Although it is not yet a global trend, it is a movement that is slowly gaining strength in many countries around the world, especially in Europe and Africa, and also in the United States. Its about “right to disconnect” or, in other words, the idea that an employee cannot be disturbed by bosses or supervisors beyond working hours.
Although it was something that was already on the rise, the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and the teleworking model that it imposed out of necessity have caused an acceleration in the approval of measures that seek to separate, with a clear line, working hours from rest hours of millions of workers on the planet.
The latest example is being experienced in Kenya, where a bill is advancing that seeks to prohibit calls, emails or WhatsApp messages once the day’s work has finished and, for example, during the weekend.
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In the US, the initiative was launched by legislator Samson Kiprotich Cheragei after realizing that, during the hardest years of the covid, working hours were far exceeding the limit of 52 hours per week (including Saturdays) mandated by law.
“In this era of virtual offices, it is important to create laws that mark a separation from the physical office to protect mental health, prevent workers from ‘burning out’ and preserve family life,” says Kiprotich in the face of a problem that he himself he was living, since his working days had become marathons of 12 or more hours and included holidays.
Employees leave the office but never disconnect from work
The pioneer in this type of law has been Francewhere one was approved in 2017 that allows employees to ignore work communications unless it is an emergency.
“Employees leave the office, but they never disconnect from work because they are still on this kind of electronic dog leash through phones and computers. That has an effect on a person’s psyche and it had to be changed,” he said. at the time Benoit Hamon, a legislator from the French socialist party who sponsored the move.
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The measure has become part of the daily life of the French. As Gwendolina Dessaux, a restaurant manager in Paris, recently told the Washington Post, “Monday through Friday, between 8 am and 6 pm, I am completely yours. But from then on please leave me alone.”
Since then, Similar measures have been approved in Italy, Belgium, Spain, Ireland, Canada, Australia and Portugal, which passed such legislation in 2021.
Of course, the measures are different in each country. In Belgium, for example, it only applies to federal employees, while in Portugal it is for companies with more than 10 employees. Something similar happens in Ontario, Canada, while in the case of Australia it is only for professors from colleges and universities.
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In this type of continuous journey, where there is never a real disconnection, the person does not end up resting
The Kenyan proposal includes a clause that gives the worker the power to answer calls, as long as the extra work is recognized, something that is also contemplated in other countries.
In a recent article, Ariane Ollier, an expert on these issues at the University of Ontario, explained that the right to disconnect is important because it is related to the worker’s own productivity.
“In this type of continuous shift, where there is never a real disconnection, the person does not end up resting. Or when they do, it is with the regret that they are stopping work, which awaits them at the desk at home. And that it affects their overall performance in the long run,” Ollier said.
The trend, however, is not as prevalent in other corners of the world. In the US, states like California and New York have been trying to pass similar legislation for several years, but without luck.
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According to Cristina Banks, director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Healthy Work Environments at the University of Berkeley, in California, there are two explanations for this. One cultural and one political.
According to Banks, although wrong, the idea that these types of measures go against entrepreneurship and are “socialist” ideas that produce a “lazy” workforce is deeply rooted. The second is that the country is so divided between factions that it is impossible to have a serious debate about advantages and disadvantages because it quickly turns into a political battle.
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“Which is sad,” Banks said, “because all the research from decades shows that the highest productivity comes from workers who feel well treated by their employers and are healthy.”
In any case, he added, it is an interesting debate that will grow as hybrid work models and other changes brought to the labor market by the coronavirus pandemic become established.
SERGIO GOMEZ MASERI
WEATHER CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON
On Twitter @sergom68
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