A new poll found the majority of employers noted improvements in employees' wellbeing and work-life balance in the past 12 months
More than half of employers have received formal complaints, concerns, or requests from employees about the right to disconnect from work in the past 12 months, according to a new poll.
Findings from a survey by global recruitment and consulting firm Robert Half found 56% of employers said they had received formal concerns or requests. Among them, 30% said the formal complaints came from multiple employees, while 26% said they came from only one employee.
By location, Western Australian employers received the highest percentage of formal concerns or requests with 78%. This is followed by:
- Queensland (62%)
- New South Wales (43%)
- Victoria (42%)
"The striking regional variations, particularly the high engagement in Western Australia, highlight that cultural norms and local industry dynamics play a considerable role in how this legislation is being embraced across the country," Nicole Gorton, Director at Robert Half, in a statement.
Many Australians have had the right to refuse to monitor, read, or respond to contact outside their working hours for the past 12 months, while those working in small businesses are covered from August 26, 2025.
Upside of downing work tools
Despite the complaints, the poll found the right-to-disconnect legislation had delivered positive changes to employees' wellbeing and work-life balance since its implementation, with 77% of employers noticing their employees' wellbeing and work-life balance have improved in the past 12 months.
Another 21% said there has not been a noticeable impact, while only two per cent of employers believed it has worsened.
"The 'right to disconnect' has sparked a positive change in workplace dynamics, with employees actively embracing the policy to set healthier boundaries after work hours, challenging the 'always-on' culture that has become so prevalent," said Gorton.
"The overwhelming positive response from employers is a clear signal that the 'right to disconnect' has become a catalyst for cultural change," she said.
Australia's right-to-disconnect law
Robert Half's findings align with recent data from the Australian HR Institute, which found the legislation improved employee engagement and productivity in organisations.
It also improved work-life balance, and positively impacted stress levels among the workforce.
Further data from the Centre for Future Work revealed that unpaid overtime in Australia fell from 5.4 to 3.6 hours per week, a 33% drop, after the right-to-disconnect law was introduced.
Implementing right to disconnect
According to the report, 93% of employers have taken at least one measure in the past 12 months as employees gain the right to disconnect. These measures are:
- Creation of clear communication practices around expectations not to respond to after-hours contact (29%)
- Provided managers with additional training on how to manage after-hours communication (27%)
- Reviewed or updated HR policies (26%)
- Modified on-call or emergency response procedures (26%)
- Implemented clearer communication protocols for urgent matters (25%)
- Redistributed workloads among team members (25%)
- Invested in new communication tools (23%)
- Increased staffing levels or resources (21%)
- Adjusted project timelines or deadlines (21%)
"The legislation has seen businesses actively adapting their internal processes to build healthier and more sustainable work environments for their people," Gorton said.
The findings come as Australia marks the first year of implementation for the right-to-disconnect legislation for non-small business employers.
