Disconnect, please
French workers have been given the "right to disconnect" starting at the beginning of 2017. They no longer have to check work-related e-mails and respond to them outside of working hours.
A new legislative measure enforced by the French labor minister Myriam El Khomri in order to reduce overwork and unpaid overtime will come into effect. It applies to companies with more than 50 employees.
These companies should now start negotiations with their employees in order to define specific work-related obligations outside of working hours. On the other hand, no specific sanctions for failing to meet this legislation have been set yet.
Trade unions, which have traditionally held a very strong position in France and managed to enforce the 35-hour work week, welcomed the measure. It was one of the few changes they did not protest against.
The introduction of a regulation to clearly separate work and leisure time was supported by 60% of employees.
"I'm on vacation, your e-mail will be deleted."
Large companies, with their headquarters or branches in France such as Volkswagen, Areva or Axa have already implemented measures to reduce employees' electronic communication outside of working hours. They didn't need a law to do it.
In practice, these measures can look like disconnecting employees outside working hours. They can't log into their corporate mailboxes and in some cases, e-mails sent to employees during vacations are even deleted automatically.
At the same time, some voices point out that this form of protection against possible burnout prevents employees from flexible working. Some people might want to work in the evenings or early in the mornings while commuting to work. There is also the issue of working with colleagues from other countries and time zones.
Companies are expected to take this new measure as an opportunity to discuss their employees' expectations, clarify responsibilities and help protect their health.
Can you imagine this measure being introduced in our country? How would it affect work?
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