S N Subrahmanyan, CEO of Larsen & Toubro, recently sparked controversy by suggesting his employees work 90 hours a week, further remarking, "How long are you going to sit at home staring at your wife’s face?"
This follows a similar comment from Infosys founder Narayana Murthy two years ago, who recommended 70-hour weeks. Subrahmanyan's proposal effectively doubles employees' workloads, urging them to work the equivalent of 1.5 to 2 people’s tasks each week.
In India, with an unemployment rate of 9.2% and 13 crore people jobless, including many graduates, finding work is already a challenge.
According to a CSDS survey, 62% of rural and 65% of urban respondents find job hunting difficult. The younger generation is particularly struggling.
Moreover, since the pandemic, remote work has taken a toll on employees' mental health. With long hours, daily commuting, and family responsibilities, the average person only has a limited amount of time for rest or fitness. Given these constraints, can Subrahmanyan himself maintain a 90-hour work week for months?
The suggestion may sound "out-of-the-box," but its practical application seems disconnected from the reality many employees face.
