The Right to Disconnect from Work

What do you say....do employees have a right to "disconnect" outside of working hours?

The article "Austraila is the latest country to give workers the 'right to disconnect' after hours" from NPR says, "The law says a person's refusal to respond will be considered unreasonable under certain conditions, taking into account the seniority of the employee, their personal circumstances (including caregiving responsibilities), the reason for the contact, and how much disruption it causes them."

We call BS.

Why?

Because everyone, we mean EVERYONE, needs to disconnect and has the right to disconnect from work. It's the classic analogy of running a battery past empty or can you recharge your phone enough if you only plug it in for 15 minutes?

While it may work for some, too often, company culture expects people to be at their beck and call without reciprocating that respect for when people need time away.

Some may argue, "What about a recall? What about an emergency? Shouldn't key people always be available?"

There's a difference between "always being available" and "providing communication".

With a solid plan that includes bench strength and people on call, there's no need for everyone to be all-hands-on-deck all the time. Oh, and what about investing in real risk management and preventive action? After all, if there's an emergency, won't you need fully charged people ready to carry round two of the emergency or handle the aftermath?

This is where great leadership is needed.

If people-first leadership and cultures were popular, there would be no need to pass laws around disconnecting from work.  Are you ready to do things differently?  See how the Catalyst Approach is making a difference.