'We glorify long hours': Ex-HCL CEO trashes 90-hour workweek idea, says work less if you can

Former HCL CEO Vineet Nayar joined the long working week debate on Saturday, arguing that the focus should not be on how many hours one works but on how fully one lives. The debate over long working hours was reignited earlier this week by L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, who suggested that employees should work up to 90 hours per week, even advising them to work on Sundays.

Nayar's perspective resonates with growing concerns about work-life balance. In a LinkedIn post, he stated, "The real question isn’t how much you work. It’s how fully you live." He criticised the glorification of long hours and relentless schedules, emphasizing the toll it takes on energy, creativity, and purpose. "We glorify long hours, back-to-back meetings, and being always on. But an unlived life drains energy, creativity, and purpose."

For Nayar, however, the solution is clear: "Work more if you want. Work less if you can. The number doesn’t matter. What matters is whether you’re making space for moments that make life worth living." 

In an official interaction, Subrahmanyan had provocatively asked, "How long can you stare at your wife?" The comments quickly attracted online backlash, with critics accusing him of pushing an unrealistic and harmful work culture.

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra also entered the fray, asserting that the debate should not be about the quantity of hours worked. "It's not about 40 hours, it’s not about 70 hours, it’s not about 90 hours. What output are you doing? Even if it's 10 hours, you can change the world in 10 hours," Mahindra said. 

He stressed that the focus should be on the quality of work rather than the sheer number of hours spent at the desk, adding that time spent with family and friends was equally crucial for well-rounded decision-making. "If you're not spending time at home, if you're not spending time with friends, if you're not reading, if you don't have time to reflect, how will you bring the right inputs into making a decision?" 

Last month, industrialist Gautam Adani waded into the work-life balance conversation, suggesting that a work-life balance should be a personal choice. He also said the spouse would leave if one was to spend eight hours with the family.

"Your idea of work-life balance should not be imposed on me, and my idea shouldn't be imposed on you. Say, someone spends 4 hours with family and finds joy in it, or if someone else spends 8 hours and enjoys it, that is their work-life balance". "Aath ghanta family ke saath bitayega tho biwi bhaag jaayegi (Wife will leave if one spends eight hours with family)," he had said.