The Labour government plans to introduce a “right to switch off” from work as part of a series of new measures to strengthen workers’ rights.

According to The Times, the new plans will see employers and employees agree on the hours at which they will be available. Employers who frequently exceed these agreed hours will face significant fines if taken to court.

The right to “disconnect” from work is already a common practice in many countries. France is considered a pioneer in this area, having passed a law in August 2016 allowing workers to turn off phones and other electronic devices outside of working hours. Portugal introduced the “right to rest” law in 2021, under which companies with 10 or more employees face fines if they contact their employees outside of established working hours.

Legislation on this issue could help combat the growing problem of burnout. According to a survey by the mental health platform Spill, 79 percent of all employees suffer from burnout at some point in their career, with 35 percent reporting “extreme” forms. What is worrying is that almost a tenth of all cases of occupational illness are said to be due to burnout.

The symptoms of burnout can include exhaustion, overwork and increased irritability. Other symptoms include frequent headaches, muscle and joint pain and high blood pressure.

The new policy comes after a recent survey found that an estimated six million people are taking advantage of the remote working option to “work from the beach”. Although working abroad has its advantages, a worrying number of people are also working during their annual leave. According to one survey, two-thirds of respondents admitted to working while on holiday, spending an average of two and a half hours a day on work-related matters.

Smartphones are regularly blamed for the “always-on” culture that has permeated our working lives.

Gabriella Braun, director of Working Well, a consultancy specialising in workplace best practices, and author of All That We Are, believes that constant contact has led to an unhealthy impatience at work.

“We expect everything instantly – like fast food, Uber and same-day delivery,” she previously told Harper’s Bazaar. “It’s the same with work contacts. We expect near-instant gratification. That’s why I sometimes see these crazy out-of-office messages explaining that they’ll be ‘away from their desk for 10 to 30 minutes.’ Why do we feel the need to say that? People can wait for your response – and they should.”

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