Scheduling calls and deadlines with Spanish colleagues and clients

Terms used

• Puente — A puente is a bridge day: a day off taken between a midweek holiday and the weekend to make a long weekend.
• Jornada intensiva — The jornada intensiva is a continuous working day without a long lunch break, common in summer, usually ending around 15:00.
• Menú del día — The menú del día is a fixed-price lunch menu offered by restaurants on working days.
• Semana Santa — Semana Santa is Holy Week, the week before Easter, when many people take days off.

Key rules

• Best call times: Book calls Tuesday to Thursday, mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
• Lunch: Treat roughly 14:00 to 15:30 as closed for business.
• Fridays: Many offices finish around 14:00 or 15:00 on Friday, so do not rely on the afternoon.
• August: Expect slow replies and closures, especially in the first three weeks and around 15 August.
• Deadlines: Add a few extra working days of margin and confirm the date in writing.

The short version

Book calls mid-morning or mid-afternoon, Tuesday to Thursday. Keep lunch, late Friday and August free of calls and deadlines. Leave extra margin around bridges.

Which hours work for calls

Spanish working days start later and finish later than in northern Europe. The best windows are roughly 10:00 to 13:30 and 16:00 to 18:00. An 8:00 call or one after 18:00 is less welcome.

Lunch is later than in most of Europe. On a split day it usually falls between 13:30 and 15:00 and lasts 1 to 2 hours, and in cities 1 to 1.5 hours is most common. Southern Spain and rural areas lean later. Treat roughly 14:00 to 15:30 as closed for business.

Many people eat a fixed-price "menú del día" at lunch, so a call that runs into it will not go down well.

On a continuous day there is only a short break of 15 to 30 minutes, and the main meal is at home around 15:00.

Hours differ by sector, company and region. Ask your counterpart for their working hours before you propose a time.

Mondays and Fridays

Avoid Monday before 10:00. Friday afternoon is the hardest time to reach people. Many private offices stop at 14:00 or 15:00 on Fridays, often because they work longer days from Monday to Thursday. Public administration works mornings only. Retail, hospitality and some traditional firms do work full Friday afternoons, but you should not assume it.

Put important matters earlier in the week or on Friday morning.

Summer and August

In July and August many offices switch to a continuous summer day, working roughly 8:00 to 15:00 (jornada intensiva). Schedule calls in the morning then.

August is the quietest month. Many firms run on skeleton staff or close for two weeks or more, especially in the first three weeks and around 15 August. Public offices and courts slow down, and replies come late. Industry often shuts for plant holidays. Tourism, hospitality and coastal retail are the exception, because August is their busiest time.

Deadlines and bridges

Set a deadline with a few extra working days of margin, and confirm the date in writing a week or two ahead.

Keep deadlines out of these periods:

• The week of 15 August and most of August
• Christmas and New Year
• Holy Week (Semana Santa)
• Friday afternoons and Monday mornings

A bridge (puente) happens when a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday and people take the day between it and the weekend. Whether that day is a day off depends on the employer's calendar or agreement. Some companies close, some ask staff to use leave, and some stay open. Bridges are very common in the public sector, schools and large firms. Longer ones are called "acueducto". Ask your contact whether they are in the office, and leave extra margin around the date.

Holidays differ by region and town. Check the calendar for the place where the recipient works. Regions and towns publish them each year in their official gazettes.

The timeline and FAQ below give the same checks in a shorter form.

Timeline and deadlines

• Confirm your counterpart's working hours and local holidays: before you propose any date

• Confirm the deadline date in writing: 1 to 2 weeks ahead

• Set the deadline with a few extra working days of margin: when you agree the date, around holidays and puentes

• Avoid lunch, Monday before 10:00 and Friday afternoon: lunch runs roughly 14:00 to 15:30

• Avoid deadlines in the key quiet periods: week of 15 August, most of August, Holy Week, Christmas and New Year

Frequently asked questions

Can I book a call at 8:00 with a Spanish client?

No, an 8:00 call is usually unwelcome, because Spanish business days start and finish later than in northern Europe. Aim for roughly 10:00 to 13:30 instead. In July and August, when many offices work 8:00 to 15:00, mornings are the safe choice.

Who is hardest to reach on a Friday afternoon?

Private-sector office staff are hardest to reach on Friday afternoons, because many finish at 14:00 or 15:00. Public administration works mornings only. Retail and hospitality often work full Fridays, so for them it is less of an issue.

Will a puente day be a day off for my Spanish contact?

It depends on the employer's calendar or collective agreement, so ask your contact directly. Some companies close, some require personal leave, and some stay open.

Which local holiday calendar should I check before setting a deadline?

Check the regional and local holiday calendars for the place where the recipient works.