After facing strong backlash over its Chairman SN Subrahmanyan’s suggestion to employees to work 90 hours a week — including Sundays, the L&T said on Friday that the Chairman’s remarks reflect the larger ambition of nation-building, “emphasising that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort”.

In a video message to employees that went viral on social media, Mr Subrahmanyan said: “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can wives stare at their husbands? Go to the office and start working”.

“Honestly, I am sorry that I am not able to make you work on Sundays. I will be happier if I can make you work on Sundays, because I work on Sundays too,” said the L&T Chairman.

A company spokesperson said in a statement that for over eight decades, “we have been shaping India’s infrastructure, industries, and technological capabilities”.

“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,” said the spokesperson.

“The Chairman’s remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasising that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort. At L&T, we remain committed to fostering a culture where passion, purpose, and performance drive us forward,” the spokesperson further stated.

In his video message, Mr Subrahmanyan encouraged L&T employees to work harder. He spoke about a conversation he had with a Chinese man who said that China could overtake the US because of its strong work ethic.

According to Mr Subrahmanyan, the Chinese man said, “Chinese people work 90 hours a week, while Americans work only 50 hours a week.”

The video received a backlash from netizens on social media platforms, including online discussion forum Reddit, with many users comparing it to Infosys founder Murthy’s statement about working 70 hours a day.

From Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone to Harsh Goenka, Chairperson of the RPG Group, top celebrities also condemned Mr Subrahmanyan’s remarks.

“90 hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to ‘Sun-duty’ and make ‘day off’ a mythical concept! Working hard and smart is what I believe in, but turning life into a perpetual office shift? That’s a recipe for burnout, not success. Work-life balance isn’t optional, it’s essential. Well, that’s my view! #WorkSmartNotSlave,” Mr Goenka posted on X.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram has taken a dig at Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy for saying that he was “disappointed” with India’s shift from a six-day workweek to a five-day workweek in 1986.

Mr Murthy has repeatedly called for a 70-hour workweek, saying that India’s development requires sacrifice, not relaxation.

Speaking at an event last month, Mr Murthy had drawn attention to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 100-hour workweeks.

“When PM Modi is working that hard, the only way to show our appreciation for what’s happening around us is by working just as hard,” he said.

The 78-year-old also shared personal insights into his work ethic, revealing that throughout much of his career, he maintained an intense schedule of 14-hour days, six and a half days a week. He would arrive at the office by 6:30 am and leave at around 8:40 pm. “I’m proud of it,” he said.

ALSO READ | Ola CEO Calls For 70-Hour Workweek, Doctor Warns Of Premature Death Risk

Mr Chidambaram, however, differed with Mr Murthy, saying working longer was “meaningless” and the focus should be on “efficiency”.

“Daily life is as it is a struggle, battling inefficient and substandard infrastructure and amenities. Work-life balance is most important for good social order and harmony,” he wrote on X on Sunday.

He also said that India should in fact move to a 4-day working week.

“12 noon on Monday to 2 pm on Friday,” the Congress MP said.

Working longer is meaningless, focus should be on efficiency. Daily life is as it is a struggle, battling inefficient & substandard infrastructure & amenities. Work life balance is most important for good social order & harmony. We should infact move to a 4 day working week. 12… https://t.co/EOOer6AgnK

— Karti P Chidambaram (@KartiPC) December 22, 2024

Mr Chidambaram’s comments came days after his party colleague, Gaurav Gogoi, also disagreed with the tech tycoon’s statement supporting long working hours.

Taking to his official handle on X on December 4, Mr Gogoi posted, “I also disagree with the view of Narayan Murthy on work-life balance. After all, what is life but looking after your children, cooking for them, teaching them, taking care of your elderly parents, being there for your friends in their times of need, and making sure that your house in order. The above is just as much a man’s job as it is a woman’s.”

“Traditionally working women don’t even have the choice to cut away life from work. It is a luxury that traditionally men have and one that they have to forego in the modern world,” he added.

Narayana Murthy On Why He Wants 70-Hour Workweek

Narayana Murthy, earlier this month, defended his 70-hour workweek comment. He said young people have to realise that “we have to work hard and work towards making India number one.”

