
We live in a country where most working employees strive hard to maintain a work-life balance. Several conglomerates and CEOs have been pushing employees to work six days a week and clock more than 80 hours.
Recently, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy suggested that employees adopt a 70-hour work week to boost productivity. However, Murthy's remarks didn't go down with the corporates as well as netizens, and the CEO was called out for his insensitive working hours.
And now, the recent one to join the excessive work hour debate is Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyam. He urged employees to work even on Sundays.
"How long will you stare at your wife?"
— NextBigWhat.com (@nextbigwhat) January 9, 2025
L&T chairman wants you to work on Sundays also!
You agree? pic.twitter.com/4MEGG408gd
What did SN Subrahmanyam Say?
In a viral video circulating on Reddit, the chairman said, "I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy because I work on Sundays." He goes on to add, "What do you do sitting at home? How long can you look at your wife? Come on, get to the office and start working."

Actor Deepika Padukone, who is known for being a mental health advocate, shared two cents on the ongoing debate.
Sharing her views on social media, she wrote, "Shocking to see people in such senior positions make such statements. #MentalHealthMatters."

After receiving backlash for working on Sunday and questions about the productivity of taking a break.
L&T issued a statement clarifying the chairman's remarks. The company emphasised its role in "nation-building" and the commitment required to drive India's progress. The statement read, "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. The chairman's remarks reflect this larger ambition."
Deepika responded to L&T's clarification by sharing a screenshot of their statement on her social media, she wrote, "And they just made it worse..."
After Deepika Padukone, Harsh Goenka too called it out by tweeting, "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."
Deepika Padukone has been an advocate for mental health since 2015, following her battle with clinical depression. She founded the Live, Love, Laugh Foundation, which aims to promote mental health awareness and provide support to those struggling with mental health issues.
About Deepika Padukone
Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone welcomed their first child on September, 8. They revealed her name, Dua, on Diwali 2024.