Mumbai, Jan 9: Larsen & Toubro Chairman SN Subrahmanyan stirred up controversy by suggesting that employees should work '90 hours a week' which has sparked renewed discussions about work-life balance.
He made the remarks after being questioned about the company's six-day work week policy.
During an employee interaction, an undated video of which has emerged on Reddit, he expressed disappointment at not being able to extend the workweek to Sundays as well.
“I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be happier, because I work on Sundays,” he remarked highlighting his own commitment to a seven-day work routine.
"What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? Come on, get to the office and start working," he further said.
He shared an anecdote to reinforce his perspective, recounting a conversation he once had with a Chinese individual. According to him, the person explained that China could outperform the United States because Chinese workers dedicate 90 hours a week to their jobs, whereas American workers typically put in just 50 hours.
"So that’s the answer for you. If you have got to be on top of the world, you have to work 90 hours a week. Get going, guys. Come on," Subrahmanyan said in the undated video.
The video went viral and drew widespread criticism from netizens. Many found Subrahmanyan’s comments inappropriate and compared them to similar remarks made by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy last year.
Murthy had suggested that young Indians should work 70 hours a week to contribute to nation-building, a statement that also faced significant backlash at the time.
In the Reddit comments section, Subrahmanyan’s remarks sparked criticism. Many people questioned his understanding of work-life balance while some users expressed concerns about the broader culture of glorifying overwork. Others felt his comments trivialized employees' personal lives.
The remark about “staring at one’s wife” drew particularly sharp reactions, with many calling it insensitive and out of touch.
