Infosys founder Narayana Murthy not too long ago sparked an issue on social media when he stated younger folks must be working 70 hours per week to spice up India’s economic system. 

While many took to social media to specific their distaste for Murthy’s feedback, business leaders who spoke to CNBC agreed that it could be mandatory if India needs to compete on the worldwide stage. 

“If you want to be No. 1, if you want to be the best, the youngsters have to put in the hard work and hours into the job,” stated Ayushmaan Kapoor, founding father of software program improvement agency Xeno. 

“India is truly trying to compete with the U.S. and China. If we want to achieve greatness, then yes, those are the number of hours and the kind of sacrifices we must make,” Kapoor stated. 

Indians at the moment work a median of 47.7 hours per week — larger than the U.S. (36.4), the UK (35.9), and Germany (34.4), in accordance with the International Labour Organization. 

They additionally work greater than different Asian nations reminiscent of China (46.1), Singapore (42.6), and Japan (36.6), ILO knowledge confirmed. 

Murthy, the father-in-law of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, criticized the youthful technology for adopting “not so desirable habits” from the West, inferring they aren’t hardworking sufficient. 

“India’s work productivity is one of the lowest in the world. Our youngsters must say: ‘This is my country, I want to work 70 hours a week,'” he stated throughout a podcast with Indian philanthropist T.V. Mohandas Pai in October. “They are the ones that can build the country with gusto.” 

This shouldn’t come as a shock, as many Indians are already working 55 to 60 hours per week, in accordance with Vivek Mudaliar, who has had greater than 20 years of human sources expertise in globally recognized firms like Reliance Industries, DBS Bank and HSBC.

“This is the reality in India, especially for those who work with global clients and have calls and meetings at odd hours,” Mudaliar stated, saying that adverse feedback surrounding Murthy’s opinion is only a “knee-jerk reaction.” 

He informed CNBC that “70 hours just sounds like a very high number. People wouldn’t have reacted so much if he said 60 hours.”

Murthy’s remarks sparked a heated debate on social media, with some disagreeing with the tech billionaire.

“Being successful at the loss of mental sanity is not a tradeoff I’m willing to make,” stated one user on X, previously Twitter.

Dripping with sarcasm, another social media user said: “Why would you not want to work 70 hours a week and kill yourself in the process to help line the pockets of these despicable billionaires?”

The idea of getting a work-life steadiness is “very Western,” Kapoor stated, explaining that developed nations have good financial power and belongings that they’ll “rely on for the next 100 years.”

On the opposite hand, India has “already lost a chunk of time” and “every citizen needs to put in a certain number of hours so the overall economy expands,” he stated. 

Kapoor additionally inspired workers to work on aspect hustles as a part of their 70-hour work week. 

“Whether it’s working in the same organization for 70 hours, two or three jobs, or a side hustle … you’re putting in the hard work.” 

Indian labor union, All India IT and ITeS Employees’ Union, condemned Murthy’s feedback, saying {that a} 70-hour work week is “illegal” and workers shouldn’t be pressured to work greater than 48 hours per week, which comes as much as 8 hours each day for a 6-day workweek.

“With increasing automation, there needs to be a constant reduction in working hours to have more creative and leisure time, which in turn improves productivity,” the union stated. 

The ILO agreed with this stand, explaining that the results of lengthy working hours can have an effect on security and efficiency at work.

“Long-term effects can include an increased incidence of disease, chronic infections and mental illnesses,” the group informed CNBC.

While some business leaders assist Murthy’s feedback, they emphasised that firms ought to present extra flexibility to workers to encourage them to work more durable.

“While regulation of working hours is important, dialogue between workers and employers about how to schedule working hours and implement flexible working time arrangements can also help to meet the needs of workers and employers.

“Giving folks the power to decide on their working hours and dealing areas is a crucial requirement to be productive,” said Chandrasekhar Sripada, professor of organizational behavior at the Indian School of Business. 

“We have moved away from the notion {that a} strict regimentation is the one recipe for achievement.”

Hard work, nevertheless, “all the time stays a measure of success,” he identified. 

Mudaliar called for more flexibility to be given to working mothers, which he said will boost the number of working women in India. 

“Requiring lengthy hours can perpetuate gender inequality within the office, making it more durable for girls to advance of their careers and exacerbating gender pay gaps,” ILO said. “It may hinder variety and inclusion efforts inside companies by discouraging girls from becoming a member of or staying with the group.”

Labor drive participation fee for girls 15 years and above stood at 32.8% in 2021 to 2022, a slight improve from 32.5% in 2020 to 2021. 

“Working moms are given a variety of assist as folks perceive that they’re holding a twin function. But is it 100%? No. We nonetheless must go a distance and provides them extra flexibility,” Mudaliar stated.

“Nobody has ever stated that work will get affected while you give flexibility to working girls … they’re way more dedicated, for my part, than their male colleagues,” he added.

Despite India’s ambition to overhaul China and grow to be the world’s second-largest economy by 2075, China’s “996” culture should not be adopted as it would lead India to becoming a “burn out” nation, warned Sripada from the Indian School of Business. 

The “996” work culture, widely practiced by some Chinese firms, requires employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.

“The finest creations can’t be constructed by slave driving,” he said. Instead of discussing how long people are working, conversations should focus on job creation as well.

“Our larger concern shouldn’t be about how persons are working, however how a lot work we’re capable of create …  China’s mannequin of overworking is just not fascinating and I do not suppose we must always comply with that.”