Inside the Notts business which already has a 7am-7pm email policy

Laptop, PC, computer, email

Are we spending too much time answering work emails from home? The French Government seems to think so – and some Notts experts and businesses agree.

A new law has been proposed across the channel that will allow staff in companies with more than 50 employees, to ‘disconnect’ from their work emails while they are at home.

Ministers there say that the problem of ‘permanent connection’ is growing, and that intervention is needed to get us away from technology and prevent the breakdown of family life.

French politician Benoit Hamon, a socialist MP told BBC Magazine: “All the studies show there is far more work-related stress today than there used to be, and that the stress is constant.”

“Employees physically leave the office, but they do not leave their work. They remain attached by a kind of electronic leash – like a dog.”

Properly refreshed people are more productive

PKF Cooper Parry is an accountancy and business advice firm which used to run an office in Nottingham but in 2014 moved to East Midlands Airport.

The company offers employees unlimited paid holiday, birthdays off – and a 7am-7pm email policy.

It is designed to discourage staff from responding to emails outside of normal working hours.

PFK Cooper Parry offices

Picture: PKF Cooper Parry’s offices are modern and spacious

The company said: “Our policy is to discourage our team from e-mailing their colleagues during those hours and putting pressure on their home lives. We don’t discourage clients from contacting us outside those hours but there aren’t many client issues that can’t wait until 7 am the next morning.

“We understand how important it is for people to turn off and spend time with their families and enjoy their leisure activities. This isn’t a gimmick – it’s part of a structured programme to preserve the well-being of our people. Having a strict line between work time and home time makes for better productivity the following day.

“There is plenty of evidence that properly refreshed people are more productive and more creative in their thinking which is particularly important in our sector.”

Will CurtisWill Curtis, from Southwell, said he had seen cases of colleagues becoming run down by work emails in previous jobs.

“They started by replying to a few emails outside of office hours to ‘keep on top of things’ but this bred an expectation in their line management that they would respond.

“After a few months of this they found themselves coming home from work only to start again, they would often work 4 or 5 hours a night, which interfered with their social and family life.”

And according to studies, working from home can increase stress and put strain on relationships outside of the office.

Dr Jonathan Houdmant, assistant professor of Occupational Health Psychology at the University of Nottingham, said: “The stresses of work permeate into the home environment. Gone are the days when work stays at work, especially due to new technology.

“This impacts the individual and of course, the family and can be a significant factor in relationship break downs due to excessive job demands.”