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L&T Chairman’s 90-Hour Workweek Claim Sparks Backlash in Overworked India

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan created an internet debate by asking, “How long can you stare at your wife?” While arguing for a 90-hour work week and even suggesting that staff should skip Sundays. Previously Infosys’ Narayana Murthy sparked controversy by advocating for a 70-hour work week prompting criticism of work-life balance.

In response to the much-divided topic of work-life balance and working longer hours, as proposed by some corporate leaders recently, Mahindra group chairman Anand Mahindra stated that he believed in the quality of work rather than the quantity. Anant Mahindra, speaking at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025 in the national capital, states that the current discourse is incorrect since it focuses on the number of working hours.

What did he say about L&T?

“I hold Narayana Murthy the Infosys founder and others in the highest regard. Let me not misunderstand of course. However, I must state that I believe this debate is headed in the wrong path,” Anand Mahindra said to the young people about the L&T Chairman.

“What I am trying to say is that we ought to privatize the quality of our labor over its quantity. Therefore, it’s not about forty, fifty, seventy, or ninety hours,” Anand Mahindra stated. “It depends on the work’s output,” he remarked. “Even after ten hours, what output are you producing? You have ten hours to make a difference in the world.

L&T Chairman's 90-Hour Workweek Claim Sparks Backlash in Overworked India

Notably, a number of nations have implemented or are testing a four-day workweek. According to Anand Mahindra, he has always held the opinion that a company needs leaders and individuals who make informed decisions.

How does India compare to other “over-worked” countries?

According to the ILO’s “Wages and Working Time Statistics (COND) Database, ILOSTAT” report, India came in at number thirteen. India’s standing was somewhat better than Pakistan’s, white came in at number twelve, but it was poorer than China’s (16th place). The average hours per week per employed person in India is 46.7, according to data currently on January 11, 2024. Additionally, it showed that 51% of Indian workers put in 49 or more hours a week.

More News.

The causes of “long work hours”

Low hourly pay and/or a desire to maximize earnings whether from wages of self-employment – are the primary drivers of long workdays in developing and emerging countries. This implies that in order to make ends meet, workers frequently have to put in lengthy hours.

In industrialized nations, however, things are extremely different, especially for some types of salaried workers like managers and professionals. They might be asked to work as many hours as necessary to finish their duties, or they might put in extra hours to show that they are dedicated to the company and try to progress their careers.

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