'Unless we improve our work productivity… we will not be able to compete with those countries that have made tremendous progress'
The co-founder of IT consulting firm Infosys is asking young Indians to work extended hours weekly to help boost the country's economic power.
Narayana Murthy, former CEO of the India-headquartered organisation, said improving work productivity and reducing corruption will allow India to compete with countries that have progressed over the past years.
"So therefore, my request is that our youngsters must say: 'This is my country. I want to work 70 hours a week,'" Murthy told Mohandas Pai, former Infosys chief financial officer, in an interview published on YouTube.
Demand for work-life balance
Murthy made the request despite the growing demand for better work-life balance among Indian employees following low levels of wellbeing at workplaces, according to a joint report from Indeed and Forrester Consulting.
The report found that Indian employees are starting to demand flexible working arrangements and hybrid work – benefits that have seen growing momentum across the world to improve wellbeing at work.
Indian employers also need to "tone down their expectations regarding 'hustle culture,'" according to the report's press release, as published on CXOtoday.com
But Murthy called out the habit of India's youth of "taking not-so desirable habits from the West."
"India's work productivity is one of the lowest in the world," the Infosys co-founder said. "Our culture has to change to that of highly determined, extremely disciplined, and extremely hardworking people."
Should youth work 12-hour days?
Murthy explained that he addressed his request to the youth as it was the first time in 300 years that India is receiving respect from other nations – and the youth is expected to take over workplaces soon.
"It is the responsibility of every Indian, but more so the youth, to consolidate on that respect and to enhance that respect manyfold," he said.
And according to the executive, the only way to gain the world's respect is through performance.
"Performance leads to recognition, recognition leads to respect, and respect leads to power," he said.
"So, therefore, my request to all the wonderful youth of this country is that realise this and work 12-hour days for the next 20 years, 50 years, whatever it is, so that India too becomes a number one nation or number two nation, whatever it is, in terms of its GDP.