“At Infosys, I said we will go to the best and compare ourselves with the best global companies. Once we compare ourselves with the best global companies, I can tell you we Indians have a lot to do. We have to set our aspirations high because 800 million Indians get free ration. That means 800 million Indians are in poverty. If we are not in a position to work hard, then who will work hard?” Mr Murthy said at an event while speaking to RPSG Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka.

“A gentleman here told me a Chinese worker is 3.5 times more productive than an Indian. It is very easy for us to write all kinds of nonsense and remain wretched, filthy, poor and shunned by the world. Therefore, I don’t think we should say we are all comfortable and I will not go to the office. My request to all the people assembled here is to dedicate their lives to realising their value,” the billionaire added.

Infosys founder Narayana Murthy
| Photo Credit: PTI

After Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy reignited debates on work-life balance, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Wednesday (December 4, 2024) responded and expressed his disagreement to the tech tycoon’s statement supporting grinding, relentless work hours — an ‘overwork culture.’

Gaurav Gogoi countered Narayana Murthy’s beliefs of work-life balance as an indulgent myth and highlighted the perspective where the traditional division of labor between men and women in the household is being challenged, in context to work-life balance. Mr. Gogoi shared his disagreement with Narayan Murthy’s view on work-life balance, who is known for his strong stance on the importance of work-life balance. Mr. Gaurav Gogoi suggested that the concept of a “work-life balance” is not as straightforward or achievable for everyone, especially women.

Taking to his official handle on X, Mr. Gogoi posted, “I also disagree with the view of Narayan Murthy on work-life balance. After all what is life but looking after your children, cooking for them, teaching them, taking care of your elderly parents, being there for your friends in their times of need, making sure that your house in order. The above is just as much a man’s job as it is a women’s.”

Mr. Gogoi describes life not only in terms of professional work but also as a combination of various personal responsibilities — raising children, caring for elderly parents, managing the household, and supporting friends. This paints a picture of life as a balancing act between multiple roles, all of which are demanding and require time and energy. Mr. Gogoi points to an egalitarian view where both men and women share the burden of maintaining the household and raising children.

His post further read, “Traditionally working women don’t even have the choice to cut away life from work. It is a luxury that traditionally men have and one that they have to forego in the modern world.” Mr. Gogoi suggests that in the modern world, men no longer have the same luxury of “cutting away life from work,” implying that both men and women are now required to manage work and life responsibilities more equally and that the concept of work-life balance is a challenge for everyone, not just women.

Mr. Gogoi calls for a more equitable sharing of all roles within the family and workplace. His response comes after a user on X shared an open letter to Narayana Murthy, respectfully disagreeing with his opinion on work-life balance. “I respectfully disagree with you sir on work-life balance. Employees are not slaves. Working longer hours doesn’t mean better productivity. Several countries have switched to a 4-day work week and are doing better. Women don’t have the luxury of working 70/80 hours a week either,” shared the user on X with an attachment of the letter.

Mr. Murthy at the CNBC Global Leadership Summit championed a 70-hour workweek as essential for India’s economic rise.”I don’t believe in work-life balance,” said Narayana Murthy, sparking debates on the subject. (ANI)

Aadit Palicha, the 22-year-old CEO of Zepto, has weighed in on work-life balance, suggesting he had “nothing against” it. On Wednesday, Mr Palicha said, “I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors.”

I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors

— Aadit Palicha (@aadit_palicha) December 4, 2024

This statement drew immediate attention, especially as it was followed by a clarification: “FYI, not my quote – read it from an interview with Daksh Gupta.”

FYI, not my quote – read it from an interview of Daksh Gupta.

— Aadit Palicha (@aadit_palicha) December 4, 2024

The post was a nod to Daksh Gupta, the 23-year-old Indian-origin CEO of AI startup Greptile, who has been in the spotlight for endorsing long work hours. Last month, Mr Gupta shared similar sentiments on social media, sparking a debate about work expectations in the modern tech industry.

Mr Palicha’s comment quickly generated a range of responses, with many users connecting it to a recent viral Reddit post. In that post, an anonymous user alleged that Zepto’s working environment was “toxic,” claiming it pressured employees with demanding expectations.

The post detailed allegations of employees working exhausting 14-hour shifts, intensifying discussions about workplace well-being in the corporate sector. It also claimed that Mr Palicha starts his day at 2 pm due to difficulties waking up early, which in turn leads to meetings being scheduled at 2 am.

