Examining the Implementation of the "Right to Disconnect" in Practice

Authors

Nejc Bernik
University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3707-6241
Polona Šprajc
University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1356-3438
Eva Jereb
University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1768-3787

Synopsis

The research examined the implementation of the Right to Disconnect (RTD) in Slovenia, legislated in November 2024. The goal was to identify its advantages, opportunities, weaknesses, and impact on the work processes and employees in selected public and private sector organizations. Through structured interviews with HR managers, various implementation practices were identified, such as adjusting working time regulations, introducing automatic email responders, and separating work and personal communication tools. The results revealed that private sector organizations were generally better prepared for implementing RTD, whereas public sector organizations faced additional challenges, including administrative constraints and wage reform. The SWOT analysis highlighted the benefits of RTD, such as clearly defined working hours and increased employee awareness, while pointing out weaknesses like remote work, which, due to continuous accessibility, leads to employee overburdening. In conclusion, RTD represents an important step toward a more sustainable work environment. However, its successful implementation will require continuous adjustment of regulations, employee awareness-raising, and harmonization of practices within organizations.

Author Biographies

Nejc Bernik, University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences

Kranj, Slovenia. E-mail: nejc.bernik1@um.si

Polona Šprajc, University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences

Kranj, Slovenia. E-mail: polona.sprajc@um.si

Eva Jereb, University of Maribor, Faculty of Organizational Sciences

Kranj, Slovenia. E-mail: eva.jereb@um.si

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Published

March 19, 2025

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

(Ed.). (2025). Examining the Implementation of the "Right to Disconnect" in Practice. In 44th International Conference on Organizational Science Development: Human Being, Artificial Intelligence and Organization, Conference Proceedings (Vols. 44, pp. 27-40). University of Maribor Press. https://press.um.si/index.php/ump/catalog/book/962/chapter/267