Nov 15, 2024 11:04 AM IST
At an event, Narayana Murthy said that he doesn’t believe in work life balance, and was disappointed with the shift to a five-day work week.
Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy once again reiterated his statement of not believing in work-life balance, expressing his disappointment on the concept of a five-day work week. Speaking at the CNBC Global Leadership Summit, Narayana Murthy said, “I don’t believe in work in work life balance”. He further said that he will stand firmly on this opinion and “will take it to the grave”.
On being questioned on his views on the work-life balance in India, Narayana Murthy talked about how KV Kamath, Independent Director and Non-Executive Chairman of Jio Financial Services, once said that India is a poor and developing country with a lot of challenges that need focus, rather than worrying about the work-life balance.
“Frankly, I was very disappointed when in 1986 we shifted from six-day work week to five-day work week,” he said. The Infosys founder further said, “When PM Modi is working 100 hours a week, the only way to show our appreciation for the things that are happening around us is by our work.”
“In India, there is no alternative to hard work. You have to work very hard even if you are smart. I am proud of having worked hard all my life. So I’m sorry I have not changed my view, I will take this opinion to the grave,” Murthy said at the event.
Read more: ‘Tap management schools for IAS officers’: Narayana Murthy to PM Modi
He further said that India’s development hinges on sacrifice and effort, rather than comfort and relaxation, and without hard work and long hours, the country will struggle to keep up with its global competitors.
While speaking about his own work ethic, Narayana Murthy said that he used to work 14 hours a day, and dedicated six and a half days a week to his professional duties. Taking pride in his commitment towards professional growth, Murthy said that he used to arrive in the office at 6:30 am and leave after 8:30 pm.
Murthy’s previous comments on how Indian needs to work 70 hours a week for steady development sparked a social media debate on work-life balance and the mental health of employees at big corporations.
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