The developed world is quickly adopting worker-friendly regulations that aim to cut extended work hours and promote a healthy balance between work and life. French companies were recently ordered to guarantee employees a 'right to disconnect' from their office mails outside work hours, in order to reduce work-related stress. In Germany, managers are prohibited from contacting or connecting with staff who are on vacation; while South Korean employers need to stop asking employees the reasons behind taking annual leave and should stop emailing outside office hours.
Where does India stand in this flurry of employee-friendly resolutions that are being imbibed globally?
Employers and human resource managers here feel that in this 'hyper-connected' world, it's not really possible to remain disconnected.
"Sure, employees are more connected to work than ever before. But then, come to think of it, people are connected more socially as well. It is the day and age of e-communication and 'instant' is a hygiene factor now'', says Saba Adil, chief people officer, Aegon Life Insurance.
According to Faisal Nadeem Saiyed, Director – Human Resources, India at Expedia, Inc, the pervasive use of technology blurs the line between work and life. "We are now living in a post-modern age where technology has made such a profound impact on the daily life of billions that we are simultaneously living in to realms – the virtual and the physical. We are today hooked to social media." And hence, it's difficult to 'disconnect'.
In fact, employers feel that in a globalised work environment, it might not be entirely possible to totally 'disconnect' post the 9AM-6PM working hours.
"If my colleague or client is based overseas, following a different time-zone, will I neglect his or her email? Sure, we need a work-life balance. But that means having a sense of discipline. Define your personal time and do not get distracted by emails then, work or personal," says Adil.
HR managers feel that it is highly unlikely that companies in India would ever come close to adopting regulations that their French or German counterparts are mandated to implement.
Flexi-working
Employers agree that it is necessary to segregate work and personal space, as it allows an employee to be more productive and creative while at work.
"The expectation of organisations should be that employees stay engaged to their work and ensure that priorities do not suffer; however, that should not translate to them being connected on mails forever… responding to every mail in a jiffy," says Adil.
Experts feel that millennial mind-sets call for flexi-working, rather than a fixed 9 to 5 office hours approach. Says P Dwarakanath, head, Group Human Capital, Max India, "Some millennials today may want to work from 8 pm – 2 am. What is work-life balance for me might be different for someone else. Work-life integration is the key. Employees want flexi hours and they should be responsible for what they do, as long as they follow certain established processes."
Ahuwalia agrees, saying that a highly ambitious employee might be keen to burn the midnight oil. "Keeping obvious factors such as burnout or ethical practices aside, such a person should be provided an environment which can help achieve their potential. Organisations should be sensitive to the evolving needs of their employees. No top-down approach, least of all a legislative step is going to address this."
