TCS Managing Director and CEO K Krithivasan recently weighed in on the ongoing debate about work-life balance, which was ignited by comments from industry figures like L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, who proposed that employees should work 90 hours a week.
This followed a previous statement by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy advocating for 70-hour workweeks. In contrast, Krithivasan stressed that achieving a healthy balance is more important than focusing on the number of hours worked.
“There are weeks I work 60 hours, there are weeks that I work only 40 hours. I think over a period of time you find your own balance and you become happy,” he said speaking with Business Today.
Krithivasan’s perspective on youth and work ethics
When asked about the younger generation’s preference for work-life balance over long working hours, Krithivasan chose not to criticise the youth workforce, according to the news report.
“They (youth) put in their best effort,” he was quoted as saying.
“We have to see the spirit of what they said. We’re just getting into meme war and meme-fest. That’s not doing justice to the veterans and what they have achieved over the years,” he stated.
Krithivasan’s views on working on Sunday
In response to Subrahmanyan’s suggestion of a 90-hour workweek and giving up Sundays, Krithivasan advised not to take the remarks out of context.
“Don’t take whatever he said out of context. Because I was not there, you were not there when he said that. Taking something out of context is unfair to them,” Krithivasan was quoted as saying in the report.
“There are times we worked on Sundays when something is going live on a Monday. But there are times when you don’t work on Thursday, Friday, Saturday also because there is not much of work or you work the previous week,” Krithivasan was reported as saying.
Work-life balance is personal, says Krithivasan
Krithivasan emphasised that work-life balance is about what works best for the individual.
“As I said, work-life balance is something that you find most comfortable to you and sometimes what the situation demands,” he said. He also emphasised that working on Sundays will not become a regular expectation, stating, “No one will be asked to work on Sundays for extended periods. We’re making too much of this.”
Workweek debate sparks backlash over work-life balance
The workweek debate has sparked renewed outrage over work-life balance, following controversial remarks by L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan and Infosys Co-Founder Narayana Murthy. Subrahmanyan’s suggestion of a 90-hour workweek, which included giving up Sundays, faced backlash after he made the comment, “How long can you stare at your wife?” This remark was widely criticised on social media for being detrimental to employee well-being.
Murthy had previously fueled similar reactions by advocating for a 70-hour workweek to drive changes in India’s work culture. The ongoing debate continues to raise concerns about employee health and the growing expectations in workplaces.
