In a recent video message that has sparked controversy and gone viral on social media, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman S. N. Subrahmanyan suggested that employees should work 90 hours a week, including Sundays, to stay competitive. This comes after Infosys' N. R. Narayana Murthy's controversial 70-hour-a-week work call. Subrahmanyan's comments have stirred a debate on work-life balance and the expectations of corporate leaders.
Subrahmanyan's remarks were made during an internal interaction with employees. He questioned the value of staying at home, asking, 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. He expressed regret that he couldn't make employees work on Sundays and stated that he would be happier if he could, as he himself works on Sundays.
To justify his stance, Subrahmanyan shared an anecdote about a conversation he had with a Chinese man who claimed that China could overtake the US due to its strong work ethic. The Chinese man reportedly said, Chinese people work 90 hours a week, while Americans work only 50 hours a week. Subrahmanyan used this anecdote to encourage L&T employees to work harder.
However, the video message and Subrahmanyan's comments have received backlash from netizens on social media platforms, including Reddit. Many users compared his statement to Infosys founder Murthy's 70-hour work week comment. One user, who claimed to work at L&T, expressed their horror at having to sit through the entire video message. Another user questioned why CEOs, who are highly paid and face different job pressures, expect the same level of commitment from lower-paid employees. They suggested that companies should offer different types of working hours, with more pay for more hours.
The video, which was first shared on Reddit, has gone viral, drawing criticism from netizens. Many users found Subrahmanyan's comments inappropriate and compared them to the remarks made by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy last year. The manufacturing and construction sectors often follow six-day schedules due to project timelines and output demands. However, consistent mandatory Saturday shifts can signal an inflexible approach to employee well-being.
India has a diverse labor market that blends traditional practices with emerging modern perspectives. Over the decades, urban corporate environments have shifted toward more progressive policies, thanks in part to multinational influences and the growing importance of tech and service industries. Many laws require overtime pay for hours worked beyond a certain threshold, but enforcement can vary widely by region and sector.
Subrahmanyan's comments come at a time when mental health and work-life balance are gaining prominence in workplace discussions. In July 2024, the tragic death of a 26-year-old Ernst & Young (EY) consultant brought renewed attention to the stresses associated with demanding work cultures. Critics also focused on L&T's alleged work culture. A Reddit user claimed, "L&T is one of the worst when it comes to work-life balance and pays peanuts. Even a top-tier engineering graduate gets only ₹35k a month after working six and a half days a week in remote locations. Over 90% of campus hires leave within the first three years."
