2 days ago
Narayana Murthy 70-hr workweek pitch vs new Infosys work-life balance policy: what is different?
Last year, when Infosys co-founder N. R. Narayana Murthy urged young Indians to put in 'at least 70 hours' a week to boost national productivity, his words reignited the long-running debate around work-life balance. While many agreed with his suggestion, others strongly criticised it, arguing that long working hours could lead to burnout and stress. And it seems that his own company may not be in favour of long working hours is reportedly advising its 323,000-plus employees to complete their workday within 9.15 hours and to step away from their laptops after that in order to protect their health. The company's human resources team has implemented a system that automatically flags employees who exceed 9.15 working hours a day over the course of a month. Employees who cross this limit receive personalised emails from HR, detailing each remote workday, total hours logged, and their daily average. These messages also include bullet-point tips on taking breaks, delegating tasks, and 'disconnecting after hours to recharge.' This reminder reportedly applies to all employees—whether coders, consultants, or support staff working from home. HR refers to it as a 'health reminder,' according to a report by The Economic Times.
However, this new policy has raised eyebrows, as it stands in stark contrast to what the company's co-founder expressed in his remarks last year. Murthy has never hidden his belief in extreme effort. He even opposed India's 1986 move to a five-day working week. Speaking at the Indian Chamber of Commerce centenary in Kolkata last year, he said real progress 'requires sacrifice.'At a CNBC-hosted leadership summit just weeks later, he dismissed the very idea of work-life balance, arguing that young professionals must work longer hours if India is to catch up with developed nations. His views made headlines, with many critics pointing out that tech workers already endure punishing hours without commensurate pay or adequate rest, and that burnout—not laziness—is the sector's looming now promoting healthy work-life balanceThis new culture of sending health reminders to employees reportedly follows Infosys's hybrid work model, introduced on 20 November 2023. The policy mandates employees to come to office at least 10 days a month. Now, the company is also encouraging employees to prioritise their health—especially in remote work new health policy also aims to deal with the broader issue within the Indian IT sector's unhealthy work culture, which has seen a rise in cardiac incidents among young professionals. These health risks are often tied to sleep deprivation, irregular eating habits, and extended screen time. Executives familiar with internal risk assessments warn that continued overwork could hurt productivity, raise insurance costs, and worsen employee retention.- Ends
