• Almost half (47%) of employers confess managers within their organisation contact staff outside of working hours, reveals research by Hays  
• Despite mixed opinions, most employers and workers agree a ban on out of hours contact could improve wellbeing 
• However, the impact this proposal could have on productivity levels is up for debate   

As the conversation around work-life balance continues, the Labour government’s ‘right to switch off’ proposal has sparked mixed views around the impact of an out of hours contact ban, according to new research released by Hays. 

The research, based on a survey of over 10,600 responses from professionals and employers across the UK, found that almost a third (32%) of workers say their manager or organisation contacts them outside of their contracted working hours, nearly two-thirds (64%) of which say they feel obliged to respond.  

Similarly, nearly half (47%) of employers say managers within their organisation contact staff outside of their working hours, with close to two in five (39%) firms admitting that their organisation expects staff to respond. So how could a ban on contacting professionals outside of their working hours change things?  

‘Right to switch off’ could enhance employee wellbeing 

Most workers (55%) and employers (58%) agree that a ban on out of hours contact would have a positive impact on the wellbeing of staff at their organisation.  

The research shows that factors such as age and gender can shape attitudes towards the ‘right to switch off’ proposal; 57% of professionals aged 20-29 believe a ban would be good for employee wellbeing, compared to 50% of those aged over 50.   

On top of this, nearly two thirds (62%) of female professionals believe a contact ban would have a positive impact on the wellbeing of staff, compared to less than half (48%) of male professionals.  

Employers unconvinced a ban will boost productivity  

In terms of productivity, attitudes are more split – a third (33%) of professionals think a ban would have a positive impact on productivity levels, whilst just over a quarter (27%) say it would have a negative impact, followed by 26% of workers who believe it would have no impact.  

When it comes to employers, over a third (37%) fear stopping contact outside of staff’s contracted hours would negatively impact productivity across their organisation, whereas 27% believe it would have a positive impact on productivity and a quarter (25%) say it would have no impact at all.  

Younger professionals think a ban on contacting staff out of hours would have much more of a positive impact than older workers, with 42% of workers aged 20-29 years old believing so versus just 26% of those aged over 50. 

Taking gender into consideration, more than a third (38%) of women are confident a ‘right to switch off’ would enhance productivity, in comparison to 29% of men who feel the same.  

Hannah Pearsall, Head of Wellbeing at Hays, comments: “It can be challenging to disconnect from work, particularly with technology at our fingertips and flexible working arrangements blurring the boundaries between professional and personal life. 

Our research demonstrates that out of hours contact is not out of the ordinary. Encouraging work-related interactions including emails and calls to remain within contracted hours could certainly bring about some positive benefits for employee wellbeing, whilst the debate around productivity is more complex. 

In an era of flexible working, some staff have very different working hours, so it’s important for employers to be mindful of those who work condensed, part-time hours and even across various time zones around the world for instance, to ensure any new communication practices respect their work-life balance too.  

Ultimately, the impact this proposed ban could have depends on many factors including the nature of a person’s role and industry, where and when they are most productive, their preferred working style and their lifestyle, but it’s an important opportunity for professionals to reflect on their work-life balance and for organisations to re-think how they approach out of hours communication.” 

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About the research: The survey was conducted between the 21st of August – 11th September 2024 and received 10,658 responses from employers and professionals across the UK.  

Contact 
Chloe May 
PR Executive 
chloe.may@hays.com 

About Hays 

Hays plc (the "Group") is the world’s leading specialist in workforce solutions and recruitment, such as RPO and MSP. The Group is the expert at recruiting qualified, professional, and skilled people worldwide, being the market leader in the UK, Germany, and Australia and one of the market leaders in Continental Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The Group operates across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. As of 30 June 2024, the Group employed over 11,100 staff operating from 236 offices in 33 countries. For the year ended 30 June 2024: 

• the Group reported net fees of £1,113.6 million and operating profit of £105.1 million. 
• the Group placed around 57,700 candidates into permanent jobs and around 225,000 people into temporary roles. 
• 13% of Group net fees were generated in Australia & New Zealand, 32% in Germany, 20% in United Kingdom & Ireland and 35% in Rest of World (RoW). 
• the temporary placement business represented 59% of net fees and the permanent placement business represented 41% of net fees. 
• Technology is the Group’s largest division, with 25% of net fees, while Accountancy & Finance (15%) and Engineering (11%), are the next largest. 
• Hays operates in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE, the UK, and the USA.