What is “Disconnecting” in 2022? A Perspective on the Impact of Bill 27 in Ontario

It was 6:00 PM, one night before I was set to depart for a trip to visit my parents and friends on the east coast. It had been nearly two years since I had seen anyone and I heard the excitement growing in my parents’ voices as my departure date got closer and closer. I knew the whole family felt that time is more and more precious each year and it had been far too long since we’d all sat at a table together. I was ready to go home for a rest.

I booked my vacation time a month in advance and notified my whole team. Things were extremely busy; all my days were starting before the sun rose and ending around 9:00 PM. I knew it was going to be crucial that I have all my bases covered. I spoke with my team members and created a comprehensive coverage plan. I informed all my clients and also let my boss know I would be available part-time when I was away to deal with any urgent problems. I was feeling confident and ready to see my family.

And then, as I was pulling my oversize suitcase out of my closet to do some last minute packing, 24-hours before my flight was set to depart, I got an email from my boss…

“Chelsea, I think given your workload and how busy everyone is, I suggest you cancel the first week of your vacation so you can be online. Then, you can disconnect the second week.”

I immediately felt tears well up in my eyes and a pit of anxiety in my stomach. Years of experience told me that I needed to bite the bullet and do what my leader asked, lest I suffer career-limiting consequences. But everything inside of me told me this wasn’t right, or fair.

I know this is something many of my contemporaries, colleagues and friends face routinely. Bill 27 or “The Right to Disconnect” was passed last month here in Ontario. It will take effect in June 2022. It’s a symbolic move toward de-stigmatizing mental health and prioritizing employee well-being. We are trailing countries like France, Portugal & Spain but this is still a coup for Canadian labour law legislation.

What does it do?

It severs the “digital leash” felt by many employees, and more acutely since the onset of the pandemic. It gives workers the right to set strong boundaries and refuse to respond to electronic communications or “go online” after a certain time.

The legislation is a great start, but there are some worrying points to be made on the opposing side. Those who are not in favour of the right to disconnect say it will ‘hinder productivity’ and may disproportionately impact certain groups. For instance, women spend 33 percent more time on household chores and caregiving responsibilities compared with men, according to the government of Canada (I know, right? Still?!) Ostensibly, women will disconnect more frequently and men will stay online longer.

What does this mean for employers?

Business leaders MUST partner with HR to drive a necessary culture shift around inclusion, mental health and burnout. Open dialogues on the subject with executives are essential. I want to believe that most employers will align themselves with Bill 27 and come down on the side of employee well-being. But, I fear, in certain cases, “the house always wins” and intrinsic cultural norms that promote the ideal worker stereotype and reward those who invest in optics that suggest extra-long hours are embedded deeply in some organizations. It will take powerful advocates for change to make this a reality at a lot of companies.

Managers will need to trust their employees like never before. Employees will need to be resolute in their boundaries and stand strong for their well-being, and the well-being of their colleagues. We need to work together on this and accept a dawning of a new era in the company-employee relationship — one that is categorized by empowerment, humanity, compassion and deep respect for each other.

So, with all that said, here are 3 simple ways you, as an employee, can begin to assert yourself and take ownership of your balance and mental health:

The curt and intimidating: “Please do this. I’m not telling you to do it now. But the meeting is at 10AM tomorrow and it’s already past 6PM. So… you know… chop chop.”

The well-intentioned but often tone-deaf “Hey, in addition to being connected through Workplace, Microsoft Teams, the meetings we have every day, Outlook, Skype and a virtual office, we want you to see notifications from work people in your personal messages, too!”

My personal favourite — the boundary-testing “Sorry not sorry you are lying on a beach with your loved one trying to re-connect and enjoy a few moments of solitude in an otherwise hectic, stressful and jam-packed year, but someone has a vague-sounding question that only you can answer.”

Look, I know totally disconnecting is not an option. Not really. Not anymore. I am passionate about my work and I often work long hours because I legitimately love it. And I kind of love those team “marathon days” when you all jump in the boat and row together. It’s something to celebrate!

But when constant access to employees is a company-wide expectation, it’s not only damaging to the employee experience, it’s dangerous for mental health. Minimum standards of care must be met in the company-employer relationship and moving past the ideal worker stereotype is going to be a collaborative effort.

As employees, we are responsible for setting and maintaining our workplace boundaries. As employers, we are responsible for respecting them.