Europe's August shutdown: a model for work-life balance?
Emily Bryce-Perkins argues that the European tradition of shutting down for August offers a model for a healthier relationship with work. She contrasts this with the UK and US, where rest is often seen as embarrassing. France's 2017 "droit à la déconnexion" law requires companies to negotiate policies on out-of-hours contact, protecting personal time. The author suggests that the real issue is trust—whether societies trust citizens to take time off responsibly. She calls for an "August Agreement" to adopt similar practices.
Key facts
- Every August, large parts of continental Europe shut down for vacation.
- France's 2017 'droit à la déconnexion' law requires companies to negotiate policies on out-of-hours contact.
- The UK and US treat rest as embarrassing, according to the author.
- Emily Bryce-Perkins is a London-based writer and Monocle contributor.
- The article was published on Monocle.
Entities
Institutions
- Monocle
Locations
- Europe
- France
- UK
- US
- London
Sources
- Monocle —