If you are a Business Owner the new Right to Disconnect Legislation may have got you worried - would you believe that it made media outlets in the US?
But I have no idea why… its a great piece of legislation… I have employees too so lets go through a little look at it.
What Is the Right to Disconnect?
It’s exactly what it sounds like! This new workplace right empowers employees to unplug from work after hours, without fear of repercussions. No more feeling guilty about missing a late-night email or weekend Slack message. It’s about setting boundaries between your job and your personal life—finally! And that is the key for Managers and employers too. This legislation is not saying that FWA is going to push actions on any business that messages “out of hours” so don’t panic it just means your employee has some choice on whether to respond or not in their personal time.. Nothing wrong with that in my view.
Why Does It Matter?
For years, technology has blurred the lines between work and home. Many of us now work from the same space we eat, sleep, and relax in. While flexibility is a huge perk, it’s also led to burnout for a lot of workers. By formalising the right to disconnect, employers are helping create a culture that values work-life balance.
The Benefits for Employees
- More Time to Recharge: Disconnecting from work allows you to mentally and physically recharge, leading to better productivity and creativity when you're actually on the clock.
- Improved Mental Health: Constant connectivity can lead to anxiety and stress. Having the right to switch off can significantly improve your mental well-being.
- Better Work Relationships: When everyone respects the boundary of disconnection, it fosters healthier relationships between employees and employers. Friendly reminder happy employees STAY!!!!
Why Employers Should Embrace It
Companies that promote the right to disconnect are not just doing a favour to their workers—they're investing in the long-term health and productivity of their teams. Employees who feel respected and have the time to recharge are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and loyal. Plus, less burnout means fewer sick days and as mentioned higher retention rates.
How to Make It Work for You
- Set Clear Boundaries: Discuss with your employees what is expected to be "on" and when you're officially off the clock.
- Document the Expectations / Boundaries: I would recommend the ins and outs to be put into each employee's contract, but back it up with a HR policy as well.
- Mean What you Say: try not to email, text or slack out of hours. If, like me, you have workers in different time zones, get them to put their availability in a shared calendar and contact them then - I double that up with my remote workers having access to my calendar as well so they know what my working hours are. Most message applications have a scheduling function so that the time can be deferred to a suitable time.
- Enjoy the Peace and Quiet: Even as a Small Business owner there are some days where I deliberately turn off all together - would you believe I try not it work at least one day of the weekend, Small Business is a Marathon not a sprint be kind to yourself as well, your productivity will probably improve as well.
Final Thoughts
The right to disconnect is more than just a trendy workplace buzzword. It’s a movement toward healthier work habits that benefit both employees and companies. And this a gentle push to make sure your contracts, policies and procedures are current at all times. An HR expert told me many moons ago to “treat your employees like you would want your Nanna to be treated”. Nanna needs some quiet time - so do you.
