In light of Australia’s new “Right to Disconnect” legislation coming in effect on Monday, businesses are facing the challenge of reshaping work culture. The law now gives employees the right to refuse after-hours contact from their employers, helping to set clearer boundaries between work and personal life. Kelley Seaton, CEO and director of The Leasing Network, shared her thoughts on how real estate agents and property managers can adapt to this shift, stressing the importance of setting boundaries and communicating clearly.
Ms Seaton acknowledged the practical difficulties of creating a strict separation between work and personal time, particularly for smaller businesses, but said if you don’t set boundaries you are setting yourself (and your team) up for failure.
“There’s no such thing as a perfect work-life balance,” she said, pointing out that sometimes work demands more of your time, while other times personal life takes priority. “I think you’ve just got to tilt between the two and find a way to manage them effectively.”
When asked how her business plans to adapt to the new laws, Ms Seaton said common sense solutions worked best.
“We’ve really got to set boundaries with our clients and ensure they know when we’re available. It’s all about establishing a clear cut-off between work and home.”
She believes that success in this area comes down to communication and making sure expectations are set early on with both staff and clients: “If clients know you’re not available after hours, they’ll respect that. Otherwise, it sets a precedent for them to call outside of business hours, which is what we want to avoid.”
Her insight is particularly relevant for small business owners, where the lines between work and personal life can easily blur. As a director herself, she emphasised the importance of leading by example.
“We encourage our team to manage their availability and be clear about when they’re on and off the clock. If you let clients contact you after hours once, they’ll expect it all the time.”
Under the new legislation, businesses with more than 15 employees are now required to respect workers’ off-hours, while smaller businesses will have to comply by 2025. Despite the law, Ms Seaton recognises that there will be times when flexibility is needed, but she believes these should be exceptions, not the norm.
“We’ve set communication KPIs for our team. If someone contacts us, we respond within a set timeframe depending on whether it’s a phone call, email, or text. By setting these expectations early, clients are less likely to expect us to respond after hours.”
While the “Right to Disconnect” law will undoubtedly provide relief for many employees across the country, she said it’s about managing boundaries, setting clear expectations, and ensuring both employers and clients adjust to this healthier balance between work and personal life.
