How do you manage your right to disconnect? | C2C Community
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How do you manage your right to disconnect?

  • 4 June 2021
  • 6 replies
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Userlevel 6
Badge +17

I recently read the following article on the new “right to disconnect” campaign

Suggesting that “bosses to add footers to any messages, reminding workers that they are not obliged to reply when not at work.” 

Obviously having created Patronum with email signature management included, we’d love to see these things being done within more organisations.

 

However, what other things are you doing to help employees better manage their work life balance?

 

 

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Best answer by ilias 9 June 2021, 08:55

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6 replies

Allowing employees to work from home at flexible hours and letting them take a decision to start their day after meeting their personal commitments.

Userlevel 7
Badge +65

But should we have a footer that says it's okay not to answer when you're not working?
Isn’t it obvious? 🤔

A very interesting idea! Having the confirmation from your direct supervisor that it’s okay not to answer if you’re outside working hours might be able to calm some people down, instead of adding stress to their personal lives. As @ilias, I also think that sometimes it’s obvious, but there are a big group of people that get up and start acting on something regardless of the fact that it’s outside of WH.

Userlevel 6
Badge +17

@Garima18 it's great that we have been providing employees flexibly but this has created a culture of feeling that we're always available. An organisation needs to set clear boundaries as to what's expected and what's not. Like @ilias mentioned this can be reaffirmed within a company email signature.

 

However there will always be the pressure coming from colleagues, like @DobAngel mentioned. Colleagues who are able to reply immediately regardless of time or date. Should this been seen as a positive or a negative? The "keen" employee is doing what they feel is the best thing for their business and themselves, but may not fully understand the impact such actions have on colleagues. 

Userlevel 5
Badge +10

This is a great question, Paul! We have another live session we just confirmed in which Verizon and Workday are sharing stories about how they’re providing the infrastructure for remote teams to stay connected.

I’d like to bring this question (and some other points mentioned by @Garima18 and @DobAngel) to our speakers on that event to contrast the increase in what they’re providing to keep their workforce online.

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +65

I had a phone call yesterday with one of the mentees from my previous job. Kostas reminded me of one of my favorite questions. And it's so appropriate here, in this post.

"Do you believe in life after work?"

If the answer is yes, then you can inform your supervisors, colleagues, employees that you work 9-5, 10-6… and then you either disconnect from everything or you may be logged in and see notifications but do not open and do not answer them.

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