As ‘right to disconnect’ becomes reality, researchers want to know how Australians recover from the workday

Running, socialising and learning new hobbies – a new study aims to understand how Australians recover from everyday workplace stress.

The project will survey hundreds of full-time working Australian adults to understand “how people manage their day-to-day work”.

The meeting, led by University of Queensland associate professor and organisational psychologist Stacey Parker, comes as workers prepare for new “right to disconnect” laws coming into force later this year.

“People have been under a lot of stress for a long time, especially with the coronavirus outbreak, and we’ve all been put into a state of emergency,” she said.

“We have been working relentlessly and hard, not only working from home but also extending our working hours to ensure everything is running smoothly.

“People are probably feeling more fatigued than ever before, and some of the habits and strategies we had in place (before the pandemic) are just gone.”

Participants will complete online surveys before and after their work for three weeks.

Questions will ask whether people maintain strict boundaries between work, are able to relax after work, and have needs that interfere with recovery after work.

The right to disconnect is “necessary”, not just “desirable”

The Indian government passed the “right to disconnect” law in February, which gives employees the right to refuse contact outside of working hours unless the reason for the refusal is unreasonable.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) called the new rules “not only desirable but necessary”.

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Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michelle O’Neill said: “The right to disconnect simply provides a mechanism for workers to reasonably regain work-life balance in a society increasingly dominated by technology.

“Employers want to be able to contact employees in a variety of situations outside of work hours, such as asking them about tasks they did not complete during work hours.

“For this type of contact, it would be reasonable for the worker to refuse to respond until the next time he returns to work.”

Dr Parker said the lines had become “blurred” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, partly due to increased use of technology and work-from-home arrangements.

“But as flexible working arrangements and hybrid working practices gain popularity, employees are increasingly seeking help to manage their day-to-day work,” she said.

“It’s very challenging to keep work and personal life completely separate.”

The law will take effect on August 26 of this year for non-small businesses and on August 26, 2025 for small businesses.

Finding “meaningful” time off after get off work

When it comes to achieving work-life balance, Dr Parker said there were a lot of “simple and practical” things people could do, noting that her research was focused on finding out “what works best”.

“While uninterrupted downtime is important, recovery time alone is not enough,” she said.

“It’s how we use our break that’s important.

“Are the things people do during downtime leading to really important psychological experiences that help us rejuvenate and relax?

“We can spend our free time doing meaningful activities like running, socializing, doing something creative, or volunteering for causes that are important to us personally.

“(Then) we are free from the stress and demands of work. We no longer ruminate or worry about work.

“Research tells us that engaging in these really meaningful activities can really help us psychologically disconnect from work and give us a chance to relax and unwind.

“It’s a bit like treading water.

“Participating in recreational activities… is what really provides a bonding experience, a sense of relaxation… and restores your energy levels.”