The Karnataka government’s recent announcements on work have set off a churn among professionals, especially in the tech workforce. While the jobs-for-locals quota proposal ran into considerable opposition and was put on hold, the IT industry has mooted a 14-hour workday and is pressuring the government to allow it. The change from a 48-hour workweek to a 70-hour one would be a nod to Infosys founder N Narayana Murthy, who floated the idea a few months ago.
The traditional 9-5 shift would be history, and 9-11 the new normal. Techies fear 14-hour shifts will lead to one of the three daily shifts being scrapped, and consequent job losses. The government and IT companies must carefully weigh the pros and cons, as this can heap trouble on an already-stagnant job market. It will be self-defeating for the government, which has promised more jobs in all sectors.
That apart, a lengthy workweek can be detrimental to physical and mental health, and throw work-life balance out of the window. For a Bengaluru IT worker, a regular day would include 14 hours at work and 2-3 hours navigating the city’s notorious traffic, leaving her with a mere 7 hours to reboot. Keeping long hours can bring on spinal problems, digestive issues, high stress and sleep disturbances, and eventually, burnout.
It would also mean IT workers will be forced into an insular lifestyle with little or no time for familial duties or pursuit of pleasure. This could lead to high attrition, especially among women, whose post-pandemic participation in the workforce has already shrunk. It also raises the question whether salaries and perks will increase proportionately to the hours worked.
India appears to be at odds with the world on work culture. The pandemic offered flexible hours and remote work. At 29 hours, the Netherlands has the shortest workweek. While most countries average 48 hours a week, the US, South Africa, Australia, Portugal and Brazil are trialling four-day weeks; even the Japanese government is encouraging it. The result is a drop in stress levels and sleep issues. Indian IT companies ought to take tips from these experiments and consult experts before attempting to set up sweatshops. While hard work may not kill, it can shorten lives and suck the joy out of living.