/data/photo/2021/01/15/600140e5578a8.jpg "“Chat” About Work Outside Office Hours, Different Countries Different Rules Page all")
KOMPAS.com – Comic teasing Pandji Pragiwaksono reap the controversy. This time it was about his confession that he called employees at midnight on weekends for work.
In an English-language tweet, Pandji said he had messaged his team about work at 12:44 a.m. on Saturday.
“People think working with me is fun and full of laughter. Entrepreneur Pandji is very different from Entertainer Pandji,” he continued on his @pandji account.
Pandji added that he is the type of person who “pushes” others, demands, and does not mince words. He can also fire people quickly.
I just texted my team about work stuff at 00:44 on a Saturday.
People think working with me is fun & filled with laughter. Entrepreneur Pandji is very much different with Entertainer Pandji. I push people. Im demanding. And i dont mince words. Plus, i fire people quick.– Pandji Pragiwaksono (@pandji) January 22, 2021
Pandji’s tweet drew criticism from many other Twitter users. The man who also works as an actor and host is considered to be abusive and oppress his employees.
“I can not understand how someone can feel so proud of destroying the work-life balance of others,” wrote the account @nikensupraba in English.
Also read: Tips for Overcoming Saturation and How to Be More Productive During WFH
The same response came from the @shandya account. He considered Pandji’s actions not something to be proud of.
“Isn’t sending messages about work in the early hours of the weekends a sign that you, as the leader, can’t manage your time well?” continue the account.
This is only natural
However, not everyone blames Pandji. One of them is rapper and YouTuber Reza Arap.
“I don’t understand why people are angry. I also message the team at 3 or 4 am,” he wrote in English.
“But I do not expect or force them to reply, at least they will read it when they wake up. At the weekend? Yes, why not,” he continued.
Reza Arap said he did not find anything wrong except that Pandji’s tweet was considered too arrogant.
Not much different, fellow comrades namely Ernest Prakasa also gave feedback about sending messages about work in the middle of the night.
“About WA to the staff at 00:44, I just said it was normal. I often, in the context of fear tomorrow morning forget to chat first, please reply to it tomorrow, please,” he wrote on his @ernestprakasa account.
Ernest added, “It all depends on the habits and culture of the company. What’s not to do is chat at 00:44 and expect an immediate response.”
About WA to the staff at 00:44, I just said it was normal. I also often, in the context of being afraid that tomorrow morning, I forget to chat first, please reply to it tomorrow, please. It all depends on the habits & culture of the company. What’s not to do is chat at 00:44 and expect an immediate response.
– Ernest Prakasa (@ernestprakasa) January 23, 2021
However, author Ika Natassa denied this Ernest statement. He does not justify sending work messages outside of working hours.
“Poor people (who) accept the thought of the assignment even though it’s already time for rest. If we are afraid to forget, we can make notes or email to ourselves,” wrote Ika.
“I can imagine the staff waking up in the middle of the night and continuing to read WA work too, sorry,” he continued.
Also read: 10 Tips for Using Social Media When Applying for Jobs
Rules in several countries
In the midst of the debate about the actions taken by Pandji Pragiwaksono, in some countries the ethics of contacting employees outside of working hours is strictly regulated.
In Western countries, companies are prohibited from contacting employees. France, for example, in 2017 the country passed a law on the “right to cut ties”.
The law encourages employers to have agreements with their employees about the rules for using digital tools.
The goal is to ensure and respect employees’ rights to time off and leave as well as personal and family life.
Also read: WFH Makes the Body Tired Easily, What is the reason?
Not much different, Italy also approved a similar law in 2018. Many companies have followed suit.
One of them is Volkswagen which applies server rules. The server will automatically close outgoing e-mails from 6 pm to 7 am every day.
Whereas in the Netherlands, employees no longer receive work-related messages after 6pm.
The New York City Council also passed a law that prohibits companies from requiring employees to check email or other forms of electronic communication during outside work hours.
When employees are taking annual leave, sick leave, or personal leave, companies are also prohibited from contacting.
Then in California, in 2018 the Supreme Court issued a rule de minimis. According to the court, companies should not allow employees to work for several minutes without pay.
California employment law requires payment for all hours worked. Even though employees are contacted for only five minutes for work.
Also read: Twitter Boss Reminds Importance of Balancing Work and Life
Company culture
On the other hand, according to sociologist Tracy Brower, PhD, MM, MCRw, policies that limit work-related communication after working hours return to corporate culture.
Companies with employees who feel compelled to send after-hours emails need to tackle a bigger problem.
Perhaps the company has a culture that doesn’t empower employees to make their own decisions about how to work.
Tracy said, there is something more important than working hours, namely company policy in fostering an organizational culture that makes employees feel valued.
Apart from that, there is also a need for policies that enable employees to give opinions and make their own decisions, and align their skills with work.
Indeed, limiting communication about work outside of working hours is good. However, every employee has a different way of getting work done.
Also read: Working Long Hours Increases the Risk of Heart Defects
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