{"id":195721,"date":"2026-07-19T05:29:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-19T03:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factorialhr.com\/blog\/?p=195721"},"modified":"2026-07-19T18:22:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-19T16:22:15","slug":"the-right-to-disconnect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/factorial.ke\/blog\/the-right-to-disconnect\/","title":{"rendered":"The Right to Disconnect: Improving Employee Well-being and Productivity"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s evening on a weekday. A line manager at a logistics firm sends a WhatsApp message to three team members asking for tomorrow’s dispatch numbers “before you sleep.” None of them are on call. None of them get paid for the twenty minutes it takes to pull the report. All three reply within the hour, because in most workplaces, not replying feels riskier than the interruption itself.<\/p>\n

Multiply that message by every manager, every evening, across a company of 200 people, and you don’t have a communication habit. You have an un-budgeted, unmeasured second shift.<\/p>\n

This is exactly the kind of workplace culture that the “right to disconnect” seeks to address.<\/p>\n

The Cost of Ignoring the Right to Disconnect<\/h2>\n

For years, “always available” was treated as a sign of commitment in Kenyan corporate culture. The data suggests it’s closer to a slow leak. A 2023 survey by Corporate Staffing Services, cited by Capital Business<\/a> found that 68% of professionals in Kenya reported experiencing burnout symptoms, with the pattern most pronounced among middle and senior management. A separate workplace mental health report, also cited by Capital Business<\/a>, found that 75% of employees reported moderate stress linked to factors like long hours, with 48% experiencing burnout and 53% showing depressive symptoms, all of it feeding back into performance.<\/p>\n

This isn’t just a wellbeing story. It’s a balance-sheet one. The estimated economic burden of mental health conditions<\/a> on the Kenyan economy in 2021 was KES 62.2 billion, roughly 0.6% of GDP, with the largest share (KES 56.6 billion) coming from lost productivity through absenteeism, presenteeism, and premature mortality. Employees who never fully log off don’t necessarily work more effectively. They work longer, get less done per hour, and leave sooner.<\/p>\n

Respecting employees’ right to disconnect isn’t simply about protecting wellbeing\u2014it also improves productivity, retention, and long-term business performance.<\/p>\n

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Unlock your team's full potential with modern feedback tools<\/h4>\n \n