Chairman of L&T's 90-Hour Work Week Comment Highlights National Development Aspirations: Company
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New Delhi, Jan 10 (NationPress) In response to intense criticism over Chairman S.N. Subrahmanyan's suggestion for employees to put in 90 hours a week — including Sundays, the company articulated on Friday that the Chairman’s statements embody a broader vision of nation-building, stressing that extraordinary outcomes demand extraordinary effort.
In a viral video message directed at employees, Subrahmanyan remarked: "What do you do sitting at home? How long can you gaze at your wife? How long can wives gaze at their husbands? Go to the office and start working".
"Honestly, I regret that I cannot mandate you to work on Sundays. I would feel more fulfilled if I could encourage you to work on Sundays, as I do too," the L&T Chairman expressed.
A spokesperson for the company noted 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 that necessitates collective commitment and effort to propel progress and fulfill our shared vision of evolving into a developed nation,” the spokesperson added.
“The Chairman’s comments reflect this larger aspiration, underscoring that exceptional achievements require exceptional effort. At L&T, we are devoted to cultivating a culture driven by passion, purpose, and performance,” the spokesperson elaborated.
In his video, Subrahmanyan motivated L&T employees to enhance their work ethic. He recounted a dialogue with a Chinese individual who asserted that China could surpass the US due to its robust work ethic.
According to Subrahmanyan, the Chinese individual remarked, "Chinese individuals work 90 hours a week, while Americans only work 50 hours a week."
The video sparked a backlash across social media platforms, including the online discussion forum Reddit, with numerous users comparing it to Infosys founder Murthy's suggestion about working 70 hours a day.
Prominent figures, ranging from Bollywood star Deepika Padukone to Harsh Goenka, Chairperson of the RPG Group, also criticized Subrahmanyan’s remarks.
“90 hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to ‘Sun-duty’ and make ‘day off’ a mythical concept! While I believe in working hard and smart, turning life into an endless office shift is a formula for burnout, not achievement. Work-life balance isn’t optional; it’s vital. That’s my perspective! #WorkSmartNotSlave,” Goenka expressed on X.
