After Deepika Padukone, Harsh Goenka condemns L&T chairman's remarks

A controversial statement by L&T's chairman about working 90 hours a week has sparked a heated debate about work-life balance in India. Celebrities like Harsh Goenka and Deepika Padukone have publicly criticized the remarks, emphasizing the importance of mental health. The incident highlights the ongoing tension between corporate ambition and employee well-being in the Indian workplace. L&T has defended the statement, framing it as part of a larger national progress narrative.

"90 hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to 'Sun-duty'?" - Harsh Goenka

by IANS January 10, 2025 103 views

Mumbai, Jan 10: After Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone expressed her concern over Larsen & Toubro chairman's statement, Harsh Goenka, Chairperson of the RPG Group has condemned SN Subrahmanyan's remarks.

Key Points

1. Harsh Goenka condemns unrealistic work expectations

2. Deepika Padukone advocates for mental health awareness

3. L&T defends chairman's remarks on national progress

4. Business leaders debate workforce productivity

Subrahmanyan had made a shocking statement as he urged his employees to work for 90 hours a week, and even report to work on Sundays.

Goenka took to his X, formerly called Twitter, to share his thoughts and said "work smart not slave."

"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. Well, that's my view! #WorkSmartNotSlave," Goenka tweeted.

On January 9, Deepika, a mental health advocate, called out Subrahmanyan over his blatant disregard for labour laws in the country, and mental health.

She re-shared journalist Faye D'Souza's post about the same and wrote, "Shocking to see people in such senior positions make such statements. #MentalHealthMatters".

This is not the first instance of a businessman making such vague statements, and having unrealistic demands from India's workforce. Earlier, Infosys co-founder N. R. Narayana Murthy had sparked a controversy when he asked the young Indians to work for 70 hours in a week to put the nation on the path of progress.

D'Souza then shared a statement issued by Larsen & Toubro, which read: "At L&T, nation-building is at the core of our mandate. For over eight decades, we have been shaping India's infrastructure, industries, and technological capabilities. We believe this is India's decade, a time demanding collective dedication and effort to drive progress and realize our shared vision of becoming a developed nation."

"The Chairman's remarks reflect this larger ambition, emphasizing that extraordinary outcomes require extraordinary effort. At L&T, we remain committed to fostering a culture where passion, purpose, and performance drive us forward."

Deepika re-shared the post and captioned it: "And they just made it worse..."