Cómo hacer el calendario laboral anual de una empresa

The annual work calendar It is not simply a list of public holidays. It allows you to see how a company’s working days and days off are spread out over the year.

When compiling information spread across several documents, fairly predictable errors tend to crop up: a local public holiday applied to the wrong centre, an annual working day allocated incorrectly, or several versions of the calendar circulating at the same time.

Annual planning should provide a clear framework for HR, managers and staff, and serve as a basis for subsequently organising timetables, shifts and absences.

What is a company’s work calendar?

This is the annual work schedule in which the company sets out the allocation of working time in accordance with the relevant regulations, the collective agreement and the applicable conditions.

Depending on the organisation, this may include:

• Weekdays.
• National, regional and local public holidays.
• Days off.
• Breakdown of the annual working hours.
• General opening hours.
• Specific features by workplace.
• Known exceptions encountered whilst drawing up the timetable.

In an office with fixed working hours, this can be sorted out with simple planning. In a company with shifts, seasonal variations or multiple sites, you will need to use more than one calendar or add specific settings.

Work calendar, shifts and holidays

Although they are related, it is important not to confuse these three elements:

• Work calendar: organises the annual allocation of work, public holidays and rest periods.
• Shift rota: assigns specific timeslots to individuals or teams.
• Holiday calendar: reflects the agreed or approved annual leave periods.

The work calendar serves as a basis for the other two, but does not replace individual shift planning or the management of holiday requests.

What information do you need before you start preparing it?

Before marking dates on the calendar, you need to gather the information that determines the annual working year.

• Applicable collective agreement.
• The relevant annual conference.
• Official calendar of public holidays.
• Local bank holidays at each centre.
• Normal working days and hours.
• Weekly rest days.
• Existing shift systems.
• Periods with special opening hours.
• Schools that require a different approach to planning.

It is also necessary to identify who will draw up the timetable, who will review it, and what procedure will be followed if it needs to be amended.

How to draw up the annual work calendar

1. Check the applicable working hours

Check the collective agreement, the contract and any other agreements that affect the duration and distribution of working time. It is not advisable to start using the previous year’s timetable without checking whether any conditions have changed.

2. Include public holidays

Add the relevant national, regional and local public holidays. If there are several centres, check the location of each one before applying the local public holidays.

3. Schedule work and rest days

Mark the working days and rest days, taking into account the company’s working arrangements. This schedule must be consistent with the applicable working hours.

4. Add opening hours and general exceptions

If there are summer opening hours, closures, special periods or other known exceptions, these should be included in or linked to the relevant calendar.

5. Distinguish between the centres where necessary

Do not automatically duplicate the same timetable. Two centres may share the general timetable but have different local bank holidays or opening days.

6. Check the result

Before publishing it, check the annual schedule, public holidays, breaks and any differences between locations.

7. State the current version

Staff must know which timetable applies to them and where to find it. If a change is made, the previous version should not continue to be circulated as if it were up to date.

How to review the annual working hours

One of the most sensitive issues is ensuring that the allocation made corresponds to the applicable pay period.

The review may take into account:

• Number of working days.
• Estimated hours per day or week.
• Public holidays and time off.
• Discounts or special offers.
• Irregular distributions where applicable.
• Exceptions by centre or group.

The calculation should not be based solely on multiplying days by hours if there are shifts, variable working hours or specific conditions set out in the collective agreement.

Calendars for companies with multiple sites

In a company with multiple sites, there may be a common database and different associated calendars.

Some examples include:

• Shops located in local authorities with different public holidays.
• Restaurants with special opening hours depending on the season.
• Branches with different opening days.
• Production centres with schedules by line or team.
• Cleaning services organised by client and location.

The aim is for each centre to implement its own plans without HR losing sight of the bigger picture.

What to check before publishing the calendar

What to do if the calendar changes during the year

It may be necessary to adjust the plans due to organisational changes, agreements or circumstances that were not foreseen at the start of the year.

When the calendar is amended, it is advisable to note the following:

• What has changed?.
• Which organisations or individuals are affected?.
• From what date does it apply?.
• Who has reviewed or approved the amendment?.
• How this has been communicated to the staff.

The amendment must be reviewed in accordance with the applicable procedure and rules. Updating a file does not, in itself, mean that the change has been processed correctly.

Common mistakes when creating the work calendar

• Copy the previous timetable without checking the agreement.
• Confusing the work calendar with the individual rota.
• Exclude local public holidays.
• Apply the same timetable to all schools.
• Do not check the annual distribution of hours.
• Keep several versions available.
• Failure to notify changes.

These errors often lead to subsequent adjustments to shifts, breaks and holiday planning.

Is it compulsory to draw up a work schedule?

In Spain, Article 34.6 of the Workers’ Statute stipulates that the company must draw up the work schedule annually and display a copy in a visible place at each workplace.

You can check the updated text of Article 34 in the Official State Gazette (BOE). The procedure for drawing it up and any additional obligations should be checked against the agreement and with the relevant advice.

How to manage work schedules with Staffy

Staffy allows you to organise calendars, timetables, shifts, public holidays and exceptions all within a single interface.

With Staffy, you can:

• Set up different work calendars.
• Manage timetables and shifts.
• Apply public holidays and exceptions by location.
• Coordinate timetables with holidays and requests.
• Check the timetable by individual or centre.

The annual calendar is no longer just a standalone file; it now serves as the basis for day-to-day planning.

Frequently asked questions about the annual work calendar

Is it compulsory to draw up a work schedule?

In Spain, companies must draw it up annually and display a copy in a visible place at each workplace, in accordance with Article 34.6 of the Workers’ Statute.

What should it include?

It must reflect the annual distribution of working time in accordance with the applicable rules. Its specific content must be reviewed in accordance with the collective agreement, the nature of the business and the organisation of the company.

Is it the same as the holiday calendar?

No. They are related, but the work calendar sets out the annual working hours, whilst the holiday schedule sets out the agreed or approved periods of leave.

What happens if there are several centres?

It may be necessary to use different calendars when local public holidays, opening hours or the organisation of each location change.

Can it be changed during the year?

There may be changes, but these must be reviewed in accordance with the applicable rules and procedures and communicated correctly.