday.
• Name a cover for each absence.

The timeline below sets out these steps in order, and the FAQ answers common questions on language and holidays.

Timeline and deadlines

• List every work location and every remote employee's place of work: before you plan the year

• Check the labour calendar (calendario laboral) for each location, covering national, regional and local holidays: each year, when the new calendars are published

• Set up a shared calendar per work location and per remote employee: once the calendars are published

• Plan deadlines around long weekends (puentes) and holidays moved from a Sunday: when you set project deadlines

• Name a cover for each absence: before each holiday period

Frequently asked questions

Can I assume my team in Catalonia or the Basque Country prefers Spanish at work?

No, Spanish is usually the working language, but you should not assume colleagues prefer it. Many use the regional language socially, so let people choose their language in side chats.

Should I call a colleague from Catalonia or Galicia Spanish?

No, avoid calling people Spanish when they identify with their region. Say where they are from instead, and stay neutral on politics and independence. Learning greetings and place names correctly shows respect.

Why does a Latin American colleague seem to avoid saying no directly?

Many Latin American colleagues use a more formal, indirect style and soften disagreement, though this varies by country and person. Spanish colleagues are often blunter and more openly argumentative, which can feel aggressive to newcomers. Ask each person how they prefer to communicate.

Do all offices in an English-speaking hub work in English?

No, English is usual in international hubs in Madrid and Barcelona, but not in local-language Spanish firms or the public sector. Even in hubs, Spanish is common in social chat and with local clients or authorities. English levels also vary, so check understanding in meetings.

How many public holidays does an employee in a different town get?

Employees take the holidays of their workplace location, which can differ even between neighbouring towns. Spain has up to 14 public holidays a year, including up to two local ones set by each municipality.