VW to cut off BlackBerry mail right before shift's end
updated 07:00 pm EST, Thu December 22, 2011
Company contact outside of work hours limited
In a concession to its workers who are provided with a company BlackBerry, Volkswagen has agreed to limit how late or early it will send them e-mails on their devices. The company has reached an agreement with the employee works council not send messages to them either 30 minutes after their shift ends or 30 minutes before the next work day begins. The pact covers over 1,000 VW employees who have been provided with BlackBerrys.
The works council sought the limitation on receiving emails because the RIM devices can effectively make the employees always on-the-clock and reachable at any point. The comes amid growing concern in Germany over employee "burn out."
The work rule doesn't impact senior managers or VW employees who are not covered by union-negotiated positions. Employees will still be able to make and receive calls during off hours. [via Financial Times]
