'Why are leaders who supported 70-hour workweek silent now?': Internet questions after EY employee's death from work pressure

A tragic incident involving 26-year-old EY employee Anna Sebastian Perayil has brought India's toxic work culture under scrutiny. In an emotional letter to EY India's Chairman, Anna's grieving mother revealed that her daughter's overwhelming workload and gruelling hours contributed to her untimely death. As outrage grows and the story gains momentum online, many are questioning the silence of corporate leaders and founders who once advocated for excessive work hours. A Reddit post asks the pointed question: "Why are corporate leaders and founders who ranted about 70 hours are quiet now?"

Why are corporate leaders and founders who ranted about 70 hours are quiet now ?
byu/arcwizard007 indevelopersIndia

The Reddit post has raised concerns about the lack of response from both the government and prominent leaders following the tragic death of 26-year-old EY employee Anna Sebastian Perayil.

The post questions the silence, contrasting it with the swift reactions to Infosys founder Narayana Murthy's controversial remarks about a 70-hour workweek.

"When Mr. Narayan Murthy gave his statement, people started to jump on that bandwagon overnight. Founders started to support his statement and if not anything, it became a marketing gimmick. Controversial statement - easy marketing," the post states, highlighting how Murthy's comments from a 2023 podcast sparked widespread debate.

For context, Infosys founder Murthy had claimed in an interview that for India to compete globally, young people must work 70 hours a week, criticising Indian productivity as one of the lowest worldwide. He had said, "Our youngsters must say, 'This is my country. I want to work 70 hours a week.''

Interestingly, however, an International Labour Organization (ILO) report shows that Indians already work an average of over 2,000 hours annually, far more than workers in countries like the US, Brazil, and Germany.

The Reddit post further observes, "What we don't understand is that young people are often naive and soft. There are young people who will openly revolt and then their is also another half who are sensitive and soft. They are still learning the intricacies of the world. The so called titans of industry puts indirect pressure on their minds by making such statements."

It adds that corporate leaders lack responsibility in understanding the consequences of their words.

The post concludes with a call for healthier work environments and better work-life balance, noting that improved conditions would lead to higher productivity¡ªconcepts foreign to many corporate leaders and managers in India.

What corporate leaders had said about Narayan Murthy's 70-hour work week statement

Ola co-founder and CEO Bhavish Aggarwal backed Narayana Murthy¡¯s call for a 70-hour workweek, stating, "It's not our moment to work less."

Totally agree with Mr Murthy¡¯s views. It¡¯s not our moment to work less and entertain ourselves. Rather it¡¯s our moment to go all in and build in 1 generation what other countries have built over many generations! https://t.co/KsXQbjAhSM

¡ª Bhavish Aggarwal (@bhash) October 26, 2023

Similarly, JSW Group Chairman Sajjan Jindal had endorsed Murthy's view, emphasising, "We have to find passion in our work."

A 5 day week culture is