Larsen & Toubro Chairman Sparks Debate with Call for 90-Hour Workweeks
The chairman of Larsen & Toubro has come under fire for claiming that staff must work 90 hours per week. During an employee engagement, SN Subrahmanyan was questioned why Larsen & Toubro, a multibillion-dollar firm, continued to have its workers work on Saturdays.
Subrahmanyan said he regretted not being able to have his colleagues work on Sunday.
“I apologize that I am unable to make you work on Sundays. If I can get you to work on Sundays, I’ll be even happier, since I work on Sundays,” Subrahmanyan was heard saying in an undated video shared on Reddit.
“What do you do when sitting at home? “How long can you stare at your wife?” the chairman of Larsen & Toubro inquired. “Come on, get to the office and start working.”
Subrahmanyan also presented an example of his meeting with a Chinese guy who said China might defeat the United States of America. When asked why, the Chinese guy said that Chinese folks work 90 hours each week, but Americans work just 50.
“So that is the solution for you. If you need to be on top of the world… You have to work 90 hours every week. Get moving, folks. “Come on,” he urged.
The video was published on Reddit, where SN Subrahmanyan received criticism for his statements. Many people in the comments section likened him to Infosys founder Narayana Murthy, who previously drew widespread criticism for claiming that young people should work 70 hours per week to improve the nation.
On Reddit, users questioned why low-paid employees were expected to work the same number of hours as CEOs.
“I’m not concerned about competing with China. Let China be number one; it makes no difference to me. “I just want to sit with my family and enjoy the short time I have here on earth with my loved ones,” stated one Reddit member.
“I participated in the speech yesterday. Someone inquired about L&T’s sick leave. Is only approved if you are unwell for two days; why and how can we be sick for only one day? “He said, ‘Then don’t get sick,'” another reported.
“That is why the demand for government positions is at its greatest in India. “The private sector is only good at harassing employees,” one Reddit member said.
“Even Narayan Murthy mentioned 70 hours. “This man is saying 90 hours,” read one of many such remarks.
HT.com has contacted Larsen & Toubro for comment and will update this piece whenever we receive a response.
The L&T CEO also gave an anecdote to support his position. He described a chat with a Chinese citizen who said that China may outperform the United States due to the country’s strong work ethic. According to Mr. Subrahmanyan, a Chinese individual, “Chinese people work 90 hours a week, while Americans work only 50 hours a week.” Drawing parallels, Mr Subrahmanyan pushed L&T personnel to follow a similar work schedule.
“So that is the solution for you. “If you want to be on top of the world, you have to work 90 hours a week,” he said.
The video rapidly went viral on Reddit, where Mr Subrahmanyan’s statements were heavily criticized. Many people likened his words to Infosys founder Narayana Murthy’s recent request that Indian youngsters work 70-hour weeks.
“I work for L&T and had to sit through the entire affair; imagine our horror! “We blame Narayan Murthy for the 70-hour work week,” said one user.
Another commenter said, “Another CEO shamelessly promoting slavery.”
Users also questioned why CEOs, who are highly compensated and have distinct job constraints, expect the same amount of dedication from lower-paid staff. “Why don’t firms provide several sorts of working hours? What if a corporation had other options? Work 40, 30, 50, or 70 hours each week. More pay for more hours?” asked a user.
Another commenter expressed his displeasure, writing, “L&T is one of the worst when it comes to WLB and pays peanuts.” Even a tier one engineering graduate earns only $35,000 a month after working 6.5 days a week in a remote region with no basic utilities. They only provide 7 casual leaves throughout the first year of employment. That implies you can’t even return home once. Over 90% of university hires depart the organization within the first three years. 50-60% depart during the first year.
Mr Subrahmanyan’s remarks come at a time when mental health and work-life balance are increasingly key topics of conversation between businesses and workers. In July 2024, the death of a 26-year-old Ernst & Young (EY) consultant raised concerns about work culture and job-related stress.
~ Sudeepa Ghosh