Lately, the chairman of larsen and toubro (L&T), SN subrahmanyan has sparked quite a controversy. He said that employees need to work 90 hours a week, even including sundays into the equation. He further remarked, “What’s the longest you can stare at your wife? Get into the office already and do some work.” This generated various discussions pertaining to work, mental wellbeing and balance in life. Let’s see what he said, people’s reactions to it and what science states in relation to working overtime.
What Did He Say?
Mr. Subrahmanyan stated that for a person to achieve phenomenal results, great efforts need to be put forth. He offered a solution of working on sundays as well as increasing the total hours. As per the company policy of L&T, this indicates the organization’s dedication to zeal and to performance.
How Did People React?
Celebrities
- Deepika padukone, an actor and a mental health activist termed the statements as “outrageous.” Due to her activism she stated that mental health matters the most.
Social Media
- A large audience over social media found the joke funny but didn’t agree with the concept.
- One person tweeted, “90 hours? What do you want us to be, robots?”
Experts
- As for business experts, too much work is not a good thing after all.
- The highlighted that self fulfilment leads to self productivity.
Quick Chat:
| Person | Opinion |
|---|---|
| Employee | “I need time to rest, or I will burn out.” |
| CEO Supporter | “Great results need hard work.” |
| Psychologist | “Balance is key for health and success.” |
What Is The Scientific Consensus?
Long Work Days Reduce Efficiency
According to a research conducted by Stanford University, workers who are on the job for more than fifty hours a week see a marked decrease in productivity. Anyone who works over 55 hours has little to no productivity gain from the extra hours worked, meaning those who clock in those hours of overtime do not see any benefit.
Issues Concerning Health Arising due to Working Overtime
Workers working for more than 55 hours are at least 35% more susceptible to suffering from a stroke Sheen told the World Health Organization in her 2016 study.
That is not where the physical and psychological health issues end, overworking additionally may step up feelings of anxiety, depression, and heart diseases.
Case Study Table
| Study | Date & Place | Findings |
| Stanford Productivity Study | 2014, USA | Productivity drops after 50 hours/week. |
| WHO Study | 2016, Global | Over 55 hours/week increases stroke risk by 35%. |
| Harvard Mental Health Study | 2017, USA | Long work hours cause higher depression rates. |
Why You Should Strive For Achieving Work Life Balance
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Explained
Psychologist Abraham Maslow’s theory Of Working People suggests that people need work but that is not all that they seek from life as a whole. People require personal growth, relaxation, and love alongside the ability and opportunity to work. Negation of the aforementioned leads to a person with most unhappiness and hopelessness Maslow posits.
Shift In Working Culture
A good example to explain the collaborative efforts in needed by employees to shift the work culture is Google and Microsoft who try to show empathy towards their workers by providing them with the freedom to work at tue hours they feel relaxed and focused .
Dealing With the Work Life Balance Dilemma
- Limit Hours: It is undesirable for employees to feel burned out so limits should be worked on working hours.
- Flexible Time: Employees need to be provided the option to work or perform tasks at a time conducive for them.
- Breaks: Rejuvenation periods of short nature allow the brain to reset.
- Psychological Assistance: it is imperative for employees to be given the option to seek help from counselors.
Quick Chat:
| Question | Answer |
| What’s the ideal workweek? | Science says 40-50 hours is best. |
| How to stay productive? | Rest and focus on quality, not hours. |
Conclusion
SN Subrahmanyan’s statements have sparked a global debate. All the hard work that one puts in is necessary, but time and effort management is even more critical for success in the long run according to science. Working too many hours can be detrimental to health and lower productivity levels. The long-term prognosis for organizations that are interested in their employee’s well being gets considerably brighter. So, we should start working smarter instead of harder.
