'Office was more satisfying to ego...': Former KKR director reacts to L&T chairman's 90-hour workweek remarks

Amid the uproar, cricket analyst and former Kolkata Knight Riders team director Joy Bhattacharjya weighed in.

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan has found himself at the centre of a storm after his controversial comments advocating for a 90-hour workweek and Sunday shifts went viral. Speaking to employees in an internal meeting, Subrahmanyan questioned the need for time off, quipping, “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can wives stare at their husbands? Get to the office and start working.”

Adding to the controversy, the L&T chairman cited a conversation with a Chinese professional, stating, “Chinese people work 90 hours a week, while Americans work only 50 hours. If you want to be on top of the world, you must work 90 hours a week.” He lamented that he was “unable to make employees work on Sundays” and expressed his desire to instill a more intense work culture at L&T.

Amid the uproar, cricket analyst and former Kolkata Knight Riders team director Joy Bhattacharjya weighed in. Reflecting on the mindset of leaders like Subrahmanyan, he remarked, “Those of us who started working in the 80s and 90s have seen many bosses like S.N. Subrahmanyan—reasonably competent people who, thanks to the happy accidents of liberalisation, the industries they were in, and a new global order, flourished far beyond what they could have imagined.”

Bhattacharjya argued that such leaders often fail to acknowledge the role of these external factors in their success, believing it was purely their talent and hard work. “More often than not, they went home late because the boys' club in the office—with all the attendant cronies—was far more satisfying to the ego than going home to family,” he added.

Those of us who started working in the 80s and 90s have seen many bosses like S Subramanyam - reasonably competent people who, thanks to the happy accidents of liberalisation, the industry they were in and a new global order, flourished far beyond they could ever have imagined.
Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) January 10, 2025

In response to the backlash, L&T released a statement defending Subrahmanyan, positioning his comments as a reflection of the company’s commitment to nation-building. “For over eight decades, we have been shaping India’s infrastructure, industries, and technological capabilities,” the statement read. “The chairman’s remarks reflect a larger ambition, emphasising that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort.”

The company spokesperson further emphasised that this is India’s decade—a time that calls for collective dedication and hard work to achieve the vision of a developed nation. “At L&T, we remain committed to fostering a culture where passion, purpose, and performance drive us forward,” the spokesperson added.

Subrahmanyan’s comments have sparked outrage on platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), with users criticising the unrealistic work expectations and disregard for work-life balance. Some even compared his remarks to recent controversial comments by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, who advocated for a 70-hour workweek for young professionals.

Harsh Goenka, chairman of the RPG Group, took a veiled dig at Subrahmanyan’s comments, posting, “90 hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to ‘Sun-duty’ and make ‘day off’ a mythical concept! Work-life balance isn’t optional; it’s essential. Well, that’s my view! #WorkSmartNotSlave.”

Other users expressed dismay at the tone of Subrahmanyan’s comments. “It’s 2024, and we’re still debating whether employees deserve rest? Burnout isn’t a badge of honour,” wrote one user on X.

The controversy has reignited a larger debate on work-life balance in corporate India, particularly in industries that often demand long hours. Many argue that advocating for excessive work hours, especially under the guise of “nation-building,” is outdated and detrimental to employee well-being.