Narayana Murthy’s call for 70-hour work week triggers debate on social media

Guwahati, Oct 29: NR Narayana Murthy, the founder of Infosys, recently advocated for young individuals to dedicate 70 hours a week to boost work productivity and contribute to nation-building. This statement has ignited a heated discussion among internet users, shedding light on the contrasting perspectives between India's young workforce and the top executives in the corporate sector. While some industry leaders supported Murthy's stance, numerous social media users criticised it, expressing worries about inadequate compensation and the absence of a healthy work-life balance.

During an interview, Murthy noted that India has some of the lowest rates of work productivity worldwide. He also said that youngsters must take ownership of the country's development and that India needs to increase labour productivity.

Some of the industry leaders who seconded Murthy's viewpoint were Ola Cabs co-founder Bhavish Aggarwal and Chairman and managing director of JSW Group Sajjan Jindal.

Bhavish Aggarwal stated on X, “It’s not our moment to work less and entertain ourselves. Rather, it’s our moment to go all in and build in one generation what other countries have built over many generations.”

Meanwhile, Jindal while agreeing with Murthy’s view, stated, “It’s not about burnout; it’s about dedication. We have to make India an economic superpower that we can all be proud of in India 2047.” Jindal added that “a 5-day week culture” is not what a rapidly developing nation of our size needs, as India’s circumstances are unique and challenges distinct from those of developed nations.”

Notably, entrepreneurs like Ronnie Screwvala believe in self-improvement through upskilling rather than relying on extended working hours as the key to fostering a more conducive work environment.

“Boosting productivity isn't just about working longer hours. It's about getting better at what you do - Upskilling, having a positive work environment and fair pay for the work done. Quality of work done > clocking in more hours," upGrad founder Ronnie Screwvala said in a post.

Meanwhile, a cardiologist based in Bengaluru promptly addressed Murthy's view, delineating the hours young individuals invest in work and explaining why they often face instances of cardiac arrest.

The cardiologist known as Dr Deepak Krishnamurthy took to X, where he broke down the amount of time spent by an average professional, dividing the day between work and other commitments. The post garnered tremendous engagement as users shared their opinions.

“Work culture should definitely change. But towards lesser work hours, Saturday Sunday offs in all workplaces including hospitals, better pays and hikes, Regular institute sponsored trainings to update skills,” one user wrote.

“More work hours will also lead to burn out, and persistent frustration, which will detoriate quality of both work, and personal life,” wrote another user.

"The average working hours provided by the International Labour Organization - 52hr on average weekly hours. It's possible to work 70 hours a week," a third user wrote.

While some supported Murthy's stance, emphasising that the Infosys co-founder is addressing the broader goal of India's development, others expressed discontent, asserting that increased efforts should be met with better payments.