A look at the development, rationale behind York Region’s right-to-disconnect policy

York Region’s right-to-disconnect policy was implemented to meet legislative requirements, but in doing so, it also helped support its commitment to employee well-being and psychological safety in the workplace, says Dunlop.

Read: How employers can support work-life balance through right-to-disconnect policies

“The main purpose is to support employees in achieving balance in their lives. We know the bill is not only important because it’s legislated, but also because we deeply value the health and well-being of our people. The policy reinforces and supports our code of conduct, while also upholding regional values, regulatory requirements of the [Employment Standards Act] and certain compliance with our collective agreements.”

In order to develop a solid policy, York Region completed an environmental scan of other policies, consulted with other municipalities, engaged in consultations with labour lawyers and created a working group dedicated to the policy. After compiling all of this information, it put together a comprehensive communication plan to roll it out to its 5,000 employees.

Work in progress

Right-to-disconnect legislation is a fairly recent development within the Canadian context, notes Johanna Hildebrand, senior human resources consultant at People First HR Services Ltd. “Ontario is currently the only province that has implemented this legislation, but we’re seeing employers in other provinces proactively develop and implement similar policies as best practice. And we’re expecting to see more traction on this initiative as the right to disconnect was an item in the 2024 [federal] budget.”

Current legislation doesn’t dictate the content of a right-to-disconnect policy, she adds, so every organization has the flexibility to customize it for their unique work environment. Standards and regulations will evolve as the practice becomes commonplace in Canadian workplaces.

Read: Which Canadian provinces are introducing right-to-disconnect legislation?

However, the legislation does provide guidelines to reduce work-related communications after hours, which involves disconnecting from work by not engaging in communications such as emails, telephone calls, video calls and sending or reviewing messages.

Given some employee roles at York Region, the organization had to recognize that emergencies and unforeseen circumstances come up and some instances will arise where employees may need to work after hours, says Dunlop, so it included that consideration in its policy as well.

The policy was well received by employees, according to initial feedback, she adds, noting it also created opportunities for managers to have conversations with their staff about workload management and expectations.

One of the more visible changes the organization put in place to support its policy was a new line in everyone’s email signature that reads: ‘Our working hours may be different. Please don’t feel obligated to reply outside of your working hours. Let’s work together to help foster healthy work-life boundaries.’

Preventing burnout, promoting balance

Policies like the right to disconnect benefit everyone in the workplace, says Hildebrand.

By setting expectations and creating appropriate boundaries, employers can positively impact their workplace culture, resulting in improved teamwork, creativity and retention. From an employee perspective, a healthy work-life balance contributes to improved job satisfaction and reduced rates of burnout.

Read: 69% of Canadian workers experiencing symptoms related to burnout: survey

Indeed, for York Region, the timing of the legislation was important because many of its employees were dealing with burnout due to the coronavirus pandemic, says Dunlop. “Implementing [the policy] in 2022 highlighted the need for it while working through a pandemic where York Region was on the front line with not only our paramedics, but our long-term care homes, our public health staff, social services, etc. All of our different business units were part of the response and staff were significantly impacted by that.”

Individuals can mitigate burnout on their own, she adds, with practices like exercise or meditation, but employers also have a role to play and that’s where policies come in.

Hildebrand believes the right to disconnect is still a priority for employers in Ontario and across Canada, as many of her conversations with employer clients are focused on their workplace culture and employee wellness strategies.

“We’re seeing an increasingly connected society where remote and hybrid work arrangements are common. Prioritizing employee well-being will continue to be a key consideration for employers to attract and retain top talent. The right to disconnect [is] particularly relevant for younger generations . . . whose lived experience has largely been to be connected and available outside of work hours.”

Read: Ontario’s right-to-disconnect legislation takes effect

However, the right to disconnect is just one piece of an effective workplace and employee wellness strategy, she adds. Additional efforts can include providing tools and resources to employees through health and wellness programs, as well as providing training and education opportunities to encourage healthy disconnecting practices.

“Beyond a policy, employees need to see the behaviour encouraged and modelled by their leadership. Policy alone won’t be sufficient to positively impact workplace culture if the observed behaviour of leaders and others in the workplace doesn’t align with the spirit of the policy.”

York Region will be conducting an employee survey in the future to gather some direct feedback on the policy, says Dunlop, but for now it seems to be meeting the needs of its staff and helping them to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Sadie Janes is an associate editor at Benefits Canada and the Canadian Investment Review.