The right to disconnect is the principle that employees should not be expected to engage with work communications outside working hours. Several countries, including France, Ireland, Belgium and Australia, have put versions of it into law or statutory codes; elsewhere it lives in company policy.
It exists because flexible work blurred boundaries in both directions. The same tools that let people work anywhere let work follow them everywhere, and organisations serious about sustainable flexibility set explicit norms about when it stops.
Frequently asked questions
What does Right to Disconnect mean in simple terms?
The right to disconnect is the principle that employees should not be expected to engage with work communications outside working hours. Several countries, including France, Ireland, Belgium and Australia, have put versions of it into law or statutory codes; elsewhere it lives in company policy.
How does Right to Disconnect work in practice?
It exists because flexible work blurred boundaries in both directions. The same tools that let people work anywhere let work follow them everywhere, and organisations serious about sustainable flexibility set explicit norms about when it stops.