What do we know about limiting after-hours availability expectations and work-related connectivity? A systematic...

Concerns about the health and well-being effects of high after-hours availability expectations and work-related connectivity have prompted calls for organizational and national disconnection measures, such as the right-to-disconnect legislation. However, the effectiveness of such measures remains unclear. This is the first systematic review that aims to evaluate interventions and policies designed to limit availability expectations and after-hours work connectivity.

We searched Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, and Web of Science for studies published (2004-2024) for peer-reviewed empirical studies. Two reviewers independently screened records extracted data and assessed study quality using the Effective Public Health Practice Project tool. The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024599491). Effectiveness was assessed using a structured qualitative approach that accounted for various study design and methodological rigor across intervention types.

Twelve studies (N=2306) were included: one national policy, three organizational disconnection guidelines, one supervisor-targeted program, and seven employee-focused programs. Half of the quantitative studies were randomized controlled trials; overall methodological quality was rated as weak. Most organizational and national-level policies showed limited or no effects, with benefits contingent on the person-environment fit and implementation quality. Supervisor-targeted and multi-component programs, particularly those allowing for flexibility and combining boundary management with other elements, showed significant modest effects on detachment, boundary control, and work-life balance, though effect sizes were generally small.

The evidence base is small, heterogenous, and methodologically limited. Policies alone are unlikely to reduce harmful connectivity without active organizational implementation and cultural change. Developing and testing rigorous, multi-level interventions that address norms and supervisory practices, as well as individual boundary preferences, are urgently needed.