Operational adjustments, automation, and productivity monitoring: The business response to labor reform in Mexico
Large financial corporations and retail chains in Mexico, led by BBVA, Walmart, and Sam's Club, have begun to modify their public service hours and internal operating schemes in response to the approval of the reform to reduce the workweek to 40 hours.
Modification of hours in banking and retail
Companies have implemented changes in their opening times and shifts to comply with the regulatory framework:
- BBVA Mexico: As of October 5, its 1,500 branches will adjust their service hours from Monday to Friday, opening at 9:00 AM (instead of 8:30 AM) and closing at 4:00 PM, while ATMs and digital channels will maintain 24-hour operation. Branches that operate on Saturdays will continue their usual hours from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM.
- Sam's Club: Since May 12, it unified its opening hours in all its branches nationwide to 8:00 AM (instead of 7:00 AM), operating from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
- Walmart de México: During its second-quarter report, the company confirmed that it will adjust employee shifts and advance in the automation of operational processes.
- Organización Soriana: As part of its strategy to contain labor costs and sustain productivity, the chain plans to install 600 additional self-checkout kiosks in its stores.
Adoption of AI for productivity monitoring and gradual milestone
The reform establishes a progressive implementation that will begin in 2027, reducing the workweek from 48 to 46 hours weekly and subtracting two hours per year until reaching 40 hours.
Given this transition, organizations are turning to technological solutions and artificial intelligence to monitor labor performance. According to Raúl Santillán, CEO of FiscoClic, companies focus on measuring three key variables: time worked, activity performed, and results obtained. These tools allow for the analysis of productivity patterns, application usage during shifts, and work dynamics without focusing monitoring on personal surveillance.
At this point next+ sees that the restructuring of hours at BBVA, Sam's Club, and Walmart demonstrates that the reduction of the workday is not just a payroll adjustment but a catalyst for digital transformation and operational efficiency. Reducing in-person service hours while accelerating the installation of self-checkout kiosks and algorithmic supervision of processes reflects how large companies seek to absorb the regulatory cost through technology. For operations and human resources directors in the region, the main challenge will be to optimize workflows with artificial intelligence to preserve productivity levels without eroding the organizational climate.