This fall, Kerala put a spotlight on a rising global tension: the law is beginning to catch up with the “always‑on” culture many workplaces still reward. A private member’s bill introduced in the Kerala Legislative Assembly in late 2025 defines a formal Right to Disconnect for private‑sector employees — the legal permission to ignore work calls, emails, messages, or meetings outside agreed working hours without fear of punishment (The Logical Indian).

Why this matters for managers: when the law squarely protects after‑hours disengagement, counting screen‑time and late‑night responsiveness stops being a harmless proxy for productivity. Employers have to switch from measuring availability to measuring actual outcomes and wellbeing.

The bill doesn’t exist in a vacuum — it follows international moves (France, Spain and others have similar protections or policies) and proposes district‑level grievance committees plus protections against demotion or dismissal for employees who exercise the right. That framework forces organizations to think about enforcement, exceptions, and fair compensation when after‑hours work is genuinely necessary (Times of India).

Practically speaking, this is a recalibration. Historically, many employers equated “commitment” with responsiveness: you answer a midnight message, you look committed. That logic collapses under a law that guarantees rest as part of dignified labour. The core business question becomes: how do we judge contributions without rewarding busyness and intrusion?

Here’s the fast, non‑theoretical playbook I’m recommending to leaders who want to stay ahead of the curve and actually raise team performance:

Some organizations will panic and tighten surveillance; others will innovate. The smart route is to treat this as an opportunity: protecting employee boundaries actually increases sustainable productivity because it reduces churn, prevents cognitive overload, and helps people do their best work during real working hours.

A practical metric mix I use with clients when redesigning scorecards after a Right to Disconnect policy appears on the horizon:

• Output metrics: Completed projects, on‑time deliverables, customer NPS.
• Flow metrics: Average uninterrupted deep‑work hours per person per week.
• Quality metrics: Rework rate, defects, internal review scores.
• Health metrics: Pulse survey scores for burnout, sick‑time trends, attrition risk.
• Fairness metrics: Overtime pay incidence, distribution of on‑call shifts.

Finally, be candid about the transition. Draft a simple Right to Disconnect policy, run it by teams, and publish a one‑page manager checklist that says: “If you need someone after hours, confirm compensation or swap the duty. If you expect responsiveness, make it explicit in the role.” Transparency reduces gray areas where policy fails.

Kerala’s proposal is still at the legislative stage and, as reporting around its introduction made clear, was tabled as a private member’s bill — which means it’s influential but not yet a state law to be enforced across the board. State officials have also been careful to note that government adoption would require further steps. That nuance matters for employers planning a compliance roadmap (Business Standard).

The real test won’t be the law on paper — it’ll be how companies redesign the systems that decide raises, promotions and recognition. When policies reward focus, craft and outcomes rather than late‑night visibility, you win: healthier teams, better work, and a culture people want to stick around for.

Shift the conversation away from “How many hours did you respond?” to “What did you deliver?” That’s where sustainable productivity lives.