Will banning out-of-hours contact stop the rise of burnout?

Will banning out-of-hours contact stop the rise of burnout?

New laws in Portugal mean employers can’t email, phone or message their workers outside of their contracted hours.

The sudden rise in the numbers of Portuguese working remotely has led to a re-think over conditions and the impact on employee health. The legislation also means employers can’t monitor staff activity at home, and they must provide the necessary equipment and pay a star of electricity and Internet bills.

Burnout begins

The move comes at a time as more governments become more aware of the new combinations of pressures facing employees.

New studies suggest that employers are only just beginning to see the consequences of the months of stress, overworking and disruption caused by the pandemic. A Glassdoor analysis of reviews suggests a 128% increase in people talking in terms of ‘burnout’ since April 2021 — most of all in the technology, business and finance sectors. According to Jill Cotton, careers advice expert at Glassdoor: “Many employees have been able to ‘grin and bear’ the impact of Covid-19 through 2020, but the one-year anniversary has proven to be a tipping point. They’re thinking again about their home and work lives, and we’re seeing UK job vacancies reach a record high due to the ‘Great Resignation’.”

Workplace culture specialist O.C. Tanner Europe found the pandemic had contributed to a 15% global rise in burnout, a figure which jumps to 81% among lower-performing company cultures. Its 2020 Global Culture Report claims that even mild burnout causes a 220% decrease in the probability of employees being highly engaged.

Signs of flames

EAPA UK chair Eugene Farrell said: “Employers need to recognise that in many ways, a year on from the new emergency and peak in problems, the crisis in employee mental health is only just starting. There has to be agreement at top levels over what to do about employee burnout, the need to ensure there’s a sense of collective responsibility, bosses and staff looking out for each other.

“The EAP is an essential in terms of making sure everyone has access to practical support and advice, that no-one has to feel like there’s nowhere to go without having awkward conversations with a line manager.

“But there’s also a need for HR and management attention to workplace cultures: do employees have a sense of control over their workload and practices; are they encouraged to take leave for rest and re-charging; do people feel able to just take a short break away from their screens, have a walk at lunchtimes and get proper breaks?”

Will banning out-of-hours contact stop the rise of burnout? EAPA UK