The Right To Disconnect May Soon Come To The U.K.

The U.K. Labour Party is proposing a “right to switch off” legislation as part of its New Deal for Working People.  

The proposal, reminiscent of the “right to disconnect” legislation seen in countries including Australia, France, Spain, Belgium, and proposed in the U.S., aims to prevent contact from employers outside of regular working hours.  

Proponents of the legislation believe the right to switch off would directly address the increasing prevalence of hybrid and remote work and how technological advancements have blurred the lines between personal and professional life.  

According to the Labour Party’s proposal, “Rights and protections must keep pace with the changing nature of work and technological advancements.” The proposal comes ahead of the July elections which will decide which party takes control of Parliament. 

A recent survey of 1,250 employed U.K. adults, conducted by Naturecan, reveals just how hard it has become for workers to switch off or disconnect.  

The North Hampton Chronicle & Echo reports 45% of the survey respondents still check work emails or messages at least once during a week-long holiday, and 80% think about work at least twice a day. Notably, 25% admit they have experience work-related anxiety and that it has negatively affected their free time.  

In countries like France and Spain, the right to disconnect is enshrined in legislation, requiring workforce agreements to be enforceable. They were the first countries to provide this kind of policy.  

While there are advocates in the U.K. who strongly support a right to switch off, legal professionals note that the specifics of what that covers remain unclear.   

Ireland employs a non-binding Code of Practice that encourages workplace collaboration to develop disconnection policies, although it lacks any enforceable penalties. 

On one side, there is a desire and need to protect employees from burnout and improve overall worker well-being across the U.K. A study published last year by The Chartered Institute for Professional Development (CIPD) and Simplyhealth shows workplace absences in the U.K. have reached their highest levels in over a decade. It’s reported that the government’s concern stems from the high increase in health-related work absences post-pandemic, with the number of economically inactive individuals rising from 2 million to 2.8 million. 

On the other side of the argument, several businesses leaders and politicians have expressed concerns about potentially damaging economic growth and the productivity benefits of flexible working arrangements. 

To address these challenges, some governments have proposed that employers and employee representatives collaborate on appropriate disconnection policies tailored to specific workplaces and industries.