GenZ claims the right to take off work after hours

Flexibility has brought many advantages for everyone, such as the possibility of working from home and by objectives, without a fixed schedule, helping to reconcile life and work with less stress for those who know how to organise their activities well. But it has also brought some disruption. Technology and work by objectives have somewhat blurred the boundaries of the timetable. The right to 'disconnect' from work is no longer a marginal issue, but a priority for the younger generation. According to the 9th Eudaimon-Censis Report, 57.7% of young Italians believe that the so-called right to disconnect, i.e. the possibility of not being available outside working hours, is fundamental. It is precisely for this reason that 43.9% of Italian workers declare that they do not reply to work emails, calls or messages outside formal working hours, while 45.8% report that out-of-hours communications cause anxiety and discomfort. At the European level, a Eurofound study on the right to disconnect, conducted in Belgium, France, Italia and Spain, shows that more than 80 per cent of workers regularly receive work-related communications outside contractual hours during the week. Among them, almost three out of four workers say they are contacted every day or several times a week for professional reasons.

In this context in which Gen Z is redefining work priorities, the right to disconnection becomes a guiding criterion in the design of corporate welfare, as Alberto Perfumo, CEO Epassi Italia, explains: 'It is not just a formal protection, but a true element of corporate culture: it means rethinking work starting from the value of people's time and the sustainability of organisational models'.

Manager and writer Silvia Zanella, talking about the future of work, highlighted how the new generations are redefining the work model, avoiding continuous availability and paying more attention to boundaries. This evolution reflects an approach that prioritises sustainability and work efficiency rather than just constant availability and presence. "The new generations are profoundly redefining the very meaning of work, which can no longer be separated from the overall well-being of the person. In the light of this, the right to disconnection becomes part of a broader vision of welfare and company organisation, and is also a key factor in companies' ability to attract, motivate and retain talent,' says Silvia Zanella. The 'protection' of personal time is reshaping work dynamics: young people are looking for flexibility, work-life balance and tools that allow them to manage their time autonomously. In this perspective, the right to disconnection is increasingly confirmed as an integral part of corporate welfare strategies.