While Subrahmanyan, Murthy and Musk push 90-hour, 70-hr & 120-hr workweeks, survey finds employees prefer THIS schedule

No shocker: Despite some prominent business heads pushing for increased working hours for “development,” “innovation,” and “growth,” most employees are not keen to embrace the idea. They seem to prioritise mental health, seek to alleviate stress and maintain a work-life balance.

The 90-hour work week row grabbed headlines again recently after L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan advocated for working on Saturdays and even Sundays. Despite the barrage of criticism he faced, Subrahmanyan's controversial pitch does not seem to be an isolated one.

Infosys Narayana Murthy has long advocated and been trolled for his 70-hour work week push. And now, billionaire Elon Musk has joined the ranks by praising DOGE employees for working 120 hours.

What Work Hours Do Employees Want?

In a survey conducted by Venator Search Partners, 68 per cent of the employees think long hours are demotivating. They think it resulted in a higher attrition rate, and an overwhelming majority-- 84 per cent--prefer a 40-50 hour work week. Only 2 per cent supported a work week exceeding 50 hours. 

Employees can balance their personal and professional commitments well if they get a 40- to 50 -hour work week, per the survey results.

The survey, which examined workplace stress, productivity, compensation, and employees' general perspectives, found that 62 per cent of respondents cited unreasonable expectations as the primary reason for stress. The results showed that 28 per cent of respondents felt that a bad boss caused stress, and 10 per cent felt longer working hours stressed them out.

No Overtime Pay, Work Hours Used as Measure of Performance

The survey also revealed that a majority of Indian employees — 84 per cent, did not get paid for overtime (OT) work.

Further, a solid 80 per cent expressed dislike for measuring performance by the number of work hours and felt companies should instead prioritise performance metrics centered on outcomes.

They said that employers must consider aligning compensation policies with actual work hours to improve employee satisfaction.

What Do Employees in Mega Cities Think?

In the metro cities of Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai, 90 per cent of the respondents called 12-hour work days “impractical.” They pointed to the long commuting time necessary in these places—around two to three hours daily.

Respondents in the big cities felt that employers should consider the traffic congestions and commuting realities. “While the ideal solution remains elusive, companies should strive to adapt to the evolving demands of the modern workforce. Businesses and employees should reflect on what constitutes a healthy, productive work environment in today's corporate landscape,” said Deepraditya Datta , Founder, Venator Search Partners.

GenZ in Workplace — The Generation Gap A thing?

In answer to the critical question on if generations have a difference in thought with regards to work-life balance, 66 per cent of participants believed that there was no correlation between age and preference for long working hours.

However, 30 per cent felt that baby boomers are more likely to favour extended hours, while 4 per cent thought the same for Gen Z.

The Venator Search Partners Suvey's findings are not dissimilar from a 2023 Assocham report, which found that 65 per cent of Indian employees believed that extended work hours stifle creativity and hinder organisational productivity and growth.

A 2022 report by Deloitte India estimated that workplace stress costs the Indian economy an annual $14 billion, underscoring the urgent need for systemic interventions to address these challenges.