Yes, mobile devices make it harder to find the right work-life balance, but is banning after-hours email, the answer to this issue? I’m referring of course to the proposed law in France to ban out-of-work emails that has been in the news again this week.
We live in a global economy. Business does not stop and lots of companies have employees, customers and partners scattered across multiple time zones. And what about flexible working that most employers agree has various benefits; some people do their best work outside of traditional business hours. Do you really want to curb their success? And who hasn’t checked work emails the night before returning to work after a holiday?
Employees should not be curbed by a ban, but after-hours work should not be expected either. Instead, it should be part of a company’s culture to respect employees’ free time. Making employees feel valued and trusted, will be far more effective in creating a healthy work-life balance than banning email.
Companies of more than 50 people will be obliged to draw up a charter of good conduct, setting out the hours – normally in the evening and at the weekend – when staff are not supposed to send or answer emails.
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