The conversation around work-life balance in corporate India is intensifying, with ITC Ltd Chairman Sanjiv Puri adding his voice to the ongoing debate sparked by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan’s controversial remark for a 90-hour workweek.
Puri, in an interview with news agency PTI, firmly opposed the notion of mandating excessive working hours, emphasising a more inclusive and empowering approach for employees.
“We would not do that,” Puri stated, referring to the idea of imposing long hours. We would rather like people to be part of the journey [of the company] and feel passionately involved… to make a difference to the enterprise. That’s how we look at it,” Puri said.
Flexibility at ITC
Highlighting ITC’s flexible work policies, Puri pointed out that employees are allowed to work from home two days a week. Instead of tracking hours, the company focuses on enabling employees to unlock their potential and meet their goals.
“It’s not so much about monitoring each individual’s number of hours. It’s more about enabling individuals, helping them to actualise their potential, and then reviewing what goals people have achieved,” Puri said.
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L&T chairman’s 90-hour workweek comment
The debate was reignited by Subrahmanyan’s remarks in a video that circulated widely on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Reddit and LinkedIn. He suggested that employees could work on Sundays, questioning the utility of spending extended hours at home.
“What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife, and how long can the wife stare at the husband?” Subrahmanyan asked.
His comments drew sharp reactions, with many criticising the stance as detrimental to employee well-being. L&T later clarified that his remarks were rooted in the company’s vision for “India’s decade” and its aspirations for growth.
Industry leaders weigh in
Puri’s perspective stands in stark contrast. He likened ITC’s leadership philosophy to a mason’s view of his work: “If you were to ask a mason who is putting a brick, [he would say] I am laying this brick. Somebody may say I am building the wall. Somebody may say I am part of this whole team building this castle here. The outlook of the person building the castle is very different.”
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Other corporate leaders have also chimed in. RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka labelled long hours a “recipe for burnout,” while Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy recently advocated for a 70-hour workweek. Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani offered a lighthearted take, warning that excessive time at home might result in one’s “biwi bhaag jayegi [wife will leave].”
(With inputs from PTI)