How easy do you find it to switch off from work? Although this is not a new issue by any means, since the Covid-19 pandemic, the blurring of boundaries between work and home life has become more pronounced as a greater number of employees spend at least some of their time working remotely.
The rise in the concept of the workcation, for example, while providing individuals with the flexibility to travel and work away from their usual location, also demonstrates just how far the boundaries between work and life have blurred for many.
On the one hand, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The flexibility to manage their working patterns to suit their lives and commitments outside of work is advantageous to many individuals. However, issues arise when working outside of core hours becomes the norm or expectation, leading to some individuals losing the downtime and flexibility they desired in the first place.
This debate re-entered the public arena this week after the Labour government reaffirmed its plans to create a right to switch off. Following the lead of countries such as Portugal, France, Ireland and Belgium, it is exploring creating a model where workers have the right to disconnect and not routinely be contacted by their employer or required to work outside of normal hours.
According to the prime minister’s deputy spokesperson, the move is aimed at ensuring the boundaries between work and home life are not inadvertently blurred. “Good employers understand that for workers to stay motivated and productive they do need to be able to switch off, and a culture of presenteeism can be damaging to productivity. It’s about making sure we have the right balance between making the most of the flexible-working practices that we saw following the pandemic with also having appropriate arrangements in place to ensure that people can stay productive in light of that,” she said.
Research published by Owl Labs earlier this year showed that, of the 2,000 respondents, just 20% were comfortable pushing back on work requests outside of their normal hours. And, technology makes it easier than ever to remain connected. How many of us have ever thought we’d just quickly check our emails outside of working hours, then found ourselves drawn into other tasks or projects? I’m sure I’m not alone in losing evenings this way.
Yet, studies have consistently demonstrated that taking time away from work to mentally unwind can help to boost an individual’s productivity and lower stress levels. Having some form of code of practice in place, therefore, could prove beneficial in ensuring this happens.
However, there will be challenges involved in ensuring the way this is designed and enforced is beneficial for both employers and employees, while not placing any individuals at a disadvantage. Some cohorts may currently rely on having the flexibility to work outside of normal hours in return for taking time out during the working day. Working carers or parents, for example, may choose to do so on occasion if they need to take time out to attend appointments or do the school run. Removing the option for them to manage their work around such commitments may well prove detrimental, having the opposite effect to its original aim.
Ensuring flexibility is built into the framework around the right to switch off, therefore, will surely be key to its success.
Debbie Lovewell-TuckEditor@DebbieLovewell
