In October 2023, NR Narayana Murthy, co-founder of Infosys—one of India’s leading IT services companies—sparked a heated debate when he suggested that Indians should work 70 hours per week to boost the country’s productivity and economic growth.
His remarks triggered widespread discussions about work-life balance and employee well-being in Indian workplaces.
Despite the controversy, Murthy stood firm.
“I don’t believe in work-life balance… I have not changed my view; I will take this to my grave,” he reiterated during an interview with CNBC-TV18 in November, a year after the uproar seemed to have settled.
Last week, a similar statement by SN Subrahmanyan, chairman of Larsen & Toubro (L&T)—one of India’s largest multinational conglomerates specializing in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC)—rekindled the debate.
While addressing employees, Subrahmanyan was questioned about the company’s practice of working on Saturdays.
His response, however, went a step further:
“I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy because I work on Sundays. What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? Come on, get to the office and start working.”
Subrahmanyan also shared an anecdote about a conversation he had with a Chinese individual who remarked that China could surpass the United States because Chinese workers typically clocked 90 hours a week compared to the 50-hour workweeks of Americans.
Using this as an example, he urged his employees: “If you want to be on top of the world, you have to work 90 hours a week. Get going, guys.”
L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan’s statement sparks outrage
Subrahmanyan’s comments sparked widespread reactions from industry peers and mental health advocates alike.
Prominent Indian actress and mental health advocate Deepika Padukone, who leads The Live Love Laugh Foundation, described the remarks as “shocking,” emphasizing the responsibility of senior leaders to set a more balanced tone.
Anand Mahindra, chairman of the Mahindra Group—one of India’s largest business conglomerates and a major player in the automotive industry—offered a measured response:
“We need to focus on the quality of work, not the quantity. It’s not about 40 hours, 70 hours, or 90 hours. What matters is the output and the value it creates.”
Mahindra further noted that significant impact could be achieved even within 10 hours of focused work.
In response to the backlash, L&T defended its chairman, issuing a statement that read:
“At L&T, nation-building is at the core of our mandate. For over eight decades, we have been shaping India’s infrastructure, industries, and technological capabilities.”
We believe this is India’s decade—a time that calls for collective dedication and effort to drive progress and achieve our shared vision of becoming a developed nation. The Chairman’s remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasizing that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort.
What do precedents in Japan, China, and South Korea say?
Subrahmanyan and Murthy are not alone in advocating for longer work hours to boost economic growth.
However, the experiences of developed Asian economies highlight the severe consequences of such practices.
In Japan, excessively long working hours have taken a significant toll on employees’ health and well-being, with many cases leading to suicide.
This phenomenon, known as “karoshi,” translates to “death from overwork.”
In 2023, approximately 2,900 people in Japan committed suicide due to work-related issues.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Japanese government introduced the “Work Style Reform Law” in 2018 to curb excessive overtime.
As a result, government data showed that by 2022, only 9% of workers clocked more than 60 hours per week—a figure that has halved over the past two decades.
The younger generation in Japan also appears to be reevaluating priorities.
According to the Japan Research Institute, only 30% of young Japanese now consider climbing the corporate ladder important.
For many, a fulfilling job and the joy of collaboration have taken precedence.
Source: The Tokyo Review
Subrahmanyan’s admiration for Chinese work culture, however, overlooks its pitfalls.
China’s tech and startup sectors have popularized the grueling “996” culture, where employees work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week—totaling 72 hours weekly.
This practice, while widespread, violates Chinese labor laws, which mandate a 40-hour work week.
Major companies like Huawei, Alibaba, and ByteDance have faced widespread criticism for endorsing this relentless schedule, which has been linked to burnout and declining mental health.
In South Korea, one of the countries with the longest working hours globally, the phenomenon of “gwarosa” (death by overwork) claims numerous lives annually.
Recently, the South Korean government faced backlash after proposing to increase the maximum weekly working hours from 52 to 69.
Millennials and Gen Z workers strongly opposed the move, forcing the government to reconsider.
Reflecting on these examples, Gaurav Bhagat, Managing Director at Consortium Gifts, told Invezz:
While countries like South Korea and Japan historically adopted such intensive work cultures, they have since pivoted toward promoting work-life balance after witnessing the toll on productivity and mental health.
