Madrid Conventions

The people of Spain, unlike America, work so that they can live. In America, it is more and more likely to see someone who is living to work. There is a big difference between the two. Work is not something that comes before everything. Things such as family and friends are considered worth more than the value of a job.

Employers in Spain realize that such things come first, instead of penalizing the employee for missing a day for a family emergency. Although Spaniards work long hours with short lunch breaks, while at work they still socialize with their coworkers and liven up the environment. They are not socially defined by the type of work that they do.