New law could ‘damage your career’

If you’ve been counting down the days until you can ignore your boss once 5pm hits, the time has finally come.

For organisations with 15 or more employees, today – August 26 – marks a significant turning point in workplace history as the Right to Disconnect legislation comes into effect in Australia. This means an employee can decline any form of communication from their boss if contacted outside of working hours, unless that refusal is unreasonable.

The legislation has been founded in the spirit of promoting greater work-life balance, which is something many Australians are in desperate need of. Gartner’s latest Global Talent Monitor survey shows overall employee wellness in Australia is at an all-time low of 29.3 per cent.

However, if like the sassy Veronica at work TikTok account you’ve been looking forward to curtly telling your boss that you’ll no longer be responding to their out of hours demands, you may want to rethink your approach.

While the right to disconnect empowers employees to set time-specific boundaries with their managers, it won’t protect workers from issues relating to perceived engagement, productivity or effort.

So, before you tell your boss what they can do with their after-hours emails, texts or calls, consider what you really need from your organisation to achieve work-life balance – beyond a hard stop at 5pm.

Disconnecting or just ditching work?

Like it or not, shutting your laptop at the end of the day without communicating your work-life needs to your manager has the potential to damage your career.

For example, it’s not hard to imagine an out of touch manager, who equates time with productivity, reading your after-hours silence as disinterest in your work or the success of your team.

Likewise, taking an uncompromising approach to your work hours without explaining your needs to your manager or colleagues could limit your ability to access alternative hours when you really need them. For many employers, flexibility is a two-way street.

Choice at work can be incredibly important to your overall experience. Gartner research shows that when organisations provide radical flexibility – not just when and where you work, but with whom, on what and how much – the percentage of employees defined as high performers increases by 40 per cent.

So, while you have the right to disconnect, it’s probably more important for you to take a broader approach to understanding what support you need to thrive at work. The time you start and finish is only one part of the conversation.

Given this legislation aims to create a new sense of self-awareness and worth, the ideal outcome for both employees and managers should be to drive personalised discussions about when, where and how the work gets done.

Work-life balance starts with respect

Having a positive relationship with work stems from feeling understood or cared for, having autotomy in all aspects of work and recognising opportunities for growth.

According to Gartner’s survey, the top three reasons Australians would change jobs are location, work-life balance and compensation. These have stayed the same for three consecutive quarters, as employees seek to retain personal control of their working conditions.

In addition, respect is also incredibly important, with Australian employees consistently ranking it in the top 10 considerations when contemplating a new job.

While organisations are ultimately responsible for providing a safe and sustainable work environment, it’s critical that individuals understand that they can and should be able to have a respectful discussion with their manager about their work arrangements.

Work-life balance will look different from one person to the next. While a hard stop might suit some, for others it will be logging on after hours to finish a project or knocking off early to take the kids to soccer practice. Whatever it looks like, make sure it works for you.

Advocacy is key to disconnecting when you need to

If you’re thinking about how the right to disconnect can improve your relationship with work, here are three important points you should consider.

1. Advocate for yourself

Sit down with your manager and have a conversation about your specific needs.

Communicate what the ideal arrangement for you looks like and how you will work with your team to get the work done.

Self-advocacy is especially important for women and under-represented individuals who often feel personal guilt as they juggle their professional and personal lives.

Setting clear boundaries or requesting additional flexibility doesn’t mean you have to put your career aspirations to the side.

2. Review regularly

Once you’ve agreed on the schedule or plan that suits you best, get a formal agreement in place and review it regularly.

Checking in once a quarter or every six months will ensure that both you and your manager are aligned and have the same expectations.

3. Talk with your colleagues

Your working hours and availability won’t just impact you, it may affect your team’s ability to plan meetings, complete work or engage in team building initiatives.

If you are working specific hours and won’t be available, it’s important to take the time to discuss and agree on what your team’s norms and work styles are. This way, you won’t miss out on opportunities when they arise.

So instead of taking the right to disconnect as a cue from the universe to block your boss, ask them if they are free for a coffee and a chat. You’ll earn their respect and know what really is possible when it comes to balancing work and life.

Jasleen Kaur is a Senior Principal, Advisory in Gartner’s HR Practice, based in Sydney