New Research by Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney and Associated EAP
For years, ‘always-on’ work culture was treated as a badge of honour. Responding to emails at 10pm meant dedication. Being reachable on weekends meant commitment. It is a pattern that crept in gradually - enabled by technology, normalised by habit - and presenting as a massive risk to psychosocial safety, work life balance and wellbeing.
New research by our sister company, Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney, published in 2026, suggests that despite the inherent risk of burnout, ‘always on’ culture continues to prevail in our workplaces.
A 15-year analysis of over 36,000 client records shows a workforce under sustained pressure. Burnout cases have grown five-fold since 2011, with the sharpest increase among women aged 25 to 44. Work-related stress reached its highest recorded level in 2025, affecting 13.9% of all clients, and for the first time in 14 years of data, women are now presenting with work stress at a higher rate than men (12.2% versus 8.6%).
Most people arrive at this point gradually, after years of not fully switching off. Behind every one of those figures is someone who reached a point where they needed professional support.
The law sits inside a broader psychosocial safety obligation
Australia's Right to Disconnect legislation, which came into effect for all employers by August 2025, reflects a growing recognition that chronic overwork is not a personal failing. It is rather a symptom of how work has been designed, and the cultures that support it.
Additionally, Australian WHS law requires employers to actively manage psychosocial risks, including high workload and low job control, with ‘always-on’ culture falling squarely within that scope.
These sorts of laws, alongside acknowledgement of the negative impact of poor work/life balance on productivity, has seen Australian workplaces introduce a range of policies and processes to reduce psychosocial hazards and improve psychological safety at work.
Of course, implementing these laws well is not just about ticking a compliance box. It is about recognising what is actually happening to employees.
Wellbeing and performance are not in competition
Staff who are chronically overworked are less productive, less creative and suffer lower morale. Poor psychosocial safety manifests in higher rates of absenteeism, disengagement and turnover, and by the time it is visible, it has usually been building for too long.
The Right to Disconnect is not about working less. It is about working in a way that is actually sustainable. For organisations serious about retaining good people and managing psychosocial risk, complying with the law is only the beginning; implementing policies and practices that genuinely support cultural change is the next vital step.
Making the Right to Disconnect work in practice
Model it from the top. If leaders are sending emails at 11pm, staff will feel the implicit pressure to respond, regardless of what the policy says. Visible behaviour from managers carries more weight than any intranet page.
Reinforce productivity skills. Support your staff with practical skills in time management and productivity so that they feel better equipped to make the most of their working day.
It’s rarely just a time management problem, so incorporate workload into the conversation. If people are working outside hours to meet deadlines, there’s a good chance that the problem sits with how work is designed, not how individuals are managing themselves. A structural response may be required.
Build manager capability. Managers are on the front line of psychosocial safety. Training them to recognise early signs of stress and burnout, and to have supportive conversations, is now both a legal obligation and a practical necessity.
Make support genuinely accessible. Employee counselling and stress management support work best when accessed early. Normalising help-seeking before people reach crisis point is one of the most effective things an organisation can do.
Organisations that get this right are not just meeting a legal requirement. They are building a workplace people can sustain long-term, one where switching off does not come at the cost of showing up.
References
- Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth), s.333M–s.333T
- Safe Work Australia, Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work: Code of Practice (2022)
- Associated Counsellors & Psychologists Sydney, Sydney Counselling and Psychology Report 2026 (April 2026). https://www.counsellingsydney.com.au/sydney-counselling-and-psychology-report-2026/
- SafeWork NSW, Psychosocial Hazards. safework.nsw.gov.au