The post also suggested that Zepto hires junior staff to reduce costs and hinted at a significant round of layoffs expected in March, with many departments reportedly suspending new recruitment.

Toxic work culture ft. Zepto
byu/Scary_Split3157 inStartUpIndia

Mr Palicha’s post on X soon sparked a flurry of reactions from users.

One user joked that he “woke up early” to write the post.

so you woke up early to tweet this lol ????

— Sneha (@itspsneha) December 4, 2024

“Ah, burning the midnight oil to dunk on toxic work culture posts on Reddit? Bold strategy! So, what time’s your first meeting today—asking for your coffee machine,” read another comment.

Ah, burning the midnight oil to dunk on toxic work culture posts on Reddit? Bold strategy!

So, what time’s your first meeting today—asking for your coffee machine

— Monica Jasuja (@jasuja) December 4, 2024

Another user chimed in, suggesting, “Anyway, since you’re here, maybe get a few things fixed on the delivery partner’s app too? Not everyone has the voice to rant on Reddit or twitter but they still deserve good experiences. Let’s make that happen.”

anyway,
since you’re here, maybe get a few things fixed on the delivery partner’s app too?

not everyone has the voice to rant on reddit or twitter but they still deserve good experiences

let’s make that happenhttps://t.co/OK6FqBn9sj

— Sneha (@itspsneha) December 4, 2024

Aadit Palicha, along with fellow Stanford dropout Kaivalya Vohra, co-founded Zepto in 2021.

The death of a 26-year-old Ernst and Young India consultant in July 2024 allegedly due to the overwhelming pressures of her job led to a fresh discussion on the work-life balance.

Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy also faced flak for suggesting that Indians must work for at least 70 hours a week.

On Wednesday, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi expressed his disagreement with Mr Murthy, saying, “Employees are not slaves. Working longer hours doesn’t mean better productivity. Several countries have switched to a 4-day work week and are doing better.”

Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy. File
| Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

Infosys founder N.R. Narayan Murthy triggers yet another controversy while remaining unapologetic about his ‘70-hour workweek’ comment, which received widespread criticism.

“I don’t believe in work-life balance,” Mr. Murthy stated during the CNBC Global Leadership Summit.

Mr. Murthy added “Prime Minister Modi probably works 100 hours a week. When his Cabinet Ministers are working very hard, when his bureaucrats are all working very hard, the only way we can show our appreciation for all these wonderful things that are happening is by our work.”

‘Disappointed with shift to 5-day workweek’

He also expressed disappointment with India’s transition from a “six-day to a five-day workweek in 1986”.

“We need to work hard in this country. There is no replacement for hard work. Even if you are the most intelligent guy, you have to work hard. So I’m not going back on my views. I’ll take it to my grave,” Mr. Murthy remarked. 

Narayana Murthy shared lessons from his own career, stating that he worked long hours throughout his career, up to 14 hours per day, six and a half days per week, on his professional tasks. “I’m very proud of it,” he said.

Bolt, the Estonian rival to ride-hailing app Uber, is calling its employees back to the office three days a week after its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) decried his “disconnected” staff’s habit of working from idyllic destinations like Bali. According to the Telegraph, Markus Villig, the billionaire boss of the taxi-hailing smartphone app, partially revoked the company’s flexible work policy, which he believes led to staff being scattered across the world. He introduced a new mandatory policy requiring all employees to work from the office three days a week or 12 days per month.

In an internal memo obtained by the Telegraph, Mr Villig said it was a “disgrace” that less than half of employees worked in the office for at least two days each week. He also criticised employees logging in from the beach. 

“We are too scattered, people feel disconnected, attrition is too high, and our offices lie empty,” the CEO said. “We will stop the insanity of people working remotely from places like Bali. That is a vacation, not what we hired them to do,” Mr Villig added. 

In his memo, the billionaire boss claimed that working in person will improve relationship-building, communication and mental well-being among employees. He urged the team managers to lend their support by leading by example and creating a “fun” office environment. He also asked them to monitor and manage the poor attendance of employees working from home too much. 

“We are absolutely fine if some people decide this is not for them, as the cultural impact far outweighs it,” the CEO said. 

