2024 was a year that has seen debates on professional life and well-being of professionals, as workplace toxicity and work-life balance were discussed. However, whether one likes it or not, the topic or type of discussion that has gathered the most traction or prominence is what Infosys founder Narayan Murthy had to say about it all.
Gautam Adani's Take On Work-Life Balance
According to Murthy, Indians should try working for at least 70 hours a week, for it to progress at the speed of China or other emerging countries. This sparked a major row, with Murthy's comments receiving significant backlash, with some support.
Now, Adani Group's Gautam Adani has weighed in on the matter. In a video that has surfaced online, the Adani group's boss said that one should not impose one's work-life-balance module on another. Adani batted for the need for work-life balance.
He also added, " someone spends four hours with family and finds joy in it, or if someone else spends eight hours and enjoys it, that's their balance. Notwithstanding that if you spend eight hours, biwi bhaag jayegi (wife will run away).
Narayan Murthy's 70 Hour Solution
When it comes to Narayan Murthy's comments, Murthuy has doubled down on his remarks on different occasions, directly and indirectly. Murthy has drawn comparisons with China and its working culture.
The likes of Bhavish Aggarwal have openly espoused Murthy's ideas. Murthy has also found some support in new age entrepreneurs, including the likes of Aadit Palicha, the head of quick-service and delivery company Zepto.
Sridhar Vembu's Rebuttal
Recently, tech solutions company Zoho's founder, Sridhar Vembu came out rebutting the 70-hour work-week. Vembu said in an X post, "The rationale behind the 70-hour work week is "it is necessary for economic development". If you look at East Asia - Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China have all developed through extreme hard work, often imposing punitive levels of work on their own people."
Vembu further added, "I do believe we can develop without needing to work ourselves to demographic suicide."
