Rodrigo Fitaroni, hotel entrepreneur: “Since we reduced working hours, absenteeism has fallen dramatically”

The CEO of MarSenses Hotels & Homes, Rodrigo Fitaroni, has stressed that few companies take meaningful steps to support work–life balance. His hotel group has introduced an innovative reduction in working hours that challenges the sector’s traditional models.

Since 2024, the entire workforce has been working 38.5 hours a week. The move delivered strong results in both productivity and employee satisfaction, which led the company to cut hours again in 2025 to 37.5. It also set a cap of 32 hours for room attendants over the age of 58, affecting around 30 employees. In a shift that breaks sharply with industry habits, Fitaroni says the initiative was carefully planned rather than an improvised experiment. The shorter week has increased revenue per available room and sharply reduced sick leave. “Absenteeism has dropped dramatically since we introduced this measure,” he says.

A solution to absenteeism

Absenteeism has long been one of the major challenges facing the hospitality sector in the Balearic Islands, with rates this year reaching 27.5% in food and beverage and 14.8% in lodging. At MarSenses, however, it fell to under 5% from the first year of implementation – proof that fewer hours do not undermine profitability or productivity.

The initiative has been praised by unions, especially the Kellys Union Balear, which represents room attendants. Sara del Mar García, the group’s president, said this example should be replicated in every hotel in the region. She noted that room attendants’ daily workload, which includes cleaning 20 to 30 rooms plus common areas, makes the measure particularly beneficial for them.

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