Is Work Really on Holiday? The Right to Disconnect and the Challenge of Modern Holidays

As Australia gears up for the Right to Disconnect legislation, many employees might breathe a sigh of relief. The idea that we no longer have to check emails or respond to work-related queries while we’re meant to be on holiday is a major win for work-life balance. This law gives employees the right to refuse work contact outside of working hours, with reasonable exceptions. For those who have spent years tied to their laptops, even while lying on a beach or exploring a new city, this feels like a long-overdue change. But why has it taken so long, and why are so many of us still struggling to fully disengage from work?

In decades past, when you clocked out of the office, you really were done for the day. Vacations were just that—a time to disconnect, recharge, and spend time with family or enjoy personal interests. Technology, of course, has changed all that. With the rise of laptops, smartphones, and cloud storage, work now follows us wherever we go. What was once a clear boundary between work and home life has blurred to the point where many people struggle to completely disconnect. We’ve all been there—checking emails by the pool or jumping onto a quick call between holiday activities. The allure of being "just in case" accessible is strong, but it comes with a cost.

It turns out, the majority of us are taking work on holiday. Surveys suggest that as much as 60-70% of employees bring their work devices on vacation, with many checking in at least once a day. Senior executives, client-facing roles, and people in industries like IT or consulting are particularly prone to this. There’s often a feeling that being available, even during downtime, shows commitment, or that a crisis could emerge at any moment, justifying the need to stay connected. This trend is becoming the norm in an always-on, digital-first world, where the line between office hours and personal time can be hard to spot.

So why are we stuck in this cycle? Part of it is cultural. There’s a silent pressure to stay involved, to prove we’re always working hard, even when we’re on holiday. The fear of returning to a mountain of emails and an overloaded task list is also real. Many employees feel it’s easier to dip in and out of work during their break than face the post-vacation chaos. But there’s a bigger issue here—the expectation that productivity equates to constant availability. Flexibility in work has been a double-edged sword. While it gives us freedom to work from anywhere, it also often means that everywhere becomes a potential workspace, even if we’re meant to be recharging.

This constant connection can have profound effects on employees, both individually and collectively. On a personal level, the inability to fully switch off from work is mentally exhausting. Research has shown that regular breaks and complete disconnection are crucial for reducing stress, improving productivity, and fostering creativity. Without proper downtime, employees are more prone to burnout, sleep issues, and even physical health problems. The feeling of being "on-call" during holidays means we never really relax, leading to a constant low-level stress that builds up over time.

Collectively, this creates a culture of overwork, where everyone feels obligated to be available, even when it’s not necessary. It can lead to tension in teams, where some employees set boundaries while others don’t. Over time, this culture erodes trust between employees and employers, where people begin to feel like their personal time isn’t respected. This erosion affects company morale and can increase turnover, as employees seek out workplaces that value real work-life balance.

It begs the question: is this fair, and are employees being compensated for this availability? For some, the answer might be yes. Senior executives or highly paid professionals may accept that their role requires them to be accessible at all times, but for many others, this expectation comes without any additional compensation. If workers are expected to carry their laptops on holiday, should they not be paid for the time they spend working? Should their holidays be adjusted, or should businesses do more to ensure that employees actually disconnect?

The Right to Disconnect legislation might be a game-changer, forcing businesses to rethink how they manage work expectations outside of office hours. For it to be truly effective, though, organisations will need to embrace not just the letter of the law, but the spirit. Businesses that actively encourage disconnection, rather than simply tolerating it, will see the benefits in more engaged, refreshed, and ultimately more productive employees. Fair compensation for availability and respecting downtime isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business.

As we move forward, we need to ask ourselves how we can maintain the productivity that technology affords us while also protecting the mental and physical health of employees. After all, holidays shouldn’t just be a change of scenery—they should be a break from work. It’s time we take them back.