INTHEBLACK June/July 2024 - Magazine - Page 25
Kate Hillman, EY Oceania’s people, place
and culture leader, says the firm is exploring
a range of solutions to the issue in its
workplace, but that the challenge requires
a collective response.
“I think we need to have a sector-wide
conversation about working hours, because we
cannot shift this on our own,” Hillman says.
It is important to note that from the
Australian perspective, the need for change
goes beyond an industry-wide imperative for
the accounting and finance sector to change
the culture around overwork. There is also
a legal obligation for organisations to take
action to mitigate psychosocial hazards at work.
CLOCK IS TICKING
The line between life and work has blurred
as digital technology enables employees to
be “always on”. The pressure of overwork has
become so widespread that even governments
are taking action.
In 2016, the French Government adopted
a labour law that includes a “right to
disconnect”, which means that employees
are not required to take calls or read
emails related to work during their time
off. Belgium passed a similar law in 2022
for public servants. The Australian Senate
has also passed the Fair Work Legislation
Amendment (Closing Loopholes No.2) Act 2024,
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