Posted on : 24th November 2023

Why Should We Have a 70 Hours Work Week in Today’s Times?

By making a case for a 70-hour work week, Narayana Murthy, the co-founder of Infosys, has sparked a heated debate in the entire country recently. The question of whether a work culture that is similar to the post–World War II work culture in countries like Germany and Japan will be helpful in positioning India as a global economic contender is garnering both support as well as skepticism. Narayana Murthy’s 70-hour workweek remark indeed accompanies some very important benefits for the individuals concerned, as much as the country’s economic development and progress, and it merits a deeper analysis.

Since the younger demographic is comparatively unburdened by the responsibilities that come with marriage and making a family, the positive effects of working 70 hours a week should not be discarded when it comes to them as well as the country. For India to be globally competitive, its work productivity has to go up, and where is this energy going to come from if not from the youth of our country who are willing to devote themselves to a 70-hour work week?

This is not only about channeling the energy of the youth for the nation, but it is also about having them build their own professional expertise and strengthen their financial independence for the future. Moreover, Narayana Murthy’s 70-hour workweek remark to urge youngsters to boost their work productivity may seem daunting at first, to be sure, but it need not equate to an unbalanced lifestyle marked by poor work-life balance and mental health.

There is certainly not a one-size-fits-all approach, and since this is so, perhaps working 70 hours a week is nothing if it is talked about in the context of energetic youngsters. Rather, youngsters should dedicate their energy and potential to a 70-hour work week for their personal growth and financial security for the time when they will have a family and grow older, at which stage they may consider reducing their work hours to fulfill other responsibilities.

Also, perhaps working 70 hours a week is nothing compared to its economic benefits for individuals, communities, and the country in the long run, especially when a positive work environment is created, absolutely keeping professional growth and personal well-being of the ones concerned, well in mind.

There lies a transformative power in the collective dedication towards work, or to put it another way, there are transformative effects of working 70 hours a week collectively. For this to come about, personal and professional lives have to be seamlessly integrated through a work culture that helps everyone fulfill their personal responsibilities while they dedicate themselves to work. A nuanced approach is indeed required to address health-related issues and issues such as burnout. Flexible and remote work arrangements can prove beneficial in such a case.

The emphasis is, therefore, both on balancing the number of hours put in and personal well-being, which is not as hard to achieve for youngsters as is generally thought, since there are many young business-oriented minds and even older ones like Elon Musk who put in much more hours when it comes to work. All in all, a collaborative effort is needed to strike this balance.

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