In our increasingly connected world of smartphones and social media, it is difficult to wind down after hours. Frankly, it is difficult to get offline, and this has made finding an ideal work-life balance that much harder. In France, a country known for short working hours and generous holiday leave, the government is intervening with an aggressive new solution to the problem of being connected for work.
As part of a new labour law, companies of more that 50 employees are banned from sending emails to staff after normal working hours. Many will view the law as France’s rejection of the fast-paced nature of work today. Others will see this to be heavy-handed and out of sync with the nature of global, or indeed even indigenous French, business.
Either way, it has started a debate about the the reach of the office. Hopefully, it will extend beyond France, because we all need to achieve some balance in our lives. But one that must also reflect the reality of work and doing business today. Your thoughts?
