At home, switching off from work_美文_趣味英语-查字典英语网

At home, switching off from work

Often, the work-related inquiries I find my wife replying to in the dead of night are ones that could easily wait until morning. But such is her personality that she feels compelled to respond straight away (strange considering that I regularly have to ask her something three times before she answers).

Of course, I can’t stop her colleagues sending after-hours messages via email or WeChat, nor can I order her to ignore them. But there must be a cut-off point, and employees need to protect against their work taking over their private lives.

Studies show that work-related stress is on the increase worldwide. In China, a poll by a recruitment company in 2011 found that 70 percent of 5,000 workers complained of heavy pressure. Another by the Chinese Medical Doctors’ Association warned that 60 percent of white-collar workers are at risk of stress-related illnesses.

In explaining why France has revised the law, Benoit Hamon, a former education minister, told the BBC: “Employees physically leave the office, but they do not leave their work. They remain attached by a kind of electronic leash, like a dog. The texts, the messages, the emails – they colonize the life of the individual to the point where he or she eventually breaks down.”

Bravo and bon chance.

Broadcaster:

Greg Fountain is a copy editor and occasional presenter for China Daily. Before moving to Beijing in January, 2016 he worked for newspapers in the Middle East and UK. He has an M.A in Print Journalism from the University of Sheffield, a B.A in English and History from the University of Reading.