Infosys co-founder NR Narayana Murthy’s advice for 70-hour work weeks has left the internet and India Inc in a deep divide. The 77-year-old billionaire suggested on a podcast that Indians under thirty must be ready to work 70 hours a week to boost the country’s productivity and keep apace the world’s most advanced economies. Many sided with Murthy.
JSW Group chairman Sajjan Jindal said the five-day week work culture was not suited for a large and developing country like India; he even cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 14-16 hours-a-day work ethic to make his point. Others were not in the mood to agree. Health practitioners were quick to point at the rising heart attacks among youngsters, while some others called it a sweatshop mentality. Edelweiss Mutual Fund CEO Radhika Gupta drew attention to the burden of Indian women who have to divide time between office and home without even being recognised for the more than 70 hours they put in every week.
The 70-hours-a-week comment must not be seen only from a corporate perspective. Narayana Murthy’s suggestion was based on the work productivity of Indians, which happens to be one of the lowest in the world. The International Labour Organization says India’s labour productivity (calculated as GDP per hour worked) stands at $8.47, comparable with Japan’s $39.6. This number has to be raised if we are to move up the pyramid, which is why Narayana Murthy’s suggestion is not totally outrageous. Especially given the country’s drive to improve the share of the self-employed, productivity must see commensurate growth, which has not yet happened.
However, it would be a one-dimensional view to believe that merely stretching work hours would do the trick. Such a stretch can be counterproductive, too. One must not lose sight of the fact that more than 80 per cent of India’s workforce is in the unorganised sector, sweating away long hours often in debilitating conditions. Their productivity will be key to the country’s goal of becoming an economic superpower. It would require major reforms; the central government is seized of the need and has formulated new labour codes bringing in its ambit social security, safety and working conditions as well as occupational health. India also needs a fresh look at its under-employment rate. Using the demographic advantage to mould a skilled workforce would automatically translate into high productivity—that is the need of the hour.