The Government’s proposal to limit employers from contacting their staff outside of working hours has received strong public support, according to new research. A survey of 2,000 adults conducted by Survation for the Autonomy Institute found that only 17% opposed the initiative. The highest backing for the move was in the South East region.
The Autonomy Institute urged the Government to model its legislation on similar policies in France and Portugal, which impose financial penalties on employers who breach the rules. In France, the highest court has fined employers for violating these regulations. Will Stronge, the director of research at the Autonomy Institute, highlighted the importance of granting workers a comprehensive ‘Right to Switch Off’ to prevent employers from overstepping boundaries.
The proposed legislation not only grants employees the right to ignore out-of-hours communication but also penalises employers who repeatedly ignore the spirit of the law by contacting their staff persistently. The Autonomy Institute underlined the necessity of implementing robust measures similar to those in France and Portugal to protect workers’ rights.
The Autonomy Institute’s call for stricter regulations aligns with the majority sentiment among the public, as evidenced by the survey results. The research findings indicate strong backing for the Government’s efforts to safeguard employees’ work-life balance by limiting intrusive out-of-hours contact. By drawing on successful models from other countries, the UK has the opportunity to establish a robust ‘Right to Switch Off’ policy that upholds the well-being of workers while holding employers accountable.