Swiggy's Rohit Kapoor calls hustle culture 'bulls**t' while emphasising hard work, warns 'you will die hustling one day'
Swiggy's CEO Rohit Kapoor has labeled hustle culture as 'bullshit' and stressed the importance of work-life balance. In contrast to many CEOs, including Infosys' Narayan Murthy, who promote long work hours, Kapoor acknowledges the value of hard work while urging employees to also focus on their personal lives.
Amid the chorus of CEOs advocating for a gruelling 70-hour workweek¡ªled by Infosys CEO Narayan Murthy and backed by CEOs such as Ola's Bhavish Aggarwal and fintech founder Kunal Shah¡ªone CEO is taking a stand. Swiggy's Food and Marketplace CEO Rohit Kapoor has declared that hustle culture is "bullshit," challenging the notion that endless hours equate to success.
In a refreshing take on work-life balance, Swiggy's Rohit Kapoor argues against the pressure to constantly hustle, stating, "You don't need to work till 3 AM every day. Some days you might have to, but not every day."
He highlights a common misconception among late-night workers, noting that those who stay late often don't mention they arrived at the office as late as 1 PM.
"People will saunter in [to office] at 1 and stay up till 3, burning the midnight oil. Why, who told you to do that?" Kapoor states, urging employees to consider their lives outside of work.
"Ghar jao, dog hai, biwi hai, girlfriend hai, bacche hai. Kuch toh karo unke saaath jake. Woh burn karke tumne kya ukhad liya kisi ka?" (Go home! You have a dog, a spouse, a girlfriend, kids¡ªspend some time with them. What have you really accomplished by burning the midnight oil?)
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He criticises the prevailing belief that sacrificing personal life is necessary for success, warning: "Marr jaoge kisi din wohi karte karte, uske baad kya hoga." (If you keep this up, you'll die¡ªthen what happens?)
Kapoor believes that while hard work is important, it doesn't require one to go to extremes. "I think that's bulls**t and not needed, hard work is needed¡ you don't need to be crazy."
He also clarified that a typical 10-hour workday is acceptable, emphasising the importance of balance.
How did people respond?
In the comments, users humorously recalled Narayan Murthy's views.
The 78-year-old tech icon stirred the pot during a 2023 podcast when he had stated, "Our youngsters must say, 'This is my country. I want to work 70 hours a week,'" which began a significant debate about work-life balance, garnering support from many CEOs in the Indian corporate world.
Comments on Murthy after Kapoor shared his views went like: "Narayan Murthy getting panic attacks watching this" and "Narayan murthy crying in corner."
Others expressed relief at Kapoor's stance, saying, "Finally some one talked like normal to all of us" and "Someone is normal, finally."
What are your thoughts on the entire hustle culture?
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Srishti B Dutta brings you everything from rags-to-riches tales and inspiring student success stories to those "No way, this can't be real!" moments. Whether it's intriguing, heartwarming, or just plain quirky, she's got it covered.
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