The Right to disconnect

Who doesn’t like working from home now and again?

Yes. Me too.

But at what cost?

And how good is new technology?  Especially when it brings workplace efficiencies to management such as being able to monitor staff effort, output and efficiency.

All fantastic progress but again, at what cost?

Recent PDR mediations have pointed to a common theme underlying some of the unease creeping into the workplace; the feeling of being watched and always on call.

Albeit an entirely unwritten expectation, staff working from home have reported an expectation nonetheless that they be available after hours for emails in particular. After all, the laptop is just there, right?

In addition, tech that allows keystrokes and laptop downtime to be monitored (enter the “leave a spoon on the touchpad and it looks like you’re working I kid you not” concept) can lead to feelings of not being trusted and general big brotherness.

No one likes being watched. Yes, some element of oversight is to be expected when someone hires you to work for them, but clear and excessive monitoring can disrupt team morale and lead to an us-vs-them feeling around the company.

Often the source of workplace conflict lies in management’s inability or reluctance to manage either change or evolving situations appropriately.  This can be down to a failure of vision, of execution or a lack of communication resulting from a lack of engagement with those affected by the change.

The pace at which workplaces are evolving is accelerating largely, but not exclusively due to tech. Change is usually for the good, but management needs to think it through before you pull the trigger.