Hyderabad: Internet erupted in fiery debate after L&T chairman S.N, Subrahmanyan suggested that Indians should work for 90 hours a week to fast-track the country's development. His comments drew sharp reactions, with many questioning its practicality and fairness in today’s work culture.
In a viral video, Subrahmanyan, responding to a query about mandatory work on Saturday at L&T, said, “I regret I'm not able to make you work on Sundays, to be honest. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy because I work on Sundays also.”
He went on to add: “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Come on, get to the office and start working.”
The remarks, coming on top Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy backing a 70-hour work week, triggered a wave of criticism and sarcasm online.
Some also took objection to Subrahmanyan speaking of staring at one’s wife.
Dr Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, wrote on X, “Working 90 hours a week would benefit the organisation in terms of revenue, but at the cost of employees' health, healthspan, and lifespan.”
Dr Laxmikant Rathi, president of the Indian Psychiatric Society, said, "Working 90 hours a week may work short-term, but in the long run, it can lead to burnout. Everybody has a different capacity at work. I myself have many clients who work from morning 9 to evening 5, and still handle clients on calls in the evening, the workload is such that they reach a point of saturation.”
“According to studies, it is revealed that people who do repetitive jobs and do not have control over their job are more likely to experience burnout than those who have mastery over their job,” Dr Rathi said. “Working 90 hours a week is too much for an individual to take.”
Badminton player Jwala Gutta called these “misogynistic, disappointing, and scary.” She added, "I mean...why shouldn't he stare at his wife? And why only on a Sunday! It's sad that such educated people and people at the highest positions...aren't taking mental health and...rest seriously."
Corporate employees also voiced serious concerns about work-life balance. An IT employee said, “Many IT professionals already face health issues like back pain, cervical problems, and eye strain due to long working hours. People are prioritising work over health.” She noted that many employees even connect on Sundays to prepare for the upcoming week.
Another employee working in a corporate firm said, “Work-life balance is nothing but less stress, more productivity. If we work 90 hours a week like robots, what’s the difference between humans and machines?”
“A new trend in India could be inter-corporate marriages between Infosys and L&T employees, fostering long-lasting alliances where couples dedicate their lives to their respective offices and eventually reunite at retirement,” wrote a user on ‘X.’
A user on Instagram commented, “How long will you keep the profits all for yourself, come on, keep distributing equally for all your employees.” Another user wrote, “Why don't you pay hourly to your employees like the US? All this lecture will stop. Utterly nonsense.”
Another Instagram user wrote, “Work is a part of life, not life itself. Our relationships with family, friends, and time with loved ones—that’s life.”
However, L&T spokesperson said in a brief statement, “We believe this is India's decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress and realise our shared vision of becoming a developed nation. The chairman's remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasising that extraordinary effort."
