Anand Mahindra shares views on 90-hour workweek row: ‘This debate is in wrong direction, focus on quality, not…’
Anand Mahindra emphasises prioritising work quality over the number of hours worked, arguing that impactful output can be achieved in even shorter hours, regardless of whether the workweek is 40, 70, or 90 hours long.
Amid an ongoing row over a 90-hour workweek after Larsen and Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan's controversial remark, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has stressed the need to focus on quality over quantity.
Mahindra made the remark while speaking at Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025 in Delhi.
The industrialist joined several others who commented on work-life balance, including politicians and celebrities, after the L&T chairman ignited a fresh debate advocating a 90-hour workweek while suggesting that employees should even give up Sundays.
"I have huge respect for Narayana Murthy (founder of Infosys) and others. So let me not get this wrong, of course. But I have to say something, I think this debate is in the wrong direction," reported ANI, quoting Anand Mahindra.
Stating that his point is that we have to focus on the quality of work, not on the quantity of work, Mahindra added, “So it's not about 48, 40 hours, it's not about 70 hours, it's not about 90 hours. What output are you doing even if it's 10 hours? You can change the world in 10 hours.”'
“I love staring at my wife”
Further, when asked how much time he spends on X, Mahindra said that he was not on social media to make friends but because it is an amazing business tool.
"I'm on X on social media not because I'm lonely. My wife is wonderful, I love staring at her. I spend more time. So I'm not here to make friends. I'm here because people don't understand it is an amazing business tool," he remarked.
Who is Anand Mahindra's wife?
Anuradha Mahindra is a journalist and entrepreneur who founded two lifestyle magazines — Verve and Man’s World. The couple had met while she was a psychology student at Sophia College and the businessman reportedly proposed to her while they were just 17 years old.
Work-Life Balance
The work-life balance row was first triggered by Infosys Co-Founder Narayana Murthy, who suggested a 70-hour workweek.
In an undated video circulating on social media, L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, said, "How long can you stare at your wife? If I can make you work on Sundays, I will be more happy, because I work on Sundays. What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? How long can the wives stare at their husbands? Come on, get to the office and start working.”
Industry Leaders React
On Friday, Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto, also said that what matters is quality of work, not hours.
'Let 90 hours start from the top," said Rajiv Bajaj in an interview with CNBC-TV18, adding, “Number of hours of work doesn’t matter, quality of work does. We need a kinder, gentler world more than ever before.”
RPG Group Chairman Harsh Goenka said that work-life balance isn’t optional, it’s essential.
“90 hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to ‘Sun-duty’ and make ‘day off’ a mythical concept! Working hard and smart is what I believe in, but turning life into a perpetual office shift? That’s a recipe for burnout, not success. Work-life balance isn’t optional, it’s essential,” said Goenka in a post on X.
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First Published:11 Jan 2025, 07:54 PM IST
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