12 March 2024 – Connected or Constricted
The Right to Disconnect is the latest IR legislation on everyone’s lips, complete with all the normal misinformation, misinterpretation, and fear-mongering.
But what is it really about? And in an era where we talk about the importance of connectivity, alignment, and engagement in workplaces, why are we suddenly needing legislation that wants us to disconnect?
Let’s be clear – great employers, with the right intentions, already do this well. They connect with their people, they do not constrain them with unrealistic expectations to be constantly available or ‘connected’ to work devices or channels.
The new legislation, which takes effect in August 2024 (for large employers) or 2025 (for small employers) gives employees the right to reasonably refuse to be contactable outside of work hours. An employer cannot take action against an employee who reasonably refuses to be connected.
It is not, however, an instruction to employers to not contact them. There are plenty of practical circumstances in which reaching out outside of hours is entirely reasonable. For example, checking if an employee is able to cover a shift, or let them know not to come in due to bad weather or a machine breakdown.
Connected or Constricted
Of course, there are always those few who do the wrong thing that impact the rest – employers who expect employees to take calls at all hours or bombard them with emails and texts during their family time.
It is a sad state of affairs that politicians feel we need legislation to respect good boundaries. And unfortunately, this type of legislation means the majority (good employers) will feel the consequences along with the handful that are not.
As with all things, if we bring back some good, old-fashioned common sense, we will see a way through to setting the right expectations to suit the workplace, the culture, and the nature of the industry/job.
A practical and steady hand is needed.
If you’d like that kind of guidance, reach out to our team at Focus HR.
