Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has criticised recent statements by corporate leaders advocating for excessive work hours, arguing that such advice disregards employees’ well-being and ignores the need for work-life balance.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Yadav took a dig at those suggesting young professionals should work up to 90 hours a week.
“Are they talking about humans or robots? Because humans live with emotions and families,” he wrote.
His remarks come in response to recent statements by industry leaders such as Narayana Murthy, founder of Infosys, who suggested that young Indians should work 70 hours a week to boost national productivity.
Similarly, L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan argued that 90-hour workweeks can lead to success. These remarks have sparked widespread debate, with many arguing that such expectations ignore the importance of mental well-being and personal life.
Yadav further questioned the economic benefits of long work hours, stating that if economic progress only benefits a select few, then whether India becomes a $30 trillion or $100 trillion economy would make little difference to the common people.
He said true economic justice ensures prosperity is shared by all, something he claimed is not possible under the current BJP government.
“Entertainment refreshes and re-energises people, improving work quality,” he said, challenging the notion that productivity is purely a function of hours worked.
He also questioned whether those advocating long workweeks had themselves followed such schedules in their youth. “If they really worked 90 hours a week in their time, why has India’s economy reached only this level?” he asked.
Yadav concluded by stating that work-life balance is essential for fostering creativity and productivity. “A mentally healthy environment allows young people to be truly productive and innovative, which in turn benefits the country and the world.”
