De l’hyper-connexion à la déconnexion : quand les entreprises tentent de réguler l’usage professionnel des e-mails

The permanent use of ICT in a professional context raises serious concerns about the risks for the health and privacy of employees, especially executives. Some companies are trying to implement « disconnection » measures to curb this permanent connection, especially to professional e-mail systems. This article focuses on the study of an experimental disconnection system established within a large French telecommunications company. The system disconnects e-mail outside business hours, while still allowing users to connect if so desired. The objectives are to study the origin of the initiative, to understand the viewpoints of the executives concerned, and to explore the consequences of the system’s use on the executives’ work activity. The study shows that this curbing measure clashes with the daily realities of their work, making it difficult to transform their professional use of e-mail.