 "'Quality over quantity': Adar Poonawalla, Anand Mahindra on 90-hr work week")
Industrialists Anand Mahindra and Adar Poonawalla have jumped into the 90-hour work week debate, emphasising the need for quality of work over quantity.
The debate started after Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, in a recent interaction with employees, advocated for a 90-hour work week. He said he would make them work even on Sundays if he could.
“How long can you stare at your wife," Subrahmanyan remarked, which went viral on social media. His remarks were a reminder of the similar comments made by Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, who advocated for a 70-hour work week.
Weighing on the debate, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra said the current debate is heading in the "wrong direction." Speaking at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025 in Delhi, he said the focus should be on the quality of work and not on the quantity, as "one can change the world in 10 hours." Also Read | Why L&T chairman's 'work on Sundays' is problematic for overworked India
Mahindra, while reiterating his respect for Narayana Murthy and others, said, "Let me not get this wrong, of course, but I have to say something. I think this debate is in the wrong direction because this debate is about the quantity of work."
"My point is we have to focus on the quality of work, not on the quantity of work. So, it's not about 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," news agency PTI quoted him as saying.
In a light-hearted remark, Mahindra said, "My wife is wonderful. I love staring at her."
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"If you're not spending time at home, if you're not spending time with friends, if you're not reading, if you don't have time to reflect, how will you bring the right inputs into making a decision?" he added.
Mahindra's thoughts were also echoed by Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla. "Yes @anandmahindra, even my wife @NPoonawalla thinks i am wonderful, she loves staring at me on Sundays. Quality of work over quantity always," Poonawalla tweeted.
Last month, billionaire Gautam Adani also waded into the work-life balance debate when he said the spouse would leave if one was to spend eight hours with the family.
He had reportedly stated that work-life balance is a matter of personal choice. "Your idea of work-life balance should not be imposed on me, and my idea shouldn't be imposed on you. Say, someone spends 4 hours with family and finds joy in it, or if someone else spends 8 hours and enjoys it, that is their work-life balance," Adani said.
"Aath ghanta family ke saath bitayega tho biwi bhaag jaayegi (Wife will leave if one spends eight hours with family)," he added. (With inputs from agencies)