The "Right to Rest Law": Call after work is now illegal in Portugal.
The unintended and intended --- positive at times negative consequence of technology is that ...it's always on.
Thats apparent now more than ever, because most people work from home. As a result, the lines between at-work and off-work have become very blurry.
Even for people working from home, it's important to keep normal work hours so they can "clock out", have some rest and so they can be more productive the next day. As such...
The parliament of Portugal passed a law banning bosses from contacting their employees outside of their regular working hours.
The purpose for this law is is to protect worker privacy and restore work-life balance.
What a great Idea!
Below I share a few useful tips for bosses to follow so they do not turn into one of those bosses.
5 Strategies to avoid becoming a "boundary-less boss" in a virtual work environment.
1.??Unplug:?Turn off your computer, put down your iPhone, step away from your iPad, and take time to engage with people in your life, in person, with face-to-face communication. That will take away the temptation to contact your employees at inappropriate hours.
2.??Listen More:?Too often we talk too much and listen too little. Learn to listen well and be okay with yours and others stumbles. We can’t edit real conversation and we don’t want to. We connect to others through our vulnerabilities, not through our brilliance. When an employer airs their boundaries, sometimes you do not hear them because you are too busy talking over them. And sometimes they are too intimidated to repeat themselves.
3.??Act Local:?Get involved in your local community or neighborhood. Join the local tennis club, or volunteer to help clean up the local park or spend some helping at a local service organization. That way you are not obsessing over work 24/7...calling for contacting your employees at ungodly hours.
4.??Reach out to old friends:?Pick up the phone and call an old friend who you have lost touch with. See if they’d like to catch up for coffee. NOT your employees. It’s very likely they will be delighted to hear from you, and will enjoy reconnecting every bit as much as you (assuming your friendship didn’t end badly)
5.??Go right out on a limb…?invite people over for dinner.
If and when you decide to do these things, your health, your relationships, your trust and boundaries with employees will improve significantly.
In my new book "The Unintended Consequences of Technology: Solutions, Breakthroughs, and the Restart We Need" , I argue that Any technology is a double-edged sword, if used correctly makes our lives easier, efficient, and faster. However, that same technology when bosses do not know when to pause its use can lead to burned out workers.