Do Not Disturb!!
Undoubtedly, we live in times that are dominated by digital connectivity, however, boundaries between personal and professional lives are becoming more and more blurred. There seems to be an ever-increasing expectation that employees should be constantly available, including outside of their regular working hours. This has raised significant concerns around the mental health of individuals and overall wellbeing. While this issue is still largely unknown, it is encouraging to note that some countries are taking this seriously and implementing legislative steps to help protect employees from out of working hours communications.
A significant development from the recent Covid-19 pandemic is that it has highlighted the benefits of working from home or even implementing a hybrid working model which provides fantastic flexibility which can potentially boost productivity. This, however, does present its own challenges, where employees feel an unhealthy expectation to be available around the clock. Although this ‘constant connectivity’ may appear, on the outside to have significant benefits, we need to understand that robust boundaries need to be established to help maintain a healthy disconnection.
Key Benefits of Restricting Contact
Significantly Improved Mental Health
Without doubt, the main benefit of restricting contact is the positive impact upon the individual’s mental health. ‘Constant Connectivity’ can lead to anxiety, stress and ultimately burnout as the employee feels the pressure from up above to be available 24/7. By establishing effective boundaries, you will be providing an opportunity for the individual to focus on self, meaningful relationships and tasks which will lead to a greater overall wellbeing.
Enhanced Productivity
By limiting out of hours contact you are also paradoxically boosting productivity during their actual working hours. By having a level of disconnection from work, the employee then returns to work feeling refreshed and rejuvenated which ultimately results in more individual effort and focus.
Improved Work-Life Balance
It is now widely accepted that a healthy work-life balance is essential for positive mental health. The ability to successfully transition in-between work and professional life helps to build structure which allows the employee to focus on the necessary elements of their lives at the correct time. The ability to switch off from the stresses of work allows the employee to build and maintain effective relationships and personal pursuits while also increasing job satisfaction which will lead to greater retention for the employer.
France has been setting the benchmark for bringing about significant change in how and when we connect with our employees by implementing the ‘Right to Disconnect’ law back in 2017. This law states that any company with 50+ employees must establish a specific set of hours where employees should not send or respond to any work-related emails. The aim of this is to establish and promote a healthier and more fulfilling work-life balance and help prevent against burnout.
This French legislation highlights a key point which may have become lost in a world where there is so much talk about ‘connection.’ We are constantly being advised to stay connected, but we forget that our overall wellbeing requires a level of ‘disconnection’ from the things in life that can cause us a level of discomfort or stress.
Following suit from France, Australia has only just today brought in their own legislation known as the ‘Work and Family Harmony Act.’ This act has the same underlying principles of the French ‘Right to Disconnect Act’ but goes further. Unlike the French act which stipulates that it is for companies with 50+ employees, the ‘Work and Family Harmony Act’ covers all businesses of all sizes. Additionally, this act from Australia places significant emphasis on collaboration between employer and employee by stating that the employer must obtain explicit consent from the employee for them to contact them outside of their regular working hours. By ensuring that the company must obtain consent from the employee, the employee has then been given autonomy over addressing their work-life balance.
The developments from France and Australia have now got the whole world talking about how to look after our workforce. The importance of helping our employees address their work-life balance could soon become legislation here if we are to follow suit. And, although this may initially seem like a barrier for employers, it could ultimately lead to a more productive and energised workforce.