70-Hour Work Debate: Narayana Murthy And Infosys Have Divergent Views
Many employees working excessive remote hours received HR emails detailing their work-from-home days and total hours. They were advised to maintain a work-life balance.
In one corner stands Narayana Murthy — billionaire co-founder, voice of discipline, and champion of the 70-hour work week. In the other, Infosys — the company he helped build — quietly telling employees to shut their laptops and take care of themselves.
The irony is not lost on anyone watching corporate India.
IT giant Infosys has been warning its staff over health risks from long work hours, urging them to prioritise better work-life balance and self-care. Infosys employees who spent long hours working from home are being sent emails by the company, asking them to adhere to regular working hours as much as possible, the Economic Times reported.
“We must work for 9.15 hours a day for five days a week, and if we overshoot this while working remotely, it prompts a trigger,” one of the employees told ET.
Some of these emails, reviewed by ET, stressed that employees who focus on health and work-life balance benefit in long-term effectiveness and productivity. At present, the Bengaluru-based company requires its employees to work at least 10 days from the office. If an employee is found to be working excessive hours remotely, the company’s human resources team sends them an email.
Some of these emails, recently sent by the HR department, contained details of days worked from home, total hours logged and average daily work hours of the employees, the report added.
“While we appreciate your commitment, we also believe that maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for both your well-being and long-term professional success,” the mail sent by the HR department read. The email also stressed that while deadlines may extend work hours at times, maintaining a balanced work-life is important for overall well-being.
“Take regular breaks during your workday; Let your manager know if you are feeling overwhelmed or need support with reviewing priorities. Speak to your manager about delegating tasks or redistributing some responsibilities as appropriate; take time to recharge during off hours, minimising work-related interactions whenever possible,” the email outlined.
This move follows amid growing concerns about young tech workers facing health risks from irregular sleep, poor diet and long hours of work.
Notably, Infosys’ focus on work-life balance for employees marks a shift from its co-founder Narayana Murthy’s frequent argument that employees should work 70 hours a week to boost the “country's productivity”.
Murthy has defended his remarks on several occasions, linking them to the need for nation-building. However, the tech mogul has faced heavy backlash, with people noting that such work models are unsustainable and a recipe for burnout.
