There has been an uproar over a comment . This is a comment made by Infosys CEO Nagavara Ramarao Narayana Murthy. Recently on 26 October, the nation found that Murthy appeared on the first episode of 3one4 Capital’s podcast ‘The Record’ discussing various business issues with former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai. Narayana Murthy spoke on various topics including technology. He was also heard talking about his company Infosys. There he commented that India’s work culture needs to change. Not 45 or 50 hours, but 70 hours a week, only then it is possible to compete with developed countries, claimed Narayana Murthy. Some agreed with this doctrine, and some could not accept it at all. Many controversies came up.
It’s very common that working pressure in IT companies is more than other sectors. According to revenue figures of 2020, Infosys is the second largest Indian IT company after Tata Consultancy Services. Nagavar Ramrao Narayan Murthy, 77, is an Indian billionaire businessman. He is one of the seven co-founders of Infosys. According to the famous business magazine Forbes, he is known as the 654th richest person in the world in 2022. Recently in a podcast show ‘The Record’, he said that India’s productivity is so low due to war. In that context, Narayana Murthy said, corruption in the government and bureaucratic work procrastination are major reasons for low productivity. “If we can’t reduce corruption at the government level and prevent bureaucratic delays, we won’t be able to compete with countries that have made great progress,” he said.
•He strongly claimed, India’s work culture needs to change.
•Young people should spend more time at work. But India will advance in the competition. He also commented that work culture should be changed. According to him, India’s labor productivity is the lowest in the world. And he gave this advice to increase that. Not 45 or 50 hours, you have to work 70 hours a week.
•According to NarayanaMurthy Japan and Germany also made progress by working in this way after the Second World War.
•He advised the young generation to come forward and say, this is my country. I want to work 70 hours a week.”
Full video link of podcast with Narayana Murthy is given below-
https://youtu.be/uk4B40Vc7nk?si=DxGhu9auxP4xJV1b
There a huge disagreement were created about this view. A 70-hour work week means working more than 9 hours per day. Rising numbers of heart attacks and poor mental health among top-level businesspeople prove that it’s not a lack of success that’s driving this epidemic of job-related stress. Abreesh Murthy, co-founder and CEO, Pepperfry, aged 51, passed away from a heart attack earlier this year, Kunal Bahl, co-founder, Snapdeal shared that he feels lonely, no one is safe from work pressure and suffocating deadlines. .
While, “mandatory or expected work hours would be approx. 48-hour per week,” Murthy said that to achieve success many people in their youth have spent 70 hours per week.
DEBATE
Social media has been in a storm over this comment. 70 hours of work in a week is really beneficial for the youth community?
•Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal agreed with Narayana Murthy’s comments. He posted in his ‘X’ handle and wrote, “It’s not our moment to work less and entertain ourselves. Rather it’s our moment to go all in and build in 1 generation what other countries have.” built over many generations!’
•A user wrote in a reply, Pls don’t listen to these people. Bloodsucking leeches who sit on their high chairs giving lectures’.
•Jindal wrote that, the greatest strength of India is its youth “I wholeheartedly endorse Mr Narayana Murthy’s statement. It’s not about burnout, it’s about dedication. We have to make India an economic superpower that we can all be proud of in India 2047,” He stated that, India did not need a five-day working culture, right now. Our PM Narendra Modi ji works over 14-16 hours everyday. My father used to work 12-14 hours, 7 days a week. I work 10-12 hours everyday. We have to find passion in our work and in nation building.
•Film producer Ronnie Screwvala, could not stand with Murthy’s idea.
•Screwbala stated that, Boosting productivity isn’t just about working longer hours!
