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DOES WORKING HOURS HAVE AN IMPACT ON WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Larsen & Toubro Chairman SN Subrahmanyan’s comments on the working schedule of employees have sparked controversy. People are trolling him fiercely. Social media is flooded with memes. His comments on working hours have been criticized a lot on social media platforms. His statement has even been criticized by players and celebrities from Bollywood.

Subrahmanyan said a Chinese man had told him that Chinese workers work 90 hours a week. He further said, "If you want to be on top of the world, you have to work 90 hours a week." He also added that if India has to achieve the top position at the global level, then work will have to be done in this direction.

About the controversy sparked by his comments on the 90-hour work week, L&T has issued a statement clarifying that the L&T chairman's comments reflect his larger ambition for nation-building. The L&T chief also shared an anecdote to justify his stance. 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.

In defense of this statement, the company said that nation-building is the core of our mandate. For more than eight decades, we have been engaged in shaping India's infrastructure, business, and technological capabilities. We believe that this is India's decade, a time that requires collective dedication and effort to further accelerate development and realize our shared vision of becoming a developed nation.

The company said our Chairman's comments reflect the ambition that extraordinary results require extraordinary efforts. At L&T we are committed to fostering a culture where passion, purpose, and performance drive us forward.

 

Many users called Subrahmanyan's comments "anti-women" while many expressed their anger by reacting.

Many users called Subrahmanyan's comments "anti-women" and compared them to those of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy last year. When Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy suggested working 70 hours a week, a debate started not only in India but also abroad. He had to face widespread opposition due to this idea.

The reason for L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan suddenly becoming a topic of discussion on social media is not only his statement advising to work for 90 hours, but along with this, he has said something that is going viral. He even said, 'How long will you stare at your wife while staying at home?' He also said that I come to the office on Sundays and if possible, he will make the employees work on Sundays too.

His words did not go down well with the people and the company employees. They were surprised, what kind of a man is he who is saying such things? People bombarded him with questions. Many people said many things. Someone said, does he not have a family? Someone said, does he cared for his wife and children at home or not?

Someone else asked that if a person works even on Sundays, then who will do the rest of the household chores? If the machine is not given timely rest, then it will also be of no use. If a person works 90 hours a week, then what will happen for the rest of his life? There was a flood of reactions from people, some of which are mentioned below.

Another question arises whether more working hours are a sure guarantee of the country's development. If it were so, then look at the working hours of the countries which are ahead in the ladder of development.

Many were seen pointing to the working hours in the US, UK, France, Netherlands, and Australia. The US has a 50-hour week, the UK has a 48-hour week, Australia has a 38-hour week, France has a 36-hour week and the Netherlands has only a 29-hour week. If the working hours in these countries are less, then have these countries not developed?

Many people questioned why companies don't offer different working hours. Would it be better if the company had different options? 40 hours a week, 30 hours a week, 50 hours a week, 70 hours a week, and more pay for more hours?" one user wrote, "How long can employees stare at the screen and how frequently can they look at the manager?"

One user wrote that I work in L&T and you can imagine what process we have to go through. At the same time, another user wrote why CEOs, who get very high salaries and have different types of work pressures, expect the same level of commitment from low-paid employees.

 

The right balance between work and home is necessary

Subrahmanyan's comments come at a time when mental health and work-life balance have become an important part of discussions among employers and employees. In July 2024, the death of a 26-year-old Ernst & Young (EY) CA drew attention to issues related to work culture and job-related stress.

Working 90 hours a week means completely ruining the work-life balance. Will increasing working hours increase productivity or burnout? Who will answer this question?

With increasing working hours, one should also think about one's mental health (depression, burnout). If a person works for 13 hours a day, sleeps for 7 hours, and takes 2 hours to commute to and from the office, he will be left with no time. In such a situation, what will happen to his personal life?

Work-life balance refers to the harmony between the demands of work and your home and family life. Companies should help their employees find the right balance between work and home so that their level of engagement between work and home remains balanced.

This will have many positive effects. Firstly, mental health improves with work-life balance. In addition, it will create a dedicated workforce that will work long hours when required, even after the normal working day is over.

When we find and maintain a healthy work-life balance, we develop greater control over our focus and the ability to concentrate on the task at hand – this is known as mindfulness. Wouldn’t you love a team that is completely focused on what they are doing instead of worrying about housework?

Australia recently announced the right to disconnect for professionals. This means that it will not be considered mandatory for professionals to receive calls from their bosses after office hours are over. They can ignore the call if they want. This happens in many places. This makes it easier to set a boundary between personal and professional life.

 

Better if companies link working hours to rewards and provide an opportunity to choose the hours.

If innovation is to be made the foundation for the country's development, then the pace of work will also have to be increased. Companies will also have to compete. But at the same time, there will be a need to promote a culture of creativity and stability within the organization. It would be better if companies link working hours to rewards and provide an opportunity to choose the hours.

Harsh Goenka, chairman of RPG Enterprises, says work should be done smartly, not like slavery. Working hard and smartly is important, but turning life into a continuous office shift is a recipe for burnout, not success. Work-life balance is not optional, it is a must.

Deepika Padukone, a Bollywood actress, wrote on Instagram, "Such statements coming from people in such high positions are shocking. Mental health matters." Comparing his statement to 'How long can you stare at your wife?', people criticized Subrahmanyan's gender-biased thinking and said that "it is not only against family culture but also disrespectful to personal choice."

Former badminton player Jwala Gutta criticized Subrahmanyan's views on workplace culture, expressing concern over the lack of seriousness given to mental health and rest. Gutta also termed the chairman's comments as anti-women and described the situation as depressing and scary. Such words spoken by the L&T chairman cannot be appreciated at all.

I also believe that maintaining a healthy work-life balance is not only important for health and relationships, but it can also improve employee productivity and ultimately performance. Simply put, if your employees don't feel burdened by work, they will work harder, make fewer mistakes, and are more likely to become advocates for your brand.

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