One of the biggest differences between being a tourist and being a student abroad is the value of living like a local. While it is wonderful to see tourist sites and explore a country, you won’t get a full picture of what it is like to live abroad. This Mays Program has given me the opportunity to learn more about Global Business through different company visits and lectures. It has been interesting learning about differences between Spain and U.S. business operations. Here are some aspects of global business that I have learned over the past few weeks:
Different Employee Benefits
We had a lecture over Spanish employment law, and I gained many insights. First, employees have a right to elect employee representatives. These representatives are designed to make social dialogue easier between employers and employees. Also, working time is different for employees in Spain. The typical work week is 40 hours a week (although this is projected to be reduced). Employees have 22 days of holiday, and any overtime will be compensated for with rest time or extra payment. Women are also granted 16 weeks of paid maternity leave. Finally, termination laws are much stricter. Employees must have written notice and the reason why they are being terminated. Also, Spain has Transfer of Undertaking, which is a protection of employment regulation. Essentially, these regulations protect the right of employees to be employed when they are transferred from one employer to another. This largely comes into play with merging of companies or transferring of businesses between owners.
Union Presence
Another observation is the presence of unions in Spain compared to the presence of unions in the U.S. I have learned that it is more common for train workers to strike in Europe compared to the U.S. (luckily my train to Madrid had no issues)! These unions often use collective bargaining to establish fair wages and working conditions. Collective Bargaining Agreements, or CBAs, are laws that are required for employment contracts in Spain. Content in these agreements include pay, benefits, working hours, and more.
Want to Live Abroad?
After staying here for a few weeks, I understand how people might want to live abroad. It is possible to work as an expatriate, but there are considerations that your company will likely make before sending you abroad. There are many different laws and different cultures to consider when staffing foreign operations, as well as compensation differences between countries. Also, there are considerations that you should make as an individual. In addition to getting adjusted to a difference in culture and company operations, you would be apart from family and your life in your home country. However, living abroad allows you to develop, both personally and professionally. Being more open-minded to global business will help boost your career and aspirations.
