The country that mandated a 35-hour work week back in 1999 (why haven't we moved there yet?!) started hearing complaints from unions that managers were invading employees' personal time. A new labor agreement, which affects hundreds of thousands of IT employees, requires staffers to turn off their phones, shut down their computers, and digitally unplug after 6 p.m. Je suis jaloux! Moreover, companies found going against the binding labor agreement will be held accountable.
So while we're across the pond pulling late work nights either at home or in the office, just know that your French counterpart is happily drinking a glass of red wine and nibbling on delicious baguettes (while not gaining a single pound). Le sigh.
Though there's no formal regulation preventing your boss from contacting you at odd hours, there are ways to disconnect and keep your sanity without totally going off the radar.
- Create check-in times. This should be a given, but once you leave work, you're on personal time. Give yourself the opportunity to relax for a few hours and then, if you must, allow yourself a time each night to check your email to make sure nothing urgent requires your attention.
