In the context of an increasingly digital and ‘always-on’ work culture, critically analyse the concept of the Right to Disconnect in the Indian context. (10M, 150 Words)

The Right to Disconnect refers to an employee’s right to not engage in work-related electronic communications such as emails, calls, messages etc outside official working hours, without fear of penalisation.

Its objective is to protect mental well-being, work–life balance, and dignity of labour in a digitally connected economy.

Digital and ‘always-on’ work culture- Indian context:

• According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), nearly 51% of India’s workforce works 49 hours or more per week, with average weekly working hours around 46.7 hours, significantly higher than countries like the UK (35.9 hours) and Japan (36.6 hours).
• Rapid digitisation and remote work have further blurred the boundary between professional and personal life, intensifying concerns around burnout, mental health, and labour rights.

Significance of the Right to Disconnect:

1. Safeguarding Mental and Physical Health: Continuous availability increases stress, anxiety, and lifestyle diseases. WHO recognises burnout as an occupational phenomenon, while WHO-ILO estimates attribute 7.45 lakh global deaths to long working hours.
2. Improving Productivity: Research shows productivity declines sharply beyond 50–55 hours per week. Countries like Germany and Japan improved productivity by reducing annual working hours, underscoring that rest enhances efficiency.
3. Correcting Power Asymmetries at Workplaces: In unregulated digital spaces, employees feel compelled to respond due to job insecurity and biased appraisals. The right restores fairness and autonomy, especially for junior and contractual workers.
4. Reducing Gender Inequality: Extended working hours disproportionately affect women, who shoulder greater unpaid care work. IIM-A study shows that only 32% women report work–life balance, deepening structural inequality.
5. Strengthening Ethical Work Culture: Overwork normalised as “commitment” fosters exploitation, unpaid overtime, and presenteeism. Ethical workplaces prioritise human dignity over mere output.

Challenges in the Indian Context:

1. Growth-Oriented Economic Priorities: Sectors like IT, finance, and BPO operate across time zones, demanding round-the-clock responsiveness.
2. Large Informal and Gig Workforce: A significant share of India’s workforce lies outside formal labour protections, complicating enforcement.
3. Cultural Valorisation of Overwork: Work is often tied to identity, ambition, and success, making “disconnecting” appear counterintuitive.
4. Legal Gaps: The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 does not explicitly address digital overreach or mental health as labour safety concerns.

Way Forward:

1. Legal Recognition with Flexibility: Amend labour codes to recognise the right to disconnect, with sector-specific exceptions for emergencies and global operations.
2. Workplace-Level Codes of Conduct: Mandate organisations to define after-hours communication norms through internal policies and collective bargaining.
3. Shift to Outcome-Based Evaluation: Move away from “hours logged” to productivity and outcomes, discouraging presenteeism.
4. Mental Health as Workplace Safety: Integrate counselling, wellness programmes, and mental health days into organisational frameworks.

Conclusion:

The Right to Disconnect is not anti-growth but pro-human and pro-productivity. In a digital economy, protecting the worker’s right to rest is as vital as protecting the right to work. Rest should not be seen as a reward for work but a prerequisite for meaningful productivity.

‘+1’ Value Addition:

• France in 2017 became the first country to legally recognise the right to disconnect for firms with 50+ employees.
• OECD estimates stress-related productivity losses cost economies 3–4% of GDP.
• WHO–ILO Joint Study shows long working hours of ≥55 hrs/week caused 7.45 lakh deaths globally due to stroke and heart disease.
• Microsoft Japan Experiment shows that a 4-day workweek increased productivity by 40%.

La Excellence IAS Academy, the best IAS coaching in Hyderabad, known for delivering quality content and conceptual clarity for UPSC 2026 preparation.

FOLLOW US ON:

◉ YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CivilsPrepTeam

◉ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaExcellenceIAS

◉ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laexcellenceiasacademy/

GET IN TOUCH:

Contact us at info@laex.in, https://laex.in/contact-us/

or Call us @ +91 9052 29 2929, +91 9052 99 2929, +91 9154 24 2140

OUR BRANCHES:
Head Office: H No: 1-10-225A, Beside AEVA Fertility Center, Ashok Nagar Extension, VV Giri Nagar, Ashok Nagar, Hyderabad, 500020

Madhapur: Flat no: 301, survey no 58-60, Guttala begumpet Madhapur metro pillar: 1524,  Rangareddy Hyderabad, Telangana 500081

Bangalore: Plot No: 99, 2nd floor, 80 Feet Road, Beside Poorvika Mobiles, Chandra Layout, Attiguppe, Near Vijaya Nagara, Bengaluru, 560040