L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan faced backlash for his controversial stance advocating a 90-hour workweek and urging employees to work even on Sundays. When asked why the company still requires employees to work on Saturdays, Subrahmanyan expressed regret that he could not make them work on 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 more happy because I work on Sundays,” he said in a video shared on Reddit.
Subrahmanyan’s remarks did not end there. He questioned the value of employees spending time at home, saying, “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Get to the office and start working.“
To support his viewpoint, he shared an anecdote about a conversation with a Chinese person who credited China’s economic progress to its strong work ethic. According to Subrahmanyan, the person explained that Chinese workers put in 90 hours a week compared to the 50 hours worked by Americans. Using this comparison, Subrahmanyan urged L&T employees to adopt a similar approach. “If you have got to be on top of the world, you have to work 90 hours a week,” he concluded.
These comments, captured in an undated video circulating on social media, have sparked widespread discussion.
L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan: An addition to the growing list of leaders dictating your work hours
SN Subrahmanyan joins a growing list of CEOs, founders, and senior leaders advocating for longer working hours. Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy previously suggested that India’s work culture needs reform, calling on youngsters to prepare for 70-hour workweeks.
An old video of OLA CEO Bhavish Aggarwal has also resurfaced online. In it, he dismisses the idea of work-life balance. In a viral clip from last year, Aggarwal claims that weekends are a Western concept that does not align with Indian traditions. He remarks, “I don’t think work-life balance is the right construct. This Saturday-Sunday off is not an Indian thing; it is a Western import. In India, we followed a lunar calendar and had one or two holidays a month, not fixed weekends.“
Nilesh Shah, CEO of Kotak AMC, recently suggested in a podcast that one generation in India needs to work extra hours, similar to the work ethic of Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese, to accelerate the country’s growth. He pointed to their 12-hour workdays as a model to follow.
Meanwhile, San Francisco-based Greptile, an AI start-up led by CEO and co-founder Daksh Gupta of Indian origin, has set expectations for employees to work 14 hours a day, six days a week. Sundays are a “sometimes” requirement in the start-up environment.
At this rate, it seems that every other day, we might wake up to yet another CEO or founder offering their opinion on how long employees should work. These leaders, comfortably cushioned in their corner offices, think that their version of success is the only one that matters. As more leaders push for longer hours, it is clear that the conversation does not consider the human costs behind these demands.
A CEO’s 90-hour week: A privileged perspective
Now, something to note about these so-called multinational organisations and their leaders calling for longer working hours is that they are undoubtedly in positions of power, privilege, and financial security. These individuals, including top CEOs and business leaders, hold influential roles within large companies and often enjoy perks that make their demanding work schedules easier to handle. They are in a position where their financial stability, access to resources, and overall lifestyle are secure.
For many of these leaders, a 90-hour or even a 70-hour workweek may seem manageable. That is because they have access to conveniences that many workers do not. They can afford childcare, top-tier healthcare, and nutritious meals prepared and delivered. If their health declines due to the intense demands of long hours, they have access to private doctors or specialists who can quickly address their concerns. They have assistants at their beck and call, and in some cases, even their assistants have assistants to handle their every need.
These privileges allow them to work long hours without facing the same challenges that an entry-level employee or any other employee beneath them would experience.
So, the question remains: would these powerful leaders survive the same conditions as their employees if they were placed at the same level in the corporate hierarchy? The answer is NO. These leaders are accustomed to a lifestyle that is significantly different from that of their employees.
Yet, despite this discrepancy, these leaders continue to push for longer working hours.
Work, family, and the modern reality: Time to reevaluate
The glorification of corporate slavery assumes that men have no other role in life except to earn money. In this view, working 70 to 90 hours a week becomes not only acceptable but expected. This mindset places immense pressure on men to prioritise work above all else, leaving little room for personal well-being or family time.
There is also a common assumption that all working men have a traditional family support system to fall back on, typically a stay-at-home wife who takes care of household responsibilities, including childcare and emotional support. Even the hidden sexist tone behind L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan’s comment, “How long can you stare at your wife?“ Is a wife merely a passive presence in the household, someone available solely for her husband’s attention?
L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan and his idealised model
In this idealised model, the husband’s long work hours should be acceptable because the wife must manage the home front. While this setup may have been more common in the past, it does not account for the diversity of family structures and personal situations today.
Now, this arrangement perpetuates outdated gender roles. The expectation that women should stay home while men work long hours places unfair burdens on both parties. This perpetuation of the traditional family support system model also ignores the fact that many women today are actively working outside the home and contributing to household income, meaning the conventional division of labour no longer applies in many families.
Moreover, not every working person has access to a supportive family structure. Some may not have a partner at all, or their partner may also work long hours. Others may be single parents who must balance the responsibilities of raising children while trying to maintain a demanding job.
It is time to question these assumptions and build more inclusive, flexible work environments that reflect the realities of modern life.
A lack of empathy and inclusivity
Even if an employee manages to follow a 70- to 90-hour workweek, let’s consider the benefits. Are they given a raise? Rarely. Are they compensated extra for working outside regular office hours? Again, the answer is mostly no. There is even an inside joke among some Westerners about how Indians will work long hours, even for a small paycheck.
In 2023, India ranked the highest in terms of longest working hours. With work hours already unregulated, pushing for Sunday work highlights a lack of kindness and empathy, showing how these organisations do not prioritise inclusivity.
Employees who are already juggling long work hours are expected to give more of their time without any real consideration for their well-being. What this attitude really shows is a failure to prioritise work-life balance and inclusivity. The reason for this is apparent: it is convenient for the CEO, CFO, chairperson, or whoever it is. By demanding more hours from employees, they can extract additional productivity and maximise profits. The focus is on getting the most out of the workforce, regardless of the personal sacrifices employees have to make.
The final thoughts: A look into the future
It is interesting how these leaders encourage us to follow the hectic work models of countries like China, Japan, and Korea. But if you have been paying attention to the news lately, you’ve probably noticed the declining birth rates in these countries. A growing number of people, both women and men, are choosing to live child-free lives. Why is this happening? The answer lies in the constant cycle of work, which does not leave them with enough time or energy to raise a child.
One day, you might see this happening in India. It may not happen soon, but it will if we continue pushing for an unsustainable work culture that values productivity over personal well-being and family life. When that time comes, you will likely see the same leaders and government urging workers to take time off and have children. But they won’t be doing this out of concern for sustaining humanity. The real reason will be the same as why they push for longer working hours. They want people to stay in the workforce and continue generating profits for their companies.
The Changeincontent perspective on remarks of L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan
At ChangeInContent, we believe that workplace culture must prioritise inclusivity, empathy, and balance over outdated ideals of productivity. Remarks like L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan’s not only highlight the gaps in leadership empathy but also perpetuate harmful gender stereotypes. Organisations must embrace modern work models that align with DEIB goals—ones that champion employee well-being alongside productivity.
For a deeper look at sustainable and inclusive workplace strategies, read our article on ESG and Work Culture.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are based on the writer’s insights, supported by data and resources available both online and offline, as applicable. Changeincontent.com is committed to promoting inclusivity across all forms of content. We broadly define inclusivity as media, policies, law, and history—encompassing all elements that influence the lives of women and gender-queer individuals. Our goal is to promote understanding and advocate for comprehensive inclusivity.
