70 Hours workweek debate: Are We Measuring Time or Creating Meaningful Impact?

The recent 70–90 hour workweek debate triggered by Mr N.R. Narayana Murhty and echoed by Chairman of Larsen & Toubro, Mr Subrahmanyan has sparked widespread conversation. While I deeply admire both these stalwarts, I offer a different lens, one grounded in my own experience, reflection, and some hard-earned lessons.

I don’t believe that productivity is proportional to the number of hours clocked in.

What truly drives outcomes? It is joyful, and impactful engagement. Its all about the culture and It’s not about adding more hours. It’s about being present, fulfilled, and connected to the work you do.

I’ve witnessed something interesting at Escorts which was my first job, I experimented with gamification, becoming a part of the team, infusing purpose and fun into daily routines. When people played as teams, morale soared, outcomes improved.

In another company, which had been making losses for four years, we rebuilt the culture around empowerment and ownership. No extra hours just trust and energy. In three months, we turned it around.

People don’t need pressure from the top. They need purpose from within.

Let’s build workplaces where outcomes flow from joy, not obligation.

Let’s stop counting hours and start creating impact.

From the pages of my book Dil Se Dost
“Joyful effort beats forced exertion. Every. Single. Time.”

These are my humble reflections. The views expressed by some of the stalwarts come from their own beliefs and experiences and are equally valid. Each of us must choose what resonates with our own journey. Your view may be different, and that’s perfectly okay.

April 2025