'90-hour workweek woes': Tough lessons for Indian businesses

On one hand, Dunzo—a startup that redefined hyperlocal delivery—saw its last co-founder abandon the sinking ship he once helmed, leaving behind over ₹500 crores in liabilities. This collapse, despite raising $240 million just two years ago from marquee investors like Reliance Retail, Google, Lightbox Ventures, Lightrock, 3L Capital, and Alteria Capital, highlights glaring gaps in governance and oversight. These investors, despite their pedigree and expertise, missed the systemic operational chaos at Dunzo. Was the temptation of growth-at-all-costs too tempting to question the fundamentals? Or was it the expectation that valuations would keep increasing in subsequent rounds ?

On the other hand, L&T’s chairman advocated a 90-hour workweek, including Sundays, sparking outrage among employees and industry watchers alike. His tone-deaf statement, followed by the company’s public defence of his comments amid social media flak, raises an even more uncomfortable question: who will hold him accountable? Will any of L&T’s board members or institutional investors—renowned names who wield considerable influence—demand accountability for this clear misalignment with modern work culture? Or will loyalty to legacy overshadow the need for introspection and reform?

What do these stories have in common? A failure of leadership to align with the times—and a growing need for tougher accountability from boards and investors alike.

Dunzo’s current plight reflects deeper lessons for boards and investors alike. The cap table was packed with some of the biggest names in venture capital and industry, yet none flagged the red flags early enough to avert the crisis. Governance mechanisms, financial discipline, and long-term strategy were evidently sacrificed at the altar of hyper-growth. The co-founder’s exit and subsequent employment at a competitor only add insult to injury, leaving creditors, employees, and vendors to pay the price. What lessons will Dunzo’s investors draw to ensure they don’t repeat such costly oversights?

The decision of Kabeer Biswas, co-founder of Dunzo, to leave the company he built and join a competitor, raises critical questions about accountability and leadership in India’s startup ecosystem. For a founder to distance himself from a company burdened with dues, even as it struggles to remain operational, undermines trust in leadership. It suggests a culture where the glamour of scaling up and fundraising overshadows the long-term sustainability of the business. Such actions can erode the credibility of startups in the eyes of investors, employees, and stakeholders who expect founders to stand by their organisations, especially in turbulent times.

This move also exposes deeper cultural issues within the Indian startup ecosystem, where personal ambition sometimes outweighs collective responsibility. By joining a competitor, he does inadvertently sends a message that personal career growth can supersede loyalty to one’s team, investors, and commitments. This raises strategic concerns for future ventures, as it becomes harder to attract and retain investors or employees who fear being left in the lurch.

 Meanwhile, at L&T, the chairman’s remarks are emblematic of a leadership style steeped in patriarchal and outdated ideals, clashing with the aspirations of a younger, more progressive workforce. Employees are no longer content to be martyrs for corporate growth, and the modern workforce values work-life balance, flexibility, and purpose-driven leadership. When the company defends such remarks rather than addressing the legitimate concerns they raise, it risks alienating its own talent and tarnishing its reputation. Investors, too, have a role to play here—will they insist on governance frameworks that prioritise alignment with contemporary employee values over outdated sloganeering?

 Both these cases will be reminders of the need for stronger accountability at the top. For startups, the lesson is clear: the obsession with valuation and scale must not come at the cost of operational sanity or fiscal discipline. For established conglomerates like L&T, the message is equally direct: even giants cannot afford to be out of touch with the changing ethos of their workforce.

 Leadership today is about empathy, adaptability, and ensuring that actions and expectations are in harmony with the values of stakeholders—be it employees, investors, or society at large.

 It is high time we ask tougher questions of our leaders, regardless of their stature or past success. Investors and boards cannot shirk their responsibility in ensuring ethical governance and cultural alignment. India’s business ecosystem deserves leaders who inspire trust—not just growth—and who understand that sustainable success is built on respect for people, not just the numbers they produce.

 More importantly, are these failures symptomatic of deeper flaws in how we evaluate leadership, or are they outliers? As we hurtle into a future where the workforce demands empathy and accountability, can leaders afford to remain stuck in the past? As the saying goes, “Leadership is not about being in charge—it’s about taking care of those in your charge.”

The writer is a corporate advisor & independent director on corporate boards. He tweets as @ssmumbai