Also Read | This Country’s Economy Boomed After Introducing 4-Day Workweek, Finds Research

Further, according to the Telegraph, Mr Villig described the new policy as “generous” compared to other companies, including Amazon which last month ordered its workers to return to office five days a week. Mr Villig also warned that his company could “fall into mediocrity” if the firm does not improve its performance. 

“Even the largest companies from Amazon to Tesla to Apple realise that in order to stay at the top they have to retain an intense culture and have got people back to office three to five days a week. We are a tiny company in comparison and to ever reach that scale we have to work harder and innovate more than them,” he wrote. 

Bolt’s global employer branding manager Grete Kivi separately defended the new policy. “Working at Bolt is not for everyone. We’re fast-paced, and you’re expected to perform to the highest standard. Bolt has never been a remote-first company, and we’ve been clear about that from the start,” she wrote on LinkedIn. 

Notably, the shift to hybrid means staff will still have some flexibility, but will need to live within travel distance to a Bolt office. The taxi-hailing smartphone app employs 4,000 people across 50 countries, including the UK.

Two videos have gone viral on X (formerly Twitter) where officers of Bandhan Bank and Canara Bank can be seen reprimanding their junior employees using foul language over failing to meet targets. The clips capture instances of verbal abuse, intimidation and demands for excessive work hours. They have sparked discussion among social media users on workplace ethics and employee well-being. Both incidents even prompted the banks to issue a clarification on the matter.  

In one of the videos that surfaced on May 4, a Canara Bank officer Lokapati Swain can be seen scolding employees for prioritising personal time over work. He is seen shouting and pressuring staff members to work extra hours, even on holidays and leave their family obligations. “If you will not participate in recovery, including holidays because you want time after working to travel with your family but your hell to your family. What should I do? I don’t care about my family, I don’t care about my family also, I care about Canara Bank. So clear message to all, and if week-wise, Monday to Saturday, work is not happening, Saturday or Sunday, whenever holiday, and if you did not respond kindly, things will be different and for everyone be it officer, chief manager, AGM,” he said

Take a look below: 

At Canara Bank we always value the contribution of our employees and their families, it is proven time and again. The bank does not endorse this kind of individual behaviour and personal opinion of a particular staff. We assure that appropriate action is being taken.

— Canara Bank (@canarabank) May 4, 2024

Responding to the incident, Canara Bank said that it “always values” the contribution of employees and their families, and “it is proven time and again”. “The bank does not endorse this kind of individual behaviour and personal opinion of a particular staff. We assure that appropriate action is being taken,” it said in a statement on X.

Also read | Feeling Extremely Busy Can Damage Brain Health, Says Yale Psychologist

In the second video that surfaced last month, a Bandhan Bank officer, Kunal Bhardwaj, can be seen screaming at a junior employee who apparently did not meet the targets set for the month. The clip, which has now been deleted, captures Mr Bhardwaj using abusive language and questioning the employee’s shame for their performance. When the employee apologised for his mistake and promised to rectify it, Mr Bhardwaj said, “Definitely correct sir?… Are you even ashamed of yourself? This is March?”

The Bank has taken cognizance of the incident. At Bandhan Bank, we place high emphasis on values & we condemn such behaviour. We do not endorse or promote such approach. Necessary action has already been initiated & we will take appropriate steps in line with the Bank’s policy.

— Bandhan Bank (@bandhanbank_in) April 25, 2024

Reacting to this incident, Bandhan Bank said, “The Bank has taken cognizance of the incident. At Bandhan Bank, we place high emphasis on values and we condemn such behaviour. We do not endorse or promote such an approach. Necessary action has already been initiated and we will take appropriate steps in line with the Bank’s policy”. 

Despite clarifications from the banks, the videos have sparked outrage among social media users. “In an organisation as toxic as yours @canarabank thousands of such cases go unnoticed. What action has been done against one such hyped case? Also we will make sure the employee who highlighted this is not harrassed as you have a history of doing so!” wrote one user. 

“What kind of values you people  are talking about!  Subjugation , threatening ,pressurising, abetment of sucide,” expressed another. “Nothing new ! We all know the working culture in Canara Bank. Neither they respond to any emails nor they pick up any call,” commented a third. 

“@canarabank What has been shown in the video is the sad reality. I left the organisation because of the toxic culture. What action have you taken till now? Was there no other senior management staff in this meeting who interrupted during this task? Your policies are only on paper,” shared an X user.