Smart thinking - Right to disconnect from work

MODERN technology is often trumpeted as a means of avoiding the drudgery of back-breaking repetitive work and allowing us more free time to enjoy the good things in life.

That was true until smartphones became smarter than the people using them, leading to the point we are now at, where almost every single man, woman, and child on the planet is connected or online not just for fun, but for work as well.

This is upsetting any hope of achieving a sensible work/life balance and leading to burnout, relationship problems, and stress. A smartphone or tablet can be a wonderful tool, allowing employees flexibility to work outside the office. But it can also be a form of enslavement, leading to hours of unpaid overtime. But the French have declared “déjà assez” — ‘enough already’ to the 24-7 work culture that requires employees to constantly monitor their smartphones for emails or other work messages.

Under a new law, French companies will be required to guarantee their employees a “right to disconnect” and ignore their phones. Vive la révolution!