Genpact's 10-hour workday sparks employee outrage, online backlash grows

Genpact faces employee backlash as 10-hour work mandate sparks concerns over burnout, digital surveillance, and a complete lack of formal communication

In the middle of ongoing global debates around work-life balance, Genpact, a major player in the technology and services sector, finds itself at the centre of a storm. The company has introduced a controversial new policy mandating a 10-hour workday, which officially came into effect in mid-June. But what has truly sparked uproar is not just the extended hours — it’s the lack of clarity, communication, and any meaningful increase in base pay.

 

According to a report by The Hindu, Genpact’s internal system will now track employees’ daily active hours through a proprietary productivity portal. Those who meet the 10-hour threshold can earn up to 500 points a month, translating to Rs 3,000 in incentives. However, for any time logged beyond the mandatory 10 hours, employees are rewarded with only a marginal 5 per cent bonus — about Rs 150. There is no revision in base salary despite the extended hours.

 

The policy has caused widespread unrest, particularly in the company’s Hyderabad office, where the atmosphere is reportedly “tense” and morale is taking a hit. The bigger issue, employees say, lies in how the new rules were communicated or rather, weren’t.

 

“There’s nothing on paper. It’s all word of mouth. If anyone challenges it, they’re accused of being difficult and risk termination,” said a senior recruitment staff member to The Hindu. The absence of an official HR circular has only deepened the confusion, with managers and team leads passing on the policy informally. 

 

The backlash has spilled over onto social media. Employees have taken to social media platforms to express concerns about the long-term effects of such a policy on mental health and workplace culture.

 

Abhishek Sharma, assistant manager at Genpact, voiced his opinion in a widely shared post: “#For10HrLogin – Is this the new standard or a step backward? As professionals striving for excellence, we're no strangers to going the extra mile. But mandating a 10-hour login raises some important questions about work-life balance, productivity, and mental health… Extended login hours can lead to burnout, reduced creativity, and disengagement. I urge leadership to reconsider – is this sustainable, and is it truly what drives growth?”

 

Others have echoed this frustration online. On X, a user wrote: “Wow @Genpact really said, ‘Forget a life outside work!’ With 70 per cent of employees earning under 10Lakh/year, they’ve now blessed you with a 10-hour workday. Add Bangalore’s 3-4 hour traffic jam, and poof—14 hours of your day gone! Marriage? Kids? Nah, Genpact’s your soulmate now.”

 

The criticism hasn’t stopped there. On Reddit, a user called the move “absolutely pathetic” and pointed out that, “the company increased working hours to 10, without increasing salary.”

 

The same user added that employees must now meet “WAM” — a tool that reportedly tracks keystrokes and activity in detail.

 

“You have to maintain 9 hrs of those out of 10 now, or you get warning mails. 3-4 of such emails and they deduct your bonus and kill appraisals (sic),” the post added.