Business

Narayana Murthy Advocates 70-Hour Work Week: Insights from Global CEOs

Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy ignited a substantial online debate by advocating for a 70-hour work week. During a podcast appearance, Mr. Narayana Murthy highlighted India’s low work productivity on a global scale and urged the youth to contribute to cultivating a culture that would enable India to compete effectively worldwide. He drew parallels with Japan and Germany, two countries that implemented extended working hours post-World War II. However, he is not the first corporate leader to propose such an approach.

Bhavish Aggarwal, CEO of Ola, endorsed Mr. Narayana Murthy’s advice, stating on X (formerly Twitter) that it is “our moment to go all in and build in one generation what other countries have constructed over many generations.”

This is not the first time Mr. Narayana Murthy has called for long working hours. In 2020, he encouraged professionals to work 60 hours a week for two to three years to stimulate the post-pandemic economy.

Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, previously endorsed China’s tech industry’s controversial “996” rule, which entails working from 9 am to 9 pm six days a week and is common among the country’s major technology companies and startups. However, this drew criticism from Chinese social media users who argued that it adversely affects family life.

Elon Musk, the world’s richest individual and CEO of multiple companies, asked Twitter staff to work more than 100 hours per week after acquiring the company in October of the previous year. Musk emphasized the need for an “extremely hardcore” approach for Twitter’s success, sharing that he sometimes sleeps in the office and expects the same commitment from the staff.

Similarly, Shantanu Deshpande, CEO of Bombay Shaving Company, stated in a LinkedIn post that newcomers should work 18 hours a day for at least 4-5 years, alongside maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Surveys have shown varying work patterns among CEOs. A Harvard Business Review survey from 2018 revealed that U.S. CEOs work 9.7 hours on weekdays and an additional 3.9 hours on weekends. They often dedicate extra time during weekends and vacations. Another survey of 357 Indian CEOs of listed Indian manufacturing firms indicated that the average Indian CEO works 39 hours a week, equating to 8-9 hours per weekday.

Priyanka Rai

Recent Posts

Delhi Pollution: SC Orders Action On GRAP Violations, Directs Relief For Affected Workers

The SC on Monday instructed CAQM to act against officers and entities failing to enforce…

8 hours ago

IPL 2025 Auction: 13-Year-Old Vaibhav Suryavanshi Becomes Youngest Player Signed

Rajasthan Royals (RR) secured Vaibhav Suryavanshi for Rs 1.10 crore at the Abadi Al Johar…

9 hours ago

Islamabad Tense As Security Forces Brace For Clash With PTI Supporters Demanding Imran Khan’s Release

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) ‘Final Call’ protest rally, led by Bushra Bibi, has reached outskirts of…

9 hours ago

IPL 2025 Auction: Gujarat Titans Sign Sherfane Rutherford For Rs 2.6 Cr, KKR Add Manish Pandey For Rs 75 Lakh

The Gujarat Titans (GT) secured West Indies batter Sherfane Rutherford for Rs 2.6 crore during…

10 hours ago

IPL 2025 Auction: Bhuvneshwar Kumar Headlines Day 2 With Rs 10.75 Crore Move To RCB

Bhuvneshwar Kumar stole the spotlight on Day 2 of the IPL 2025 Auction. Royal Challengers…

12 hours ago

Self-Help Groups To Provide Ganga Water To Pilgrims At Maha Kumbh 2025

Maha Kumbh 2025 will combine spirituality and women’s empowerment, with self-help groups providing bottled Ganga…

12 hours ago