Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has defended its chairperson SN Subrahmanyan's remarks on employees working 90 hours a week, stating that extraordinary outcomes demand extraordinary effort. This statement comes in response to widespread criticism over his suggestion during an employee interaction.
"At L&T, nation-building is at the core of our mandate. For over eight decades, we have been shaping India’s infrastructure, industries, and technological capabilities. We believe this is India’s decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress and realize our shared vision of becoming a developed nation," said an L&T spokesperson. "The Chairman’s remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasizing that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort."
Subrahmanyan's comments surfaced in an undated video where he responded to employees questioning the company's six-day workweek. "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.
The chairman further questioned employees' activities during their time off, asking, "What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife?" He urged employees to spend more time in the office, adding, "Come on, get to the office and start working."
To substantiate his argument, Subrahmanyan cited an interaction with a Chinese individual who claimed that China's work culture could outpace the US. "Chinese people work 90 hours a week, whereas Americans work only 50 hours a week. So that's the answer for you. If you have got to be on top of the world… You have to work 90 hours a week. Get going, guys. Come on,” he said.
The comments sparked backlash on social media, with many criticising the push for an excessive workweek. However, L&T’s statement underlined the company's commitment to "fostering a culture where passion, purpose, and performance drive us forward."
The whole long-working week idea was first floated by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy in 2023 when he said youths should work for 70 hours a week if they wanted India to compete with economies like China. While some backed his idea, others critisised, saying it is not the number of hours that matter.
Billionaire Harsh Mariwala that without a doubt, hard work is fundamental to achieving success, "but it is not synonymous with the number of hours logged. It's about the excellence and enthusiasm one brings to those hours."