Tackling work pressures should go beyond flexibility

A survey has found that one in four employers are considering introducing a “right to disconnect” policy to try to better help their staff keep their work and home lives separate.

The poll by video conferencing firm Owl Labs surveyed 500 business leaders in the UK and found 27 per cent were looking into measures ranging from allowing staff to ignore out-of-hours phone calls to banning the sending of emails after a certain time. Campaign groups, including the trade union Prospect, have been mounting pressure on the Government to include a legal right to disconnect in the upcoming Employment Bill.

This would be modelled on existing laws in other countries such as France and Ireland.

The French law stipulates employers should set specific hours for staff working from home. Ireland recently established a code of practice that includes employers sending staff reminders not to reply to emails out of working hours. Understandably, the right to disconnect debate has resurfaced as many employees working from home due to current restrictions are feeling the lines between work and home lives increasingly blurred.

Yet, whilst a legal right not to reply to work communications after hours may help some switch off, it doesn’t do much to tackle the root causes of why people feel the need to work long hours.

Some may be burdened by a heavy workload or be working towards unattainable expectations from management and giving them the right to disconnect will do little to take away their anxiety.

It could also make things too regimented for people, such as parents or carers, who would prefer to work their hours outside of the typical 9 to 5.

Whilst businesses will have to wait to see if any legal changes will happen, they may want to consult staff individually about their preferences on their working hours and out-of-hours contact. Some may well have begun to do so, as the Owl Labs poll also uncovered that many business leaders are keen to adopt new ways of working, with 37% considering exploring a “work from anywhere” policy and 42% considering a four-day week.

It’s encouraging to see so many open to change and exploring new, flexible ways of working but employers must bear in mind the very clear need for a proper work-life balance.

If staff are feeling overworked and unable to switch off, more flexibility might not always be the solution so the root causes of this will need to be investigated too.

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Posted on July 6, 2021