Push for right to disconnect requires less wishful thinking

The rule, which is gaining global traction, seems infantilising. There are better ways to balance workers' rights and business efficiency.

- Lin Suling

Senior Columnist Is your boss exploitative? Is your company extractive? And are you completely helpless? Judging from the slew of new workplace rules globally, one gets the impression that middle managers must be slave-driving villains about to turn staff into serfs.

For a new type of legislation is sweeping the world - the "right to disconnect". First implemented by France in 2017, Spain, Ireland, Belgium and, most recently, Australia have followed suit.

Closer to home, Thailand amended an Act on labour protections in 2023 to enshrine this right.

The tide is not letting up. The Philippines and Britain under a new Labour government are flirting with the idea.

There are variations in how the rules are applied, but generally speaking, it empowers employees with the right not to respond to attempts by employers, third parties and even colleagues contacting them outside of working hours.

While some countries gave latitude for companies to negotiate and work out the specifics with employees, by and large, when most people talk about the right to disconnect, they usually see it take the form of a punitive law with penalties.

Still, whatever form it takes, the spirit of this law seems straightforward and fit for purpose at a time when smartphones and work laptops meant to be brought home can lead to work bleeding into life.

Here in Singapore, employers must consider requests for flexible work from Dec 1. But advocates seem to imagine the right to disconnect can achieve bigger and grander ambitions including extinguishing burnout, curing a decades-long culture of workaholism or wresting power back from naughty employers. Can it really?

WORSE THAN CHILDREN?