The mental health toll
India ranks among the most overworked countries globally, with workers logging some of the longest hours.
According to the International Labour Organization, the average Indian employee works 46.7 hours per week.
Additionally, 51% of India’s workforce clocks 49 or more hours weekly, placing the country second in the world for extended working hours.
A 2024 Deloitte survey highlighted the consequences of this intense work culture.
It revealed that 56% of Indian employees identified burnout as their primary concern, while 70% expressed a preference for employers who prioritize mental health and wellness initiatives.
The financial impact of poor mental health is also staggering. Deloitte’s 2022 Mental Health Survey found that Indian employers lose approximately $14 billion annually due to absenteeism, lower productivity, and employee attrition linked to mental health challenges.
Vidya Khan, a psychologist, hypnotherapist, and somatic energy coach, outlined the progressive effects of overwork on mental and physical health.
“Overwork compromises sleep, increases stress, and leads to a rise in cortisol levels,” she said to Invezz.
“This creates hormonal imbalances, reduced connection with loved ones causing oxytocin disparities, neglected self-care resulting in chronic illnesses, and lower levels of endorphins and serotonin. Ultimately, it disrupts neurological, hormonal, digestive, physiological, and immune systems.”
Khan warned that if these issues remain unaddressed, they could lead to “a massive collective burnout pandemic in the coming years.”
Why top leaders can work long hours, but employees cannot
Despite the clear link between longer work hours and declining mental health, top leaders often dismiss these concerns when asking employees to work longer hours.
When challenged, they frequently cite their example of putting in such hours, positioning it as a norm.
However, what often goes unacknowledged is the well-structured support systems that ease their burden, as well as their generous compensation for the time spent.
Sanjeev Sanyal, economist and member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, addressed this point on X:
“Only very senior managers can sustain 80-hour work weeks because systems are built to sustain them (not just the pay, but secretaries, assistants, etc.). The rest need a life.”
Subrahmanyan, for instance, received an impressive Rs 51 crore in remuneration for FY24, marking a 43% increase compared to FY23.
In contrast, the average salary increase for non-managerial employees at L&T for FY24 was just 1.74%, even as managerial remuneration increased by 20.38%.
L&T attributed the increase in managerial compensation to higher profits and increased commission rates, according to their latest annual report.
The median salary of employees, however, only rose by Rs 1.44 lakh annually over the last five years.
Source: The Economic Times
In an editorial for The Economic Times, Harsh Goenka, chairman of RPG Enterprises, emphasized the compensation disparity to highlight the challenges of implementing a 70- or 90-hour workweek.
He acknowledged that while such statements come from a place of “deep commitment to India’s progress,” they may not align with the values of today’s workforce.
“While top executives and owners often earn significant financial rewards, the majority of employees do not enjoy similar benefits. This disparity makes it difficult to justify extended workweeks for all,” Goenka said
Legally, Indian labor laws also support work-life balance. The Factories Act of 1948 and state-specific Shops and Establishments Acts cap working hours at 48 per week, requiring overtime pay at twice the regular wage for non-exempt employees.
“These provisions are critical in safeguarding the well-being of the workforce, particularly for blue-collar employees, and must remain intact. For white-collar employees, the conversation is evolving,” said Simantika Mukherjee, Group CHRO of Tribeca Developers, a prominent real estate developer in India.
How to increase productivity and spur growth without risking burnout
Industry leaders and sector experts widely agree that the era of equating long hours with productivity is behind us.
Bhagat suggests that instead of simply increasing the number of hours worked, India should focus on boosting productivity through skill development, technology integration, and fostering a culture of innovation.
“In my experience, businesses that invest in employee wellness and upskilling see a 35% higher retention rate and a 20% increase in output. The future lies not in working harder, but smarter—creating an environment where ambition and well-being coexist,” Bhagat, also a consultant and TEDx speaker, said.
Goenka concurs, adding that rather than prescribing a fixed number of hours, leaders should focus on cultivating a culture of excellence that enables employees to thrive on their own terms.
“India’s growth story demands dedication and effort, but it also requires a workforce that is motivated, creative, and mentally healthy,” Goenka says.
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