Using Management Tools and Theories To Decipher the Relationship Between Work Hours and Productivity
The recent statement by the chairman of Larsen and Toubro, pushing for employees to work 90 hours a week, stirred up backlash, which was first instigitated by Infosys co-founder Narayan Murthy's repeated defense of the belief that employees should invest 70 hours of their week working for the benefit of their organization, thus streamlining the nation's progress. Netizens were upset and furious over the neglect of work-life balance, calling out the toxic work culture that has been normalised and promoted in corporates, masked by words with disciplinary connotations such as 'work ethic.' It makes sense to dissect the argument from a hypothetical angle, using theoritical tools and concepts taught to management students, as that would simultaneously help in understanding their relevance and practical application in corporate affairs. The ideal scenario for leaders like Mr. Narayan Murthy and Mr. S.N. Subrahmanyan, would be one where employees are generating the highest pos...