Lots of managers contact their staff members outside business hours and 28.57 % expect to get responses with three hours, according to a survey conducted by Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Bothering employees outside business hours may feel necessary. However, doing so will be detrimental to employee engagement. In the digital age, it’s all too easy to text or email staff members when they are trying to enjoy some downtime at home. When you avoid contacting your employees off the clock, they’ll be less prone to burnout, will be at lower risk of developing mental health issues and illnesses and will feel more respected.
Employees will be less prone to burnout
Employees who feel like they’re on call twenty-four hours a day are going to rebel internally. Constant contact, in and outside of business hours, is going to push them towards burnout. In May of this year, a Democratic Under Councilman named Rafael Espinal Jr. tried to protect workers by proposing legislation known as “Right to Disconnect”, according to Upworthy.com. This proposed legislation would ban private employers with ten employees or more from punishing staff members for failing to respond to out-of-office hours communications. Intense work environments set the stage for burnout, and burnout often sends employees running for the door. Running for the door is the opposite of employee engagement.
Staff members will feel healthier
A study performed in 2014 showed that working after business hours leads to health issues, from psychological problems to cardiovascular problems to gastrointestinal distress. Employees need a break after hours. It’s essential to work-life balance. In France, legislation was passed into law which bans employers from communicating with staff after hours. The law was designed to help French workers enjoy better health and greater peace of mind. Employees who do get a break will feel fresher at work. They’ll be primed to engage with other workers and with their supervisors. In the smart phone era, employers need to hold back when it comes to communicating off-hours, as communications may stress out employees and stop them from getting needed rest.
Team members will feel respected
To build a strong team, you need to respect each team member. Everyone needs to feel valued. When you give your employees space after hours, you’ll be sending a message that you respect them and value them. You’ll give them room to take care of important matters, from childcare to housework to errands and beyond. Bosses who constantly text or email employees, off-hours, often seem entitled and autocratic. By stepping back, you’ll show your employees that you care about their lives beyond the workplace. Employees who feel respected are likely to pay it forward by respecting their co-workers.
There must be balance
When an employee is on the clock, he or she must work hard and avoid time theft. When an employee is off the clock, he or she should have the power to enjoy life. Workplace communications that seep into off-hours contribute to burnout, spark mental and physical problems and leave staff members feeling disrespected and undervalued. Now that you know why sending communications outside of business hours is a bad idea that is detrimental to employee engagement, you may want to avoid sending off-hours texts and emails to your team.
About Insightlink:
Insightlink Communications is a leader in full service employee surveys and offers a range of employee survey products and services to fit their client's needs. With over 18 years of experience, Insightlink's reputation has been built on giving organizations the knowledge they need to create effective change using their acclaimed employee research, analytics, benchmarking and survey methodologies. Insightlink's expertise in data collection reporting and analytics takes the pressure off organizations that find data overwhelming and daunting creating reports that are digestible and understandable, simple and easy to understand for organizations of any size and experience level. For more information please contact us at 866-802-8095 ext 705 or visit our website here.
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