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Is it a right to disconnect?
In this episode of Eurofound Talks Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound Research Manager Tina Weber about new research on the right to disconnect, the evolution of the right to disconnect in Europe, the reasons why legislative and procedural actions are being called for, the impacts that effective right to disconnect policies can have, and what the debate indicates about the post-pandemic world of work.
The COVID-19 pandemic had multiple impacts on society, but perhaps one of the most enduring in terms of the world of work has been the proliferation of telework. Around one-third of jobs in the EU are teleworkable, and an estimated 40 million people telework on a regular basis. While most workers who can telework have embraced it, there have been notable impacts on work-life balance, stress and other psychological risks. This has given rise to calls for a right to disconnect.
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Oradores del episodio
Mary McCaughey
Head of UnitMary McCaughey es Directora de Información y Comunicación de Eurofound. Graduada del Trinity College de Dublín y del College of Europe, Brujas, comenzó a trabajar en Bruselas con Europolitics y el Wall Street Journal Europe. Trabajó con la Asociación de Parlamentarios Europeos con África (AWEPA) en Sudáfrica durante la transición del país a la democracia, y en 1998 asumió el cargo de portavoz de la Delegación de la Unión Europea en Pretoria, dirigiendo su departamento de prensa e información durante la negociación del acuerdo de libre comercio entre la UE y Sudáfrica. Tras el final de la guerra de Kosovo, trabajó como consultora de comunicaciones para la Agencia Europea para la Reconstrucción de Serbia. Asumió el cargo de redactora jefe de Eurofound en 2003.
Tina Weber
Senior research managerTina Weber is a senior research manager in Eurofound’s Working Life unit. Her work has focused on labour shortages, the impact of hybrid work and an ‘always on’ culture and the right to disconnect, working conditions and social protection measures for self-employed workers and the impact of the twin transitions on employment, working conditions and industrial relations. She is responsible for studies assessing the representativeness of European social partner organisations. She has also carried out research on European Works Councils and the evolution of industrial relations and social dialogue in the European Union. Prior to joining Eurofound in 2019, she worked for a private research institute primarily carrying out impact assessments and evaluations of EU labour law and labour market policies. Tina holds a PhD in Political Sciences from the University of Edinburgh which focussed on the role of national trade unions and employers’ organisations in the European social dialogue.
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