New Delhi: Anand MahindraChairman of Mahindra GroupAfter L&T chairman SN Subrahmanyan’s comments, which sparked widespread online outrage, the debate over the ideal workweek joined the debate. Speaking at the National Youth Festival in New Delhi on Saturday, Mahindra said the real issue is not the number of hours worked but the quality of output.
“We have to focus on the quality of work, not the quantity of work. It’s not 40 hours, 70 hours or 90 hours. What are you doing?” Mahindra emphasized. He added that even just 10 hours of work can achieve significant change.
You make better decisions when you have a whole brain: Mahindra
Expanding his ideas further, Mahindra emphasized the importance of a good life. He argued that familiarity with various fields, including arts and culture, makes for better decision-makers. Mahindra explained, as reported by news agency PTI, “You make better decisions when you have a whole brain, when you are informed about arts, culture, You make a good decision.”
They also point out that spending time with family, friends, and engaging in personal reflection contributes to better leadership and creativity. “If we’re just in the office all the time, we’re not with our families, we’re not with other families. How are we going to understand what people want to buy?” He added.
Addressing his followers on X, who often question how much time he spends on social media instead of working, Mahindra explained, “I want to be clear – I’m on X not because I I’m lonely. My wife is amazing, and I love spending time with her. I’m not here because people don’t realize how powerful it is on a platform.”
How long can you stare at your wife? Chairman of L&T
In a video circulating online, the L&T chairman advocated a 90 hour work week And suggested that employees should also leave Sundays for work. His comment, “How long can you stare at your wife?” was widely criticized as insensitive and out of touch with the facts Work-life balance. Subramanian also cited a conversation with a Chinese professional who claimed that a 90-hour work week would help overtake the US, where workers typically only work 50 hours.
Also read: ‘How long can you stare at your spouse?’ The L&T chief supported working on Sundays.
90 hours a week? Why not change the name of Sunday to ‘Sun Duty’? Harsh Goenka
Business leaders have expressed strong opposition to Subramanian’s remarks. Harsh Goenka, chairman of RPG Enterprises, took to social media to mock the idea of a 90-hour work week, saying, “90 hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to ‘sun duty’ and ‘day off’?” “Work-life balance is not optional, it’s essential,” he said.
‘If you tell the family for eight hours, then the wife will run away’: Gautham Adani
Gautam Adani also joined the discussion on work-life balance, saying that it is a personal choice. Referring to the oft-discussed issue of family time, Adani said, “Aath ghanta ke tey ga te bivi bhag gaye gaye” (if one spends eight hours with the family, the wife will go away).
Also read: Gautham Adani’s playful response to Narayan Murthy’s 70-hour workweek suggestion
This follows comments by Infosys chairman Narayan Murthy, who suggested that young workers should be prepared to work up to 70 hours a week.