• Source:JND
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Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan has stirred up the ongoing debate about work-life balance by advocating for 90-hour work weeks for employees. This statement comes shortly after Infosys founder Narayana Murthy's controversial call for a 70-hour work week. Subrahmanyan's remarks have reignited discussions on the demands of modern work culture and the balance between professional and personal life.

Subrahmanyan made these remarks when he was questioned about the company’s six-day workweek policy. The L&T chief wants employees to work 90 hours a week, even recommending them to work on Sundays. 

“How long can you stare at your wife," Subrahmanyan asked while asking employees to spend more time in the office and less in their homes. "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," Subrahmanyan can be heard saying in a video. 

"What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? Come on, get to the office and start working,” he added. 

To support this claim, Subrahmanyan recounted a conversation with a Chinese individual who argued that China could eventually surpass the United States due to the fact that Chinese workers put in 90-hour workweeks, while their American counterparts typically work 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 in an undated video.

Earlier, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy had suggested that young Indians should work 70 hours a week to help build the nation. However, his remarks faced massive criticism. 

In the Reddit comments section, some users challenged Subrahmanyan's remarks of work-life balance, while others criticised the wider culture that encourages overwork. Many felt that his comments diminished the importance of employees' personal lives, with his remark about "staring at one's wife" provoking especially harsh reactions.