The power of disconnection

Sometimes we just need to shut the door, or the window, and give ourselves some space to think.

This week employees of Victoria Police have won the 'right to disconnect'. This will reduce the compulsion to return calls, texts and emails out of hours, giving staff the all important opportunity to switch off from work in their personal time.

The convenience of modern technology has many benefits, but one of the recognised downsides is the 'always on' phenomenon. While this has perhaps been exacerbated by the rise of 'working from home' during the pandemic, it's not a new issue.

In 2012, I attended an Executive Education program at Harvard Business School where Professor Leslie Perlow shared her research within a global consulting firm on what they termed 'Predictable Time Off'. Through this process one team made small but meaningful changes that drove an organisational wide cultural shift.

Leaders who send emails at 2:00 am because it suits them, unwittingly set an expectation that their team will do the same. Even if you don't expect people to respond, they may feel compelled to do so. Setting up mutually agreed boundaries within your team around the timing of communcations is one of the most valuable things you can do to improve morale and performance.

For example, no emails after 5:00 pm, or no phone calls on the weekend, are ways to ensure this expectation is clear. One of the practical tools you can use is your email scheduler, found within most email platforms. If you still want to write an email at 2:00 am, set the scheduler so it doesn't arrive until business hours. It sets a great example and avoids passing on your insomnia.

For more about the research in this area and tips on disconnecting, I recommend Leslie Perlow's book, Sleeping with your smartphone: how to break the 24/7 habit and change the way you work.

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