Home-based work could benefit from increased flexibility
In the heart of Europe, Switzerland is known for its precision and strict adherence to rules. However, a controversial practice has been emerging in some Swiss workplaces: unauthorized Sunday work at home.
Despite the fact that Sunday work is prohibited in the country, a growing number of employees are found to be working on Sundays, often from the comfort of their home offices. What starts as a five-minute 'check' often turns into an hour of work on Sunday evenings. This practice is done illegally, yet it's a topic that's gaining traction on LinkedIn, the professional networking platform.
One manager voiced their concern on LinkedIn, complaining about an employee who scheduled a four-hour hair appointment during official work hours. The manager's name has not been publicly disclosed. The employee, however, was praised for their request to work from home to prepare for a wedding, showcasing the flexibility that remote work can offer in balancing personal lives and professional tasks.
The flexibility of work hours is indeed a topic of discussion on LinkedIn, with employees using the freedom of working from home to flexibly shift their work hours. People in Switzerland are not only reviewing their schedules and organizing their evenings, but they're also checking their email inboxes on Sunday evenings. This blurring of work hours in home offices is a concern for some, as several emails are sent during this unauthorized Sunday work.
As the line between work and personal life becomes increasingly blurred, the issue of unauthorized Sunday work and the use of email during off-hours is becoming a significant concern in Swiss workplaces. It remains to be seen how this trend will evolve and whether stricter measures will be put in place to ensure compliance with the existing Sunday work prohibition.
