Anand Mahindra Weighs In On 90-Hour Work Week Debate, Stresses Quality Over Quantity (Image:X/anandmahindra)
The Chairman of the Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra has joined the ongoing debate on the ideal workweek as this comes after L&T Chairman SN Subrahmanyan sparked controversy by suggesting that employees should work 90 hours a week, even giving up Sundays for work.
Speaking at the National Youth Festival in New Delhi on Saturday, Anand Mahindra stated that the focus should be on the quality of work, not the quantity of hours worked.
“It’s not about 40 hours, 70 hours, or 90 hours. What output are you doing?” he asked. Mahindra also pointed out that significant change can be achieved in just 10 hours of work.
Mahindra stressed the importance of having a well-rounded life, enriched by arts, culture, and family time. He argued that this makes for better decision-makers.
“You make better decisions when you have a whole brain when you are informed about arts, culture, that’s when you make a good decision,” he explained.
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Mahindra also highlighted the value of spending time with family and friends, as well as personal reflection, in contributing to better leadership and creativity.
“If we are only in the office all the time, we are not with our families, we are not with other families. How are we going to understand what people want to buy?” he added.
Addressing concerns about his social media usage, Anand Mahindra reassured his followers on X, “I’m not on social media because I’m lonely or avoiding work. My wife is wonderful, and I truly enjoy spending time with her.”
He clarified that his online presence is actually a valuable business tool, allowing him to gather feedback from a large audience.
Mahindra’s comments were in response to a recent remark from Larsen & Toubro Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, which was widely criticised as insensitive and out of touch with work-life balance realities. Subrahmanyan had suggested that employees should work 90 hours a week and give up Sundays for work, sparking outrage online.
Other business leaders, including Harsh Goenka and Gautam Adani, have also weighed in on the debate. Goenka mocked the idea of a 90-hour work week, saying it would lead to burnout and neglect of personal well-being.
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“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,” Goenka said.
Adani, on the other hand, stated that work-life balance is a personal choice, adding a dash of humour to the conversation he said Aath ghanta family ke saath bitayega tho biwi bhaag jaayegi” (Wife will go away if you spent 8 long hours with family).
(With inputs from agencies)
