78% of employees more likely to work for companies with clear Right to Disconnect policies

As the new Right to Disconnect laws come into effect this month, recent polls conducted by people2people Recruitment reveal 78% of employees are more likely to work for a company with a clear Right to Disconnect policy. However, Australian employees and businesses have expressed concerns when it comes to its implementation and management.

Suhini Wijayasinghe, head of HR Solutions at people2people Recruitment, says, "From an employee perspective, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to set clear boundaries, especially when you work from home. This isn't always possible and becomes even more challenging to apply when working with overseas teams as the time difference gets on the way, but also with teams that benefit from flexible work hours."

people2people recruitment's survey also revealed Australians' main concern as employers will most likely be the difficulty to enforce such rules (62%), followed by the impact on work culture (15%), on productivity (12%) and collaboration (11%).  

Suhini adds, "While enforcing the Right to Disconnect might be challenging both for employers and employees at the start, it is positive news, and will benefit employees' work-life balance and mental health."

5 tips for employers to implement the Right to Disconnect:

1. Communicate, communicate, communicate! Ensure that your right to disconnect policy is clear and easily accessible to all employees, and ensure management communicates it on a regular basis.
2. Provide training sessions. Provide training sessions for management and staff on the new laws, emphasising the importance of respecting personal time and the benefits of a healthy work-life balance.
3. Lead by example, always. Promoting a culture that values work-life balance can't happen if management doesn't follow it in the first place. Encourage all employees to fully disconnect after working hours.
4. Monitor and adapt. Your first policies will most likely need a review as your company learns better ways to enforce the Right to Disconnect. Gather feedback from employees and be open to making adjustments that better serve the team.
5. Use technology wisely. Implement tools that support the right to disconnect, such as email or messaging systems that can schedule communications during work hours or automatically notify senders that recipients are unavailable outside of these hours.

4 tips for employees to manage the Right to Disconnect:

1. Set your own boundaries. Communicate your working hours to your team and ensure that you stick to them. If you're working flexible hours, clarify how and when you can be reached.
2. Respect your team's boundaries. The Right to Disconnect will only work if everyone respects each other's work hours. Avoid sending emails or messages to your colleagues outside of their work hours when possible.
3. Prioritise tasks. Focus on completing your most critical tasks during your designated work hours. Proper time management will reduce the need to work outside of these hours.
4. Take advantage of technology: Use tools like auto-responders or status updates to indicate when you are offline. This helps set expectations and reinforces your right to disconnect.

Suhini Wijayasinghe says, "The Right to Disconnect laws represent a significant step towards a healthier, more balanced work environment. While there are concerns about implementation and the potential impact on work culture, these laws also offer an opportunity to create a more respectful and supportive workplace. By taking proactive steps, both employers and employees can successfully navigate this transition and enjoy the benefits of a more balanced and fulfilling work life."

About people2people: 

people2people is an Australasian recruitment company built on an established reputation for providing professional and personalised recruitment services since early 2005. At people2people recruitment, their focus is on identifying potential today to build careers and businesses of tomorrow. Recruitment expertise includes accounting & finance, business support, executive, government, human resources, legal, marketing & digital, property, sales, supply chain management and technology.

For further information or interview requests, please contact: 

Lisa Solomons @ 360 PR | e: lisa@360pr.com.au | p: 0416 175 518