Digital work swallows the weekend, and work chases employees into their holiday

A century after the five-day workweek became entrenched, the weekend now faces a new challenge that is not about its duration, but about employees’ ability to truly disconnect from their jobs amid the constant presence of smartphones, email, and professional social media platforms.

Ford played a key role in establishing the five-day, 40-hour workweek in 1926, following decades of labor demands and earlier experiments aimed at reducing working hours. However, technological advancements and hybrid work arrangements have blurred the boundaries between professional and personal life.

The report notes that a culture of rapid response to messages outside working hours can increase occupational stress and limit workers’ ability to achieve mental rest, even when they spend little time on direct work tasks. Data from the International Labour Organization (ILO) further indicate that more than one-third of workers globally regularly work more than 48 hours per week.

As the debate over the “right to disconnect” expands, the challenge is no longer simply securing a weekly day off, but ensuring that it remains genuine time for rest, free from work-related demands.