If you work in Australia, you can now ignore your boss's calls and emails. But only after work hours. Due to a new law that confirms a worker's right to disconnect, Australian professionals can "refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact or attempted contact outside their working hours, unless their refusal is unreasonable."
Australia’s adoption of the 'Right to Disconnect' policy prompts an important conversation for the global workforce, raising important questions about work-life balance across various industries.
How would such a law work in India? PRmoment India reached out to PR professionals to get their views.
RIght to Disconnect Needs Culture Shift
Aviyukta Adlakha, brand strategist and PR professional says, "In the Indian PR industry, after-hours communication is almost the norm. Whether it's responding to client queries late at night or dealing with crisis management on weekends, the pressure to be always "on" can be overwhelming.
One of the biggest culprits of after-work communication is the expectation that we must be available 24/7 to keep things running smoothly. While this approach might help in the short term, it can lead to burnout, affecting both our mental health and the quality of our work in the long run.
A "right to disconnect" policy could be a breath of fresh air for our industry. It would allow to recharge, maintain a better work-life balance, and ultimately be more effective during work hours. However, implementing such a policy would require a cultural shift, where both clients and PR professionals understand and respect these boundaries."
Disconnecting prevent stagnating skill sets
Tilak Amitava Chowdhury, communications consultant says, "PR people do thinking roles. There is a lot of learning and development that goes into the role of a PR professional daily. It is these self or company-induced development initiatives that help professionals grow and serve their clients to the fullest.
Unless there is time to switch off and rejuvenate, there will be stagnation or worse deterioration in the output.
So yes, I welcome this move and I think in India too this should be a norm. Even machines need downtime, so why not PR professionals? It is in the interest of the clients that their PR teams switch off."
'Right to Disconnect' cannot be universal
Sumedha Kanwar, account manager, Avian WE, explains, "Rather than embracing a universal policy, which may or may not fully accommodate the unique demands of our profession, we might benefit more from cultivating a tailored approach and culture within our teams where we aim towards bringing in maximum efficiency within the working hours while fulfilling the requirements of the profession.
Also, the policy doesn’t prohibit communication; rather, it ensures that failure to respond outside of working hours won’t incur penalties. This ultimately underscores the need for an internal shift—one that balances maximizing work output with enhancing personal well-being. It’s about finding a way to harmonize professional responsibilities with personal time, fostering a more sustainable and effective work environment."
A senior professional who did not want to be identified for this story said, "In India, corporate priorities are shifting from merely focusing on earnings to enhancing employee satisfaction by balancing work hours and leisure time. This balance could reduce stress, prevent burnout, and boost productivity in the PR industry.
By setting boundaries and prioritizing well-being, clients, managers, and team leads can model the importance of work-life balance.
A similar policy in India would empower professionals to reclaim their time, boost creativity, and prevent burnout A "right to disconnect" can significantly benefit the Indian PR industry by promoting healthier work-life balance, reducing burnout, and improving overall job satisfaction."
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