Reasons for responding to out-of-hours calls or messages, by presence of a right to disconnect policy (%)

The rise in telework and more flexible working patterns, speeded up by the pandemic, has intensified concerns about an ‘always on’ culture and employees’ constant connection to their workplace, leading them to work additional and often unpaid hours. One of the solutions put forward to help address this issue is the introduction of a right to disconnect. Based on a survey of HR managers and employees, this report explores EU Member States’ legislation around the right to disconnect and assesses the impact of company policies in this area on employees’ hours of connection, working time, work–life balance, health and well-being, and overall workplace satisfaction.