Business Minister plans to give workers 'right to disconnect'

Heather Humphreys says workers shouldn't feel they have to answer work-related calls or deal with emails late at night.

Business Minister Heather Humphreys has announced plans to give workers the "right to disconnect", with the Government working on a policy which they plan to bring forward after Christmas.

Speaking on the plans, Humphreys said: "I don't want to see people feeling under pressure, under stress, that they don't get a break from work because they're much more productive if they get a good night's sleep, rest in the evening, and we have to have a work-life balance."

Humphreys added that workers should not feel obliged to respond to work calls or emails late at night, saying that she hopes to have a policy in the "next few months".

The Government has previously said that a working group are examining the French approach to employee connectivity, whereby companies with more than 50 employees guarantee employees the right to disconnect outside of regular office hours.