In an age the place revenue typically trumps worker well-being, lengthy working hours have turn into an entrenched characteristic of many industries. Businesses proceed to push the boundaries of productiveness as the human price is neglected.
The narrative surrounding prolonged working hours regularly focuses on numbers: additional time pay, output per hour, or the underside line. But, behind these figures are actual people—staff who endure bodily, psychological, and emotional pressure to satisfy their employer’s ever-increasing calls for.
This discourse has just lately turn into contentious in India, with businessmen comparable to NR Narayana Murthy and SN Subrahmanyan stirring the debate. Infosys co-founder Murthy sparked controversy by advocating for a 70-hour workweek to allow Indian professionals to compete globally. Subrahmanyan, chairman of Larsen & Toubro, escalated this notion by proposing an much more gruelling 90-hour workweek.
These statements have ignited widespread criticism, prompting a significant query: Can India’s financial aspirations justify compromising the well-being of its workforce?
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The productivity conundrum
Supporters of longer workweeks argue that relentless dedication is essential for India to stay aggressive on the worldwide stage. Nonetheless, this attitude disregards a basic precept: productiveness is just not instantly proportional to working hours. Analysis demonstrates that productiveness peaks at a sure threshold earlier than it begins to decline on account of fatigue, cognitive pressure, and burnout—a phenomenon represented by the inverted U curve of effectivity.
Overworking results in diminishing returns as bodily and psychological exhaustion impairs an worker’s efficiency. Human beings will not be machines—they want relaxation and psychological recuperation to maintain peak effectivity.
Trendy Indian staff, caught between financial pressures and private wants, face an growing problem to keep up equilibrium. They wish to be taught a brand new ability, choose up a interest, train, meditate, and spend time with their household. They don’t wish to postpone the fun of life till after retirement.
It’s additionally in a CEO’s curiosity to have a cheerful workforce as a substitute of one trapped in a hamster wheel.
India’s low rating within the 2023 World Happiness Report—126th out of 137 nations—underscores the detrimental affect of an imbalanced work tradition. In the meantime, nations like Finland, which constantly leads happiness indices, exemplify the advantages of a balanced way of life.
India’s path to financial progress needn’t relaxation on extreme working hours. Nationwide prosperity must be measured not by the hours clocked in, however by elements comparable to ability software, significant employment, and residents’ happiness. Solely by adopting a holistic method can the nation obtain long-term progress.
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Overwork takes a toll
Long hours have turn into the norm for low-income and contractual staff. Pushed by job insecurity and restricted alternatives, they typically really feel compelled to simply accept exploitative working circumstances. Gig staff, as an illustration, are disproportionately affected by the demand for elevated output.
One other group going through undue burden are ladies staff, who typically shoulder the bigger share of home chores along with their skilled tasks. Regardless of their contributions to the workforce, many ladies nonetheless face the twin stress of societal expectations and work calls for. Balancing the wants of the household, housekeeping, and a full-time job leaves them with little private time.
Extreme work schedules contribute to a bunch of well being issues, together with power fatigue, anxiousness, despair, and even cardiovascular ailments. Tragic cases such because the suicide of an Ernst & Younger worker—whose household cited work-related stress as an element—spotlight the extreme psychological pressure confronted by overburdened staff.
Maybe probably the most insidious final result of extended working hours is the dehumanisation of staff. When workers are considered solely as instruments for producing revenue, their sense of dignity and self-worth is affected. They really feel undervalued, disengaged, and expendable.
The repercussions prolong past people, affecting households and communities. Staff typically sacrifice time with family members, resulting in strained relationships inside households. Kids develop up with absent mother and father and companions wrestle to keep up wholesome relationships.
Work-related stress additionally erodes social ties and fosters isolation, compounding the adverse results on psychological well being. A society that prioritises a employee’s output over their well-being creates a disconnected and emotionally unfulfilled populace.
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Towards a sustainable work culture
The prevailing tradition of overwork is unsustainable. To handle this, companies and governments should implement initiatives comparable to capping working hours, providing versatile schedules, and making certain satisfactory go away.
Governments play a essential position in implementing labour legal guidelines that safeguard staff’ rights. Regulatory frameworks that promote work-life stability, psychological well being help, and truthful compensation can pave the way in which for a extra sustainable and humane financial mannequin.
India’s future success relies upon not on the amount of hours put in by its workforce however on the standard of its contributions. Embracing a balanced method that values productiveness alongside human dignity will foster a more healthy, happier, and extra revolutionary society.
I strongly advocate for a shift to a four-day workweek, which begins at noon on Monday and wraps up earlier than noon on Friday. Launched in France final yr and below trial in a number of nations across the globe, the four-day mannequin benefits severe consideration as a step towards a extra sustainable work tradition.
Essentially the most profitable societies of tomorrow won’t be outlined by relentless labour however by their dedication to psychological well being and human flourishing. In the end, the query is not only how a lot we work, however how effectively we stay.
Karti P Chidambaram is a Member of Parliament for Sivaganga and a Member of the All India Congress Committee. He’s additionally the Vice President of the Tamil Nadu Tennis Affiliation. His X deal with is @KartiPC. Views are private.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
