Indian Business Leader Sparks Outcry With Call For Sunday Work
Date
1/11/2025 3:02:55 AM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula)
The Washington Post
The head of a multi-billion-dollar Indian company sparked controversy on social media after he said employees should work on Sundays rather than sit at home.
"I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays,” S N Subrahmanyan, chairman and managing director of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. said during an internal discussion with staff this week. "What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife, and how long can the wife stare at the husband.”
A video of his remarks was circulated widely on social media platforms X and Linkedin, leading to heated debate about work-life balance in the country. His views echo those of other corporate leaders who argue that India's workforce need to be more productive for the country to catch with its richer peers, particularly China.
Read Also
UK treasurer says London 'natural home' for Chinese finance
Japan to give Indonesia high-speed patrol boats in security deal
Malala Yousafzai 'overwhelmed and happy' to be back in Pakistan
"If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays,” said Subrahmanyan, who heads the country's largest engineering and construction company. Staff need to work 90 hours a week if they have "to be on top of the world.”
His views drew criticism from some peers in the business community. RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka posted on X that longer working hours was a recipe for burnout and not success.
A Larsen & Toubro spokesperson said that the chairman's remarks reflect the company's "larger ambition.”
"We believe this is India's decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress and realize our shared vision of becoming a developed nation,” the company said in a statement.
The debate about work-life balance echoes a similar one in China. Young workers weary of the country's so-called 996 culture - the three digits describe a punishing schedule of 9 am to 9 pm six days a week - have abandoned big cities for a more relaxed life in small towns.
Remarks by famous Indian business leaders praising the culture of longer working hours have stirred animated online discussions in the past too.
In 2023, Narayana Murthy, co-founder of the software giant Infosys, became the target of social media memes when he said that Indians need to work 70 hours a week.
MENAFN11012025000063011010ID1109078573
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.