L&T report hailing ‘mandatory annual leave, stress management’ in focus amid fury over ‘90-hour work week’
Larsen and Toubro's chairman sparked outrage by advocating for 90-hour work weeks, leading to a company clarification on the remarks.
Larsen and Toubro went viral on Friday as chairman S N Subrahmanyan called for 90 hour work weeks. The remarks had prompted outrage on social media platforms and eventually prompted a clarification from the company. Annual reports from the company have now come into focus for their emphasis on ‘prioritising stress management’ and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
“How long can you stare at your wife? I regret I am not able to make you work on Sundays. If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays,” Subrahmanyan can be heard saying in the undated clip.
The remarks have since brought the company's annual reports — which touch upon the need to "prioritise stress management" — into focus.
“The Company encourages its workforce to prioritise stress management techniques such as mindfulness, exercise, and seeking support when needed. Counselling, coaching, and sensitisation workshops are also being organised for employees to enable them to handle challenging situations. Furthermore, keeping in mind the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and enhancing the employee experience, a mandatory leave of 10 days in a year has been introduced to ensure employees have dedicated time to rejuvenate and recharge,” read an excerpt from its 2024 annual report.
The post was flagged on Instagram by actor Deepika Padukone who stressed the need to safeguard mental health in light of the ‘shocking’ assertion. Meanwhile Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi contended that the post “reeked of wanting to be the new age slave drivers of India”. Many others have also questioned why highly paid CEOs with different job pressures expect the same level of commitment from less-paid employees.
The remarks also re-ignited the work-life balance debate that was triggered by Narayana Murthy in 2024. The Infosys co-founder had insisted that India had one of the lowest work productivity levels in the world and urged youngsters to work 70-hour weeks.
The company eventually issued a clarification on the matter, noting that the remarks were in the context of extraordinary efforts required for achieving extraordinary outcomes for the nation.
“We believe this is India's decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress and realise our shared vision of becoming a developed nation. The chairman's remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasising that extraordinary effort,” a spokesperson explained.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Business NewsCompaniesNewsL&T report hailing ‘mandatory annual leave, stress management’ in focus amid fury over ‘90-hour work week’
First Published:10 Jan 2025, 03:39 PM IST
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