It’s Saturday, and most of us are already in weekend mode, eagerly anticipating two days without work. But imagine being asked to work not just on Saturdays, but Sundays as well. The very thought might evoke frustration and anger. Yet, this is exactly what S.N. Subramanian, Chairman of L&T (Larsen & Toubro), recently suggested. L & T, an Indian multinational that works in heavy industry and construction.
He expressed regret that he is not able to make his employees work on Sundays. “If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy because I work on Sundays. What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife, and how long can the wife stare at their husband? Come on, get to the office and start working,” he said. He even advocated for “90-hour work weeks,” raising backlash nationwide.
Scary and Misogynistic
The average work week in the U.S. is 36 hours, and in China, it’s 48 hours. It is not only unreasonable to propose a 90-hour work week but also borderline impossible disregarding the mental health and overall wellbeing of an employee. Actor Deepika Padukone called the chairman's comments shocking, "It's shocking to see such senior managers make such statements." She also added a hashtag in her comments #mentalhealthmatters.
Badminton star Jwala Gutta also chipped in, calling the remarks "misogynistic and scary". “I mean, first of all, why shouldn't he state at his wife? And why only on a Sunday? It's sad and sometimes unbelievable that such educated and people at highest positions of big organisations are not taking mental health and mental rest seriously and making such misogynistic statements and exposing themselves so openly. It's disappointing and scary. (sic)."
I mean…first of all why shouldn’t he stare at his wife…and why only on a Sunday!!!
— Gutta Jwala 💙 (@Guttajwala) January 10, 2025
its sad and sometimes unbelievable that such educated and people at highest positions of big organisations are not taking mental health and mental rest seriously…and making such misogynistic…
Not a larger ambition but a larger problem
As criticism grew, L&T issued a clarification. They said that the company is focusing on nation-building and that the comments reflect his larger ambition. "At L&T, nation-building is at the core of our mandate. 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."
However, such statements do not reflect a larger ambition but a larger problem. Recently, Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy also called for six-day work weeks in India. These are giants of India's corporate sector. They have built companies and institutions. They have created jobs. So how are they getting this wrong?
The age and Incentive Gap
The average age of an Indian CEO is 57 years but as a country, we are much younger. The average Indian is just 28 years old. It's a massive age gap, which leads to different opinions and perceptions. "Corporate leaders need to realise that they must reach out to their younger leaders to understand their concerns and listen to their viewpoints. If not, such debates will never end. One can not apply their experiences to present times. That will only create misunderstandings," says Rishabh Gupta, Assistant Vice President at a multinational company in Gurugram.
Recently, when Narayana Murthy's remarks sparked controversy, Namita Thapar, the executive director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals explained how one needs to be rational about it. People work more when there is an incentive to work more. In this case who has more incentives – a CEO with stock options or an employee with no stake in the company – the answer is obvious. Founders and CEOs would naturally like to work harder because when the company succeeds they become millionaires. And the employees – may be a promotion or a hike.
"Higher positions in a corporate company require longer working hours. These leaders are working almost constantly. However, their advantage is that they reached this level after dedicating time to their careers and families earlier on. With work-from-home (WFH) arrangements now common, mid-to senior-level managers are prioritising family time and have recognised its importance. Balancing is important. As employees grow professionally, there may come a time when they are willing to work longer hours, once their family lives are more stable. However, expecting unreasonable work hours, like 90-hour weeks, is unfair," says Ashish Sharma, a Vice President at a multinational firm. He further says that it's worth questioning whether these leaders worked 90-hour weeks themselves when they were starting. "Putting extra hours in exceptional circumstances is part of the job, everyone does that but calling for seven days a week is too much. Indian work culture is surprising to Western countries where most companies call their employees for six days in a week," opines the Vice President.
According to Economic Survey Report 2023-24 by the Government of India, corporate profits in India are at 15 years high. They have increased by 300 per cent in the last four years. Yet the salaries are stagnant. They have increased between 0.8 and 5.4 per cent. If we count inflation, it's negative. So what is the incentive for employees? The companies are making more money than ever. Yet, the employees are not benefiting. Moreover, we need to end this obsession with time. More time does not mean productivity. In fact, it means the opposite.
The time obsession and productivity
A study done by a Stanford University professor John Pencavel on munition factory employees suggests that employees who worked for 70 hours a week as compared to others who worked for 53 hours a week had 19 per cent lesser output. This is just one example. Several studies suggest more working hours lead to less productivity. Reason?
"Employee will have less sleep, less energy, ultimately leading to less productivity and burning out. Employers must focus on the work-life balance of employees and not only on making money. A balance of work, rest, and personal fulfilment is important. Overworking will harm long-term success as well as an individual's mental and physical health," says Ashka Mehta, a counselling psychologist in Mumbai.
Then why do companies persist with it? No one has been able to answer that so far. Some say it's because corporations are inherently rigid, they do not like big changes or tweaks. Others say time is easier to measure. Either way, companies and corporate leaders must realise the truth – more hours do not equal more output. If they disagree, here's a question – which pilot would you prefer to fly your plane — the one who rests between flights or the one who flies nonstop all day?
An example to cite
Recently, Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph was all over social media for his remarkable work-life-balance approach. He said he prioritises work-life balance by spending Tuesday nights with his wife Lorraine Kiernan Randolph. He has committed to spend Tuesday nights with his wife for over 30 years. He strictly leaves the office at 5 pm on Tuesdays, regardless of any important work. He said he wants to be present for his family and pursue other passions with his wife. "Maintaining personal relationships is as important as running a company. Success is more than building companies. It's about staying married, raising kids and nurturing relationships," he said.
It will probably take more time for Indian corporate giants to understand this basic idea of work-life balance and give more importance to the mental health of an employee.
Read More:
