Months after Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy promoted 70-hours work week that irked people, now Larsen & Toubro (L&T) chairman S.N. Subrahmanyan has stirred up a new controversy with his 90-hour work week remark. Not just this, Subrahmanyan also suggested that people should work on Sundays too!
An undated video of the L&T chairman addressing the employees has now gone viral on the internet. In the video, when someone raised a question about mandatory work on Saturdays at L&T, Subrahmanyan replied, “I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays, to be honest. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays also.”
Emphasising on working on weekends too, Subrahmanyan further said, “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Come on, get to the office and start working.”
However, at a time when work-life balance has become a hot topic of discussion, Subrahmanyan’s 90-hour work week has gone well with people. Not only has his video gone viral on the internet, but many people have also slammed his 90-hours work week remark questioning it. Some others have found humour in this controversy as well. Here’s how some netizens reacted:
Actress Deepika Padukone reacted to Subrahmanyan’s 90-hour work week remark by speaking up against it and highlighting the need for mental health awareness. “Shocking to see people in such senior positions make such statements. #MentalHealthMatters,” she posted on social media.
Meanwhile, former badminton player Jwala Gutta took to X where she criticised Subrahmanyan’s ‘How long can you stare at wife?’ statement. Gutta tweeted, “I mean…first of all why shouldn’t he stare at his wife…and why only on a Sunday!”
RPG group chairperson Harsh Goenka also criticised the 90-hours work week remarks. He wrote on X, “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”
On the other hand, taking a jibe at Infosys’ Narayana Murthy for his 70 hours work week and L&T’s Subrahmanyan’s 90 hours work week, a social media user suggested that people from the two companies would make perfect life partners. “A new trend in India could be inter-corporate marriages between Infosys and L&T employees, fostering long-lasting alliances where couples dedicate their lives to their respective offices and eventually reunite at retirement,” the user said.
Another user sarcastically remarked, “How long can employees stare at screens and data managers?” While another said, “He literally said: ‘Why are you even living? Take this pile of work.’”
While, an X user commented that if they got the amount of salary Subrahmanyan had, then they too would work for extra hours. “L&T Chairman Subrahmanyan’s salary is 534.57 times the median salary of L&T employees. If I’m paid 56 crore per annum plus all privileges like Larsen and Toubro chairman, forget Sunday, I’ll invent more days in a week to work. All the CEOs & CFO need to SHUT UP,” the user tweeted.
The importance of work-life balance
This is not the first time that the discussion about the need of work-life balance has emerged on social media. In July 2024, the death of 26-year-old EY employee Anna Sebastian Perayil allegedly due to overwork had sparked a debate about work-life balance and employee welfare especially in the corporate sector.
Apart from promoting better mental health, having a good work-life balance also provides one time to destress, connect with loved ones and focus on other important aspects of life– like health or hobbies– thus helping one lead a more fulfilling life.
Amid controverst, L&T issues a statement
With L&T chairman Subrahmanyan’s remarks on 90 hours work week stirring up a controversy, the company issued a statement clarifying theri stand on the matter. “The chairman’s remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasising that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort. At L&T, we remain committed to fostering a culture where passion, purpose, and performance drive us forward,” L&T’s spokesperson said, clarifying the chairman’s remarks.
The statement further read, “At L&T, nation-building is at the core of our mandate. 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.”
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