【Portrait of Humanity】 Coping with "Online Overtime" Requires Internet Mindset

Tang Chuanyan

“Regardless of the time or location, messages in the workplace group must be kept up to date.” “It seems normal to go home after work, but work is actually still ongoing, does that count as overtime?”…… In recent years, with the development of instant communication technology, email and WeChat have become important means of communication and contact. A recent media investigation found that this phenomenon has become extremely common, with employees universally complaining about being unable to escape from 8-hour "on-call" periods. Some experts believe that giving workers the right to refuse digital tools for work-related matters after work hours is necessary, and clarifying the behavior of employers in contacting laborers outside working hours as illegal.

At present, this phenomenon of "hidden overtime" has become a common problem faced by employees. Whether it's white-collar or blue-collar workers, regardless of what kind of company they work for, in the face of instant communication tools like WeChat, employees' working and personal lives are becoming increasingly blurred. Many people seem to be normal after work, but are actually trapped in a cycle of "home office," with some employees forced to remain on standby throughout the day, reducing their own rest time and making "going home" just a nominal concept.

Employees trapped in the difficulties of "online overtime" and "hidden overtime" are inseparably linked to the widespread use of internet technology. Digital tools were originally designed to improve efficiency, but have become tools for assigning tasks at any time in certain scenarios. The convenience of instant communication has made it possible to work anywhere, anytime, turning mobile phones into "mobile workstations." Furthermore, the digitalization of performance evaluations has given rise to distorted evaluation systems like "response speed equals dedication," forcing employees to accept online overtime passively. If there were no internet and instant communication tools, employees would not be bothered so frequently after work hours.

The main challenge is generated by the internet, and breaking through requires an internet mindset. The problems brought about by technological development can also be resolved using technical means. For example, labor inspection departments can develop intelligent management systems and require employers to install them, automatically blocking work-related messages during non-working hours. Communication software can add a "rest mode" setting that intercepts group information within certain time periods. Electronic labor contracts can include clauses specifying the boundaries of online working hours and preventing workers from being disturbed. These tools can ensure necessary emergency contacts while constructing technical barriers for rest rights.

Deeper internet thinking lies in reconstructing labor-capital relations in the internet era. Platform economics has given rise to "invisible employers" that need to be made visible, and the unclear tracks of online work should be converted into electronic evidence that can be traced back. Tasks temporarily assigned by WeChat groups need to be included in work hour calculations and serve as an important basis for determining wages. Through these innovative approaches, we can reshape the rules of smart and information ages, avoiding damage to labor rights caused by technological progress.

Society is developing at a rapid pace, and technology is advancing rapidly, so maintaining workers' rest rights and other basic rights, especially keeping up with the times. Innovative measures such as offline rights, electronic work hour recognition, and compensation for online overtime are all about responding to the challenges of the internet age. Using an internet mindset to cope with problems generated by the internet is a more effective way to achieve good results, allowing workers not to be bothered so frequently by the progress of information technology.

The opinions expressed in this column article are solely those of the author.