Communication bans or policies that restrict out-of-hours communication can help alleviate employees from the stress of being always available. Several jurisdictions across the globe including Portugal, Belgium and France have given employees the legal right to disconnect, giving workers better work-life balance and companies a competitive edge when it comes to being flexible and diverse employers.
Researchers from The University of South Australia has highlighted the amplified expectations employees feel as a result of the rise of remote working and digital communications. More than half (57%) of those surveyed reported that they sent work-related digital communications to colleagues in the evenings and at weekends whilst a third reported that they felt it was normal to respond immediately to digital work-related messages. Those who reported responding to out-of-hours communication reported higher levels of psychological distress, emotional exhaustion and physical health symptoms.
More harm than good
Yet, a total ban might do more harm than good. Whilst out-of-hours policies may reduce the risk of burnout and are critical to employee well-being, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution according to The University of Sussex. Dr Emma Russel, a psychologist and senior lecturer at The University of Sussex Business School commented,
“Out of hours is a somewhat old-fashioned concept, as many people no longer work within traditional hours. With globalisation, one person’s out of hours will be another person’s in-hours. Failing to address workload is the real problem, not the actual time of day and the place where people work.”
As the boundaries between home and the office continue to be blurred, employers should remain vigilant to the impact that out-of-hours and excessive communication have on their employees. Many employees do not have the luxury or authority of being able to dictate when they’re unavailable thus, the responsibility lies with employers to implement clear policies that give all employees time to disconnect. Below are some tips that HR professionals may look to when addressing out-of-hours communication:
- Re-evaluate employee workloads and expectations – If employees are bound by out-of-hours bans, so too are their workloads and productivity levels. Look at ways to balance these aspects in line with organisational objectives.
- Permission to be silent – Set clear boundaries and times of the day that enable employees to turn off notifications when they do not want to be contacted.
- Address the always-on culture head-on – It is vital that all employees have time to disconnect and rest and recover from work. Address this culture head-on and strictly enforce policies.
- Provide etiquette training – Knowing when to communicate as well as having employees indicate their preferred modes of communication to colleagues can help address this issue. For instance, employees may look to using ‘delay send’ features to ensure that messages are delivered at an appropriate time.
- Understand your employees’ well-being – Utilise organisational resources to conduct staff pulses to better understand how employees are feeling. Ensuring you have data-driven metrics can help to better address areas that require prompt attention.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
