Kerala's 'Right To Disconnect' Bill Is A Refreshing Shift In Today's Hustle Culture

In today’s hyperconnected digital world, the demand for immediate communication has made the right to disconnect increasingly essential. This critical need has spurred legislative action, specifically with the introduction of the Right to Disconnect Bill 2025 in Kerala. The primary objective of this proposed bill is to establish safeguarding measures for private sector employees, protecting them from professional demands that encroach upon their personal time, extending beyond officially designated working hours.

Setting boundaries 

In 2024, the tragic death of 26-year-old Anna Sebastian Perayil from Kerala threw India's toxic workplace culture into the spotlight. Her family attributed this loss to the severe work pressure and toxic corporate environment she reportedly experienced at her workplace. 

Anna's situation underscores one of the numerous devastating outcomes resulting from the failure to maintain a healthy boundary between professional and private life.

Whether in academic institutions or corporate settings, the ubiquitous nature of digital applications and social media connectivity has normalised the practice of sending work-related messages or scheduling meetings at literally any time of the day.

Consequently, the work cycle does not conclude with the end of a standard 9-to-5 workday; it perpetually continues through video conferences, emails, and on WhatsApp or Slack. When an individual attempts to establish clear personal boundaries post-work, this action is frequently perceived negatively, often labelled as 'ignoring the messages' or a demonstration of 'not considering the work important enough'.

Does this inescapable availability truly indicate a collective inefficiency on the part of employees during their working hours, or does it instead reveal a deep-seated, corporate expectation of being available and responsive all day long?

Working professionals chime in

Anvi Kapoor, an Assistant Manager at a private company in the UK, said, “In India, people usually disregard convenient work culture and promote toxic or hassle culture. People who unnecessarily work for 18 hours are treated well, whereas those who efficiently work during the working hours aren’t appreciated that well. Compared with the UK, people there prefer working more efficiently during their working hours rather than wasting time gossiping, which eventually maintains the work-life balance.”

Mallika Tandon, another employee at a private firm, shared, “The right to disconnect should be the fundamental right of every employee, as there is life beyond work. It is necessary for one's well-being and for efficient working."

For so many of us, the world of work post-COVID-19 feels like a never-ending call, email, or message. That invisible line that once separated the office from our home life has all but vanished, leaving us with omnipresence or over-accessibility instead of just simple accessibility.

Several nations like Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Ireland have already decided certain legislations that the right to disconnect is a fundamental human need and an employee has the right to be unavailable after working hours without any salary cut. They somehow see the person behind the professional.

In India, a compassionate attempt was made by MP Supriya Sule with the Right to Disconnect Bill of 2018. Sadly, this crucial conversation is still struggling to find its voice and the necessary majority in our legislature.

Dismantling the ‘Hustle’ myth 

We have to stop telling ourselves that being available 24/7 is a badge of honour. Working beyond your designated hours, while sometimes unavoidable, should absolutely not be glorified as "hard work." A break is not a luxury; it is a vital necessity. We need that time to truly rejuvenate, to nourish ourselves, to pursue a cherished hobby, or simply to stop and relax.

However, Alka Tandon, a school principal, said, “We cannot always consider extra work as unimportant. When something urgent arises, we should adapt, even if it's outside working hours. We should harness the benefits of digital connectivity while prioritising our well-being. Balance is the key.”

As a generation that consciously prioritises self-interest and mental health, we must actively dismantle the toxic ‘always on’ culture that celebrates grinding for 15 hours a day. Let's make a healthy, focused 8-hour workday the norm and the expected standard, not the exception.

In a world of suffocating over-connectivity, it is our human right, and our collective responsibility, to finally disconnect and say a firm NO to burnout.

Views expressed by the author are their own.