Tech CEO Says Work Weeks Should Be 70 Hours Because He Doesn't 'Believe In Work/Life Balance'
He claimed that people should be working for every hour that they're awake.
insta_photos | Shutterstock Most people struggle with adhering to the standard 40-hour work weeks, but a tech CEO has suggested that instead of listening to the mass cries for better work-life balance and employers realizing that overworking their staff won't lead to better results, companies should instead require their employees spend even more hours in the office.
Despite the overwhelming research and data that suggests otherwise, Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of a tech company called Infosys, stands by his work ethic.
A tech CEO claimed that work weeks should be 70 hours because he 'doesn't believe in work/life balance.'
According to TechSpot, the Indian entrepreneur faced a bit of criticism after claiming that there are benefits to working every hour that you're awake. He had previously insisted that young people should work 70-hour weeks and doubled down on those comments by saying that he doesn't "believe in work/life balance."
In October 2023, Murthy explained that young people should work twelve-hour days for the "next 20 years, 50 years, whatever it is," out of respect and a sense of duty to their nation and to support future generations. However, his appeal for 70-hour work weeks directly violates India's labor laws and is considered illegal in the country.
At a CNBC Global Leadership Summit in January 2024, he was asked if he still stood by his 70-hour-week proposal. "Absolutely," he said. "I don't believe in work-life balance […] I have not changed my view; I will take this with me to my grave." he told CNBC-TV18.
The tech CEO believes the work week should be 6 days instead of 5.
Murthy seemed to have equal problems with employees having the weekend off and expressed an interest in companies moving back to a 6-day work week instead of 5 days.
"I was not very happy with that. I think in this country, we have to work very hard because there is no substitute for hard work, even if you're the most intelligent guy," he continued.
"We owe it to the poor people to work hard and make the quality of their life a little bit better," he said, adding that he once used to go into the office at 6.20 a.m. every day and go home at 8.30 p.m. — 14 hours each day — for six and a half days a week until he retired.
Somehow, Murthy must have missed the promising data coming from companies who tested the impact of a 4-day work week on profitability. Surprise! Happier workers mean more productive employees. Guess what that results in? Higher profitability!
Considering a Bankrate survey from 2023 found that 89% of American employees support a transition to a shorter workweek, Murthy's wish for a future of around-the-clock work won't fly despite the pro-billionaire business cabinet coming into office in January.
Having people work 70-hour weeks is both unreasonable and unsustainable for their mental health and overall well-being.
Even with the standard 40-hour work weeks, people still have trouble finding a balance between their personal lives and professional ones.
This is especially true when they work for a company that couldn't care less about the type of mental state their employees are in by refusing to adhere to the very basic request of either having more time off or being able to work less during the week.
RollingCamera | Canva Pro
One-third of Americans say work is adversely impacting their mental health, and 80% say they feel stress at work. Plus, the incidences of burnout have risen from 43% in 2022 to 62% in 2023. A recent workplace report revealed alarming rates of burnout among women executives, with over a third reporting burnout.
Similarly, a Monster poll on Mental Health in the Workplace reveals that three out of four workers say their mental health at work is negative, with 40% reporting "poor" and 34% saying their mental health is just "fair."
So, to advise companies to start forcing their employees to work more when people are desperately trying to lower the 40-hour work week and have 4-day weeks instead is a bit preposterous.
Work shouldn't take up every moment of your life. People have families, friends, significant others, pets, and social lives that they shouldn't have to give up because their employer is demanding they spend more time in the office. For what? Just so that they can have more money in their pockets?
It's ridiculous and one of the main reasons why Americans are quite unhappy and lonely.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.