Right to Disconnect What It Means for Your Business and How to Prepare

The way we work has changed—permanently. As technology continues to blur the lines between work and personal life, the Australian Government has introduced the Right to Disconnect to support employee wellbeing and create clearer boundaries between work and rest.

This isn’t just a cultural shift. For many employers, especially those in fast-moving industries or remote teams, it means reviewing expectations, updating processes, and preparing to lead with clarity.

What is the Right to Disconnect?

From 26 August 2025, all Australian businesses—regardless of size—will need to comply with new legislation that gives employees the legal right to disconnect outside of work hours, unless the contact is reasonable.

Employees can refuse to respond to emails, calls, or messages outside their usual work hours unless:

• The contact is reasonable
• It relates to an emergency, or
• They are being paid for on-call or after-hours availability

Employers who breach these provisions may face Fair Work claims.

What Is Considered “Reasonable”?

Fair Work defines reasonableness using factors like:

• The urgency of the contact
• The employee’s role, level, and pay
• Their personal circumstances, including family responsibilities
• Whether the contact is part of established expectations (e.g. agreed on-call shifts)

The legislation recognises that a blanket rule won’t work—but employers must justify any after-hours contact.

What This Means for Your Business

This is more than a policy tweak. It’s a shift in leadership, culture, and boundaries. Businesses need to:

• Audit communication habits — Are after-hours emails routine? Do staff feel pressure to respond?
• Update position descriptions — Clarify expectations around availability, especially for managers or remote teams
• Review employment contracts — Ensure clauses around working hours and on-call expectations are clear and lawful
• Train managers — Equip leaders to manage workload and lead with empathy, not urgency
• Encourage wellbeing — Align communication practices with mental health and burnout prevention efforts

✅ How Evolve Can Help

At Evolve Corporate Solutions, we’re already supporting clients to:

• Draft compliant Right to Disconnect policies
• Redesign workflows to limit after-hours work
• Train leaders on boundary-conscious communication
• Review employment agreements and team structures

This isn’t about slowing business down—it’s about creating sustainable, focused performance that respects people’s time and energy.

Final Thought

In a world of constant connectivity, being offline shouldn’t be a privilege—it should be a right.

By leading with clarity and care, your organisation can strengthen trust, improve engagement and stay ahead of compliance risks.

Want help reviewing your people strategy or policies? Let’s chat.