After dealing with sturdy backlash over its Chairman SN Subrahmanyan’s suggestion to staff to work 90 hours every week — together with Sundays, the L&T mentioned on Friday that the Chairman’s remarks replicate the bigger ambition of nation-building, “emphasising that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort”.
In a video message to staff that went viral on social media, Mr Subrahmanyan mentioned: “What do you do sitting at residence? How lengthy are you able to stare at your spouse? How lengthy can wives stare at their husbands? Go to the workplace and begin working”.
“Truthfully, I’m sorry that I’m not capable of make you’re employed on Sundays. I might be happier if I could make you’re employed on Sundays, as a result of I work on Sundays too,” mentioned the L&T Chairman.
An organization spokesperson mentioned in a press release that for over eight many years, “now we have been shaping India’s infrastructure, industries, and technological capabilities”.
“We imagine that is India’s decade, a time demanding collective dedication and energy to drive progress and realise our shared imaginative and prescient of changing into a developed nation,” mentioned the spokesperson.
“The Chairman’s remarks replicate this bigger ambition, emphasising that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort. At L&T, we stay dedicated to fostering a tradition the place ardour, objective, and efficiency drive us ahead,” the spokesperson additional said.
In his video message, Mr Subrahmanyan inspired L&T staff to work tougher. He spoke a couple of dialog he had with a Chinese language man who mentioned that China might overtake the US due to its sturdy work ethic.
In keeping with Mr Subrahmanyan, the Chinese language man mentioned, “Chinese language folks work 90 hours every week, whereas Individuals work solely 50 hours every week.”
The video obtained a backlash from netizens on social media platforms, together with on-line dialogue discussion board Reddit, with many customers evaluating it to Infosys founder Murthy’s assertion about working 70 hours a day.
From Bollywood famous person Deepika Padukone to Harsh Goenka, Chairperson of the RPG Group, high celebrities additionally condemned Mr Subrahmanyan’s remarks.
“90 hours every week? Why not rename Sunday to ‘Solar-duty’ and make ‘time off’ a legendary idea! Working onerous and good is what I imagine in, however turning life right into a perpetual workplace shift? That is a recipe for burnout, not success. Work-life stability is not non-compulsory, it is important. Properly, that is my view! #WorkSmartNotSlave,” Mr Goenka posted on X.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)