Fri Jan 10 19:32:54 UTC 2025: ## L&T Chairman’s 90-Hour Work Week Proposal Sparks Outrage, Reignites Debate on Overwork Culture in India

**MUMBAI, INDIA –** A video of L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan suggesting employees work 90 hours a week, including Sundays, has ignited a firestorm of criticism. Subrahmanyan’s comments, made in response to a question about mandatory Saturday work, have sparked widespread debate about the impact of excessive working hours on employee well-being. His controversial statement, urging employees to “get to the office and start working” instead of spending time with their families, has gone viral.

Subrahmanyan is not alone in advocating for exceptionally long workweeks. This incident follows similar statements from prominent Indian business leaders, including Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy (70-hour week proposal), and Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal, who dismissed work-life balance as a “Western idea.” Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s promotion of 80-100 hour workweeks and Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma’s endorsement of China’s 996 work schedule (9 am to 9 pm, six days a week) further highlight a global trend towards endorsing extreme working hours. Even Zepto’s CEO Aadit Palicha admitted his team worked 80-100 hours a week, later acknowledging it was excessive. Bombay Shaving Company CEO Shantanu Deshpande initially advocated for 18-hour workdays for young professionals but later apologized for the insensitive remarks.

However, the notion that longer hours automatically equate to higher productivity and economic growth is increasingly challenged. While Narayana Murthy cited China’s long working hours as a model, data suggests a more complex relationship between work hours and GDP per capita. Countries with longer average annual working hours, such as India and Bangladesh, do not necessarily have higher GDP per capita figures. Research from Stanford University even indicates that working over 49 hours a week can decrease productivity.

The controversy surrounding Subrahmanyan’s remarks highlights the ongoing tension between the pursuit of economic competitiveness and the well-being of employees in India, where a 48-hour work week is the legal norm. The incident has reignited a critical conversation about work-life balance and the potential negative consequences of a culture that glorifies overwork.

Read More