Studies show that workers have great difficulty avoiding checking their “work” emails during vacations. In a recent publication, Luc Lapointe, HR consultant and popularizer of studies on telework management, suggested placing some of the responsibility for disconnecting on colleagues. Let’s examine his proposal and the reactions it has generated.
In mid-July, during the summer period, Luc Lapointe sent – via LinkedIn – a slight jab at workers who write to their colleagues on vacation by prefixing their messages with a “not urgent” note.
Instead, he invited them to use the “scheduled” sending function so that colleagues receive and see their messages only on the day they return.
“This way, everyone is happy and relaxed!” he concluded.
The proposal is disarmingly simple… and yet, some have found fault with it. By doing so, doesn’t one place too much responsibility for disconnecting on colleagues’ shoulders? This is the objection of Maxime Jobin, co-founder of the company Expert WordPress:
“It’s not up to others to fill in for your inability to not work during your vacations,” replied the entrepreneur, without mincing words. “If you go on vacation, set an automatic response and enjoy your vacation without checking your emails. If you can’t do that, you have something you need to work on.”
The co-founder of Expert WordPress explains that, in his company, employees are required to disconnect during their vacations.
“I have even disabled my associate’s connection so that he can disconnect,” he recounts. “[When it comes to] asking the whole team to manage their emails for all the other team members’ vacations, maybe it would be worth organizing a little training on the importance of vacations and disconnecting rather than encouraging ALL team members to remember ‘who is on vacation’ because some are not capable of managing themselves!” he added.
In the comments, Luc Lapointe clarified that his “recommendation” was primarily aimed at colleagues who “are fully aware that the other person is on vacation.”
“This is demonstrated by several studies: people check their messages even if they know they shouldn’t, simply because they have gotten into the habit of constantly checking their messages or because they feel pressured to respond to their messages. There are several reasons for this (individual, group, and cultural). That’s why I believe it’s good to help each other by avoiding writing to people on vacation when it’s easily doable.”
Yes to Shared Responsibility
To broaden the reflection, we asked Laurie Michel, a digital well-being specialist, trainer for Isarta, and president of Vivala, for her opinion. The HR consultant views disconnecting as a shared responsibility among the employer, the individual, and, yes, colleagues. However, blaming colleagues for sending an email during vacation periods seems, to her, a “counterproductive” strategy.
For her, Luc Lapointe’s proposal does not recognize the fundamental difference between an email and a text message or a phone call. Unlike texts and calls, which are usually answered ‘in real time,’ emails are generally answered with a delay. Moreover, from a practical point of view, the consultant notes that it will be more difficult for the person returning from vacation to prioritize their responses if all the emails arrive on the same day.
“If we want to talk about colleagues’ responsibility, I believe it’s much more relevant to look at reminders [regarding the right to disconnect]. If a person responds to a message in the evening, on the weekend, or during their vacation, their colleagues can remind them of the importance of disconnecting.”
The Possibility of Doing Better
To allow people to leave in peace, Laurie Michel sees three action levers:
- Culture – leaders must uphold this value,
- Practice – “if the person is not able to disconnect during the year, I don’t think they will be able to disconnect during vacations,”
- and, finally, Organization – “you need to create an out-of-office message and identify the people to contact.”
In a second publication, Luc Lapointe put his approach into context:
“The world of work is undergoing a revolution, and norms are not yet established. It’s therefore normal to see disagreements. (…) Some people feel comfortable reading their emails at their convenience, and others feel obliged to respond as quickly as possible. (…) In short, since the world of work is changing, it’s important to establish communication norms so that everyone feels respected and can enjoy their moments of rest.”
Let’s agree with him that we can do better: as workers, we have not yet found the balance between digital and private life. So, let’s continue the reflection!
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