‘Credit’ for Right to Disconnect’s success should go to HR leaders

AHRI recently released a report highlighting the success of the Right to Disconnect, with the credit going to HR leaders for its successful implementation.

AHRI recently released a report on International HR Day (20 May), saying that the Right to Disconnect is having a real impact on workforce productivity.

The Australian HR Institute’s (AHRI) Quarterly Work Outlook report, released on International HR Day, revealed that 58 per cent of employers said that the Right to Disconnect (RTD) has improved employee engagement and productivity, with 37 per cent having observed a reduction in employee stress.

The report also found that almost four in 10 employers (39 per cent) noted an improved work/life balance among staff since the RTD came into effect, with just 3 per cent observing a negative change.

According to AHRI CEO Sarah McCann-Bartlett, the report highlighted the clear benefits of the legislation despite some critics having described its implementation as “overblown”.

“Business leaders and HR professionals are telling us that the Right to Disconnect is delivering benefits to their organisations and their employees including improving work-life balance and reducing stress, which has lifted employee engagement and productivity,” said McCann-Bartlett.

“This reflects the well-researched link between improved workplace flexibility, wellbeing and productivity.”

The legislation has offered clarity and boundaries for employees and employers, off the back of communication and education from HR teams.

“Earlier AHRI research conducted before the legislation was enacted told us that many organisations already had policies to manage after hours contact with employees. This legislation means that those employers were ready for the legislation and just had to adjust their existing policies and procedures,” said McCann-Bartlett.

“Anecdotally, HR practitioners have told us that this legislation has provided clarity for both employees and line managers. HR has done a lot of work communicating with and educating employees and managers about the new processes around out of hours communication, which has created mutual understanding of how it’s done in their workplace and allowed for more open and safe conversations for everyone.”

McCann-Bartlett said that a lot of the credit for the RTD success has to go to HR teams that put in the work to educate their organisations on the regulations and boundaries it creates.

“The workplace legislative agenda has been significant and has been a huge amount of work for HR practitioners who have had to develop new policies, procedures and manage the education of employees, as well as training line managers,” said McCann-Bartlett.

“Given the amount of change we’ve seen in our workplaces over the last years, it is no wonder that managers have felt a level of change fatigue. It’s a credit to HR practitioners and managers that the changes seem to have been implemented well and are delivering wellbeing and productivity benefits to employees and organisations.”