Clocking Out and the 'Right to Disconnect'

“I’m not giving up my life so some company can make a big profit.” When I read this quote from a worker in support of the newly proposed “Right to Disconnect” Bill (Assembly Bill 2751) in the Bay Area, I wasn’t surprised.

Championed by San Francisco assemblymember Matt Haney, the Bill seeks to establish clear boundaries around employees’ working hours. It requires Bay Area companies to define employees' compensated work hours. By doing so, it will grant employees the freedom to disconnect (from email, text, etc.) outside of these designated times, except in cases of workplace emergencies, essential workers requiring 24/7 flexibility, some collective bargaining agreements, and other extenuating circumstances. 

This topic ties closely to my work around human psychology and employee motivation. How can we expect employees to accomplish their goals AND support new organizational changes, when they are feeling exhausted and desperate? We all need the time and encouragement to sign-off when the work week ends – regardless of how productive the week has been. 

To cultivate greater engagement and well-being among employees, employers should prioritize and actively encourage their staff to disconnect. Better yet, they should advocate for employees spending time with their family, friends, and communities; pursuing their hobbies and interests; and focusing on their overall quality of life. As research shows, investing in organizational culture outperforms individual therapy and self-care, and makes this issue a community-wide one to deal with.

The “Right to Disconnect” Bill addresses ongoing workplace stress and burnout – exacerbated by COVID – and highlights the need for personal and family time to be ready and rested to tackle work challenges. The pressure to be constantly available, often driven by organizational culture and managerial expectations, is further compounded by return-to-work policies for many companies. The ‘wins’ of remote and hybrid work for many people included the autonomy to take short breaks during the day to manage stress and take care of non-work responsibilities. But with strict return-to-work policies, some of these wins are lost.

The implementation of this Bill raises many questions, including: what success looks like and how it will be measured; its efficacy and rollout; and what will be the upstream and downstream impacts on managers and other groups; and more. There will be a need for collaborative efforts among leadership, management, and employees to redefine work expectations and ensure a healthy work-life balance for all. Amid the hustle and bustle of the modern workplace, let's use this Bill as a conversation starter and opportunity to prioritize our collective need for self-care. By doing so, we can start to nurture a happier and healthier workforce.