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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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Intervenants
Mary McCaughey
Head of UnitMary McCaughey est responsable de l’information et de la communication à Eurofound. Diplômée du Trinity College de Dublin et du Collège d’Europe de Bruges, elle a commencé à travailler à Bruxelles avec Europolitics et le Wall Street Journal Europe. Elle a travaillé avec l’Association des parlementaires européens avec l’Afrique (AWEPA) en Afrique du Sud pendant la transition du pays vers la démocratie, et en 1998, elle a pris le poste de porte-parole de la délégation de l’Union européenne à Pretoria, à la tête de son service de presse et d’information lors de la négociation de l’accord de libre-échange UE-Afrique du Sud. Après la fin de la guerre du Kosovo, elle a travaillé comme consultante en communication pour l’Agence européenne pour la reconstruction en Serbie. En 2003, elle a pris le poste de rédactrice en chef d’Eurofound.
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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