70, 90, 120 and counting: The evolving debate on ideal work hours

Leading voices from the world of business have expressed their opinions on how many hours people should work, but the debate over the work week remains complicated

How long should a work week be? What are those magic hours that employees should clock every week to give their best: 70, 90, 120? Should those hours be over and above the work people bring home, the time spent on which doesn’t get accounted for?

  Ask those who are at the centre of this debate but have little say in the matter, and they throw in their hands in exasperation. Their refrain is: We are already working those many hours, sometimes more.

  Ajay Patil (name changed on request), who has been working in the information technology services