90-hour work week: Amid ongoing debates about India's work culture, a chartered accountant has come forward to share her personal experience of the rush culture. Nitu Mohanka, a successful Chartered Accountant-turned-mindset coach, recently took to Instagram to share her thoughts on the negative impact of rush culture on personal life amid the debate surrounding the 90-hour work week.
In her post, Mohanka highlighted how the lure of hustle culture often leads individuals to prioritize work over important milestones in their personal lives. She remembered a time when she herself had fallen into the trap of working long hours and sacrificing precious moments with her family. It was only when her young daughter drew a family picture without her, citing her absence due to workload, that Mohanka realized the toll the hustle culture was taking on her life.
“The rush culture is seductive. But the promise of 'grind now, enjoy later' is rarely fulfilled,” wrote Mohanka on the social networking site Instagram. “I was that person 10 years ago. Wearing 14-hour days as a badge of honor. Answering emails at 3am. I miss my daughter's first steps because 'a meeting with a client couldn't wait.' You know what finally stopped me? A drawing by my 5 year old. A family photo I wasn't in. When her teacher asked why, she said, 'Mum is always in the office'.
These reflections serve as a poignant reminder of the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and prioritizing personal well-being amid the pressures of a demanding work culture.
Mohank's post came in the backdrop of recent events following L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan's controversial comments suggesting a 90-hour work week. In a widely circulated video of an undisclosed internal meeting, Subrahmanyan expressed disappointment at not being able to let employees work on Sundays.
In her post, Mohanka emphasized that extended time may not always be beneficial. She emphasized that efficiency decreases significantly after exceeding 55 working hours per week, as longer working hours can lead to fatigue, reduced innovation and strained interpersonal relationships.
90 hours vs 70 hours
In a widely shared video, Larsen & Toubro chairman SN Subrahmanyan faced criticism for proposing that employees work 90 hours a week, which would include working on Sundays.
Responding to a question about the absence of Saturday off, Subrahmanyan expressed his preference for employees to work a 90-hour week, a notable increase from the 70-hour week proposed by Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy. He also referred to a Chinese contact who claimed that China could surpass the United States (US) because Americans only work 50 hours a week.
During the discussion, Subrahmanyan expressed frustration that employees could not work all seven days a week and suggested that they come and start working instead of staying at home.
He mentioned his own willingness to work on Sundays and expressed a desire for employees to do the same, saying it would make him happier.
Subrahmanyan's remarks, reminiscent of Narayana Murtha's previous controversial comments about the 70-hour work week, sparked online discussions about the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance in India's private sector.
In a statement, a company spokesperson said, “At L&T, nation building is at the core of our mandate. We have been shaping India's infrastructure, industries and technology capabilities for over eight decades. We believe that this is India's decade, a time requiring collective commitment and effort to drive progress and realize our common vision of becoming a developed nation. The Chairman's remarks reflect this greater ambition and emphasize that extraordinary results require extraordinary efforts. At L&T, we remain committed to fostering a culture where passion, purpose and performance drive us forward.”
