France bans use of phone, emails after work

A new deal signed in France between companies and workers’ unions includes an ‘obligation to disconnect distance communication tools.’

This means smartphones, computers and emails will be cut off outside work hours so that employees can rest.

The idea is to give employees not just a physical but also a psychological break from work.

The recent agreement covers more than 1,200 major

THE OBJECTIVE IS TO GUARANTEE THE RIGHT TO HEALTH, SECURITY AND REST MARIE BUARD, CFDT, French union

engineering and consultancy firms, including French arms of search giant Google, social networking major Facebook and Indian IT bellweather Tata Consultancy Services.

The deal was signed between two employers’ federations (CINOV and Syntec) and two workers’ unions (CFDT and CGC).

Marie Buard of the CFDT told HT that companies will decide how to organise this disconnection from distance communication tools. “The objective is to guarantee the right to health, security and rest,” said Buard.

The deal makes a minimum 11-hour rest everyday to 8,12,900 workers obligatory. This is in addition to weekend breaks. An employee can be made to work for a maximum of 218 days per year.

The ‘lazy’ myth continues to haunt French workers who put in the least number of working hours but still remain one of the most productive workforces in the world. The French work 25% less than Asians and 16% less than other developed nations.

A UBS study in 2009 showed that the French worked 339 hours less than their American counterparts but were slightly more productive by $0.50 on a per hour basis. France adopted a 35-hour week in the year 2000.

The Ger man labour ministry has also banned mails and phone calls outside workhours to prevent worker burn out. Volkswagen servers are paused from 6.15pm until 7am since 2011.