90-hour work weeks: PM Narendra Modi’s top advisor Sanjeev Sanyal calls it a 'moral hazard'

Sanjeev Sanyal, economist and member of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, has expressed strong reservations about the trend of excessive work hours in corporate environments. Speaking on X, Sanyal said, “Only very senior managers can sustain 80-hour work weeks because systems are built to sustain them (not just the pay but secretaries, assistants etc). The rest need a life.”

Sanyal also warned of inefficiencies that arise in such demanding workplaces, stating, “Enforcing this and maintaining quality suffers a moral hazard monitoring problem.” He explained that employees often use office hours for personal activities such as long lunches or gym visits under the guise of meetings, as observed in high-pressure environments like Wall Street and London.

L&T Chairman's Call for 90-Hour Work Weeks

The debate intensified after Larsen & Toubro Chairman SN Subrahmanyan advocated for a 90-hour workweek in an undated video. He remarked, “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.” Subrahmanyan dismissed work-life balance concerns, adding, “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife?”

Citing a conversation with a Chinese individual, he justified his stance, saying, “Chinese people work 90 hours a week, whereas Americans work only 50 hours a week. If you have got to be on top of the world… you have to work 90 hours a week. Get going, guys. Come on.”

In response to backlash, an L&T spokesperson defended Subrahmanyan’s comments, emphasising the need for extraordinary effort in building India’s future. “At L&T, nation-building is at the core of our mandate. We believe this is India’s decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress and realise our shared vision of becoming a developed nation.”

Industry Leaders Push Back

Subrahmanyan’s remarks drew sharp criticism. Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra highlighted the need for quality over quantity, stating, “This debate is about the quantity of work. Even in 10 hours, one could change the world.”

Former HCL CEO Vineet Nayar rejected the glorification of long hours, saying, “We glorify long hours, back-to-back meetings, and being always on. But an unlived life drains energy, creativity, and purpose.”

RPG Enterprises Chairman Harsh Goenka mocked the idea, tweeting, “90 hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to ‘Sun-duty’ and make ‘day off’ a mythical concept? Work-life balance isn’t optional; it’s essential.”

Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund, shared her struggles with working nearly 100 hours a week early in her career. “I worked 100 hours a week for four months on my first project. Eighteen hours a day, with one day off, and I was miserable 90% of the time,” she wrote in a post. Gupta recounted crying in office bathrooms, eating chocolate cake at 2 a.m., and even being hospitalised twice.

She emphasised that productivity is not directly tied to hours worked, noting, “Hard work is not equal to hours worked. Hard work needs to be sustainable for us to do it long enough for compounding to kick in.”

Gupta urged organisations to create cultures that inspire employees rather than compel overwork. “When people find purpose in what they do, they go above and beyond—even in difficult personal circumstances. Forcing anything is hard. Inspiring people to give their best is easier,” she stated.

The current debate follows comments made by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy in October 2023, urging India’s youth to adopt a 70-hour workweek to compete with global peers. Murthy argued that India’s work culture needed a shift to match countries like China and Japan.

However, critics cautioned against this approach, warning it could undermine work-life balance and long-term well-being. Gupta, echoing these concerns, concluded her post by stating, “As we contribute to India’s growth, let’s strive to be a happy nation, enjoying the fruits of development while building a sustainable work-life relationship.”