Is working 12-hour a day acceptable? Occasionally, yes—but there’s more to the story. The line between acceptable and excessive is thin, and both employees and companies must be careful. The employees have to stick to managing their working time with sincerity and the employer should be careful about employees’ burnout.

• Employee Habits: Are you managing your time, or are long hours a result of late starts and extended breaks?
• Company Pressure: Is your employer expecting these hours regularly, or is it a one-off incident?
• The Balance: Taking WFHs and leaves without planning, unless urgent to avoid work during times when the team needs you.

Employees need to manage their time responsibly. Just showing up doesn’t count—being present and productive does. What’s not okay? From the company’s side is:

* Expecting 12-hour days consistently—it’s unsustainable.

* Understaffing, causes extra work to fall on others regularly.

* Failing to pay employees fairly for the work they do.

Mutual respect is critical. Companies need to understand that happy, engaged employees are productive employees and are going to stay longer. Remember, “Ek haath se taali nahin bajti — It takes two hands to clap. In these moments, both sides discover if they’re truly compatible. And if not, it’s okay to part ways sooner rather than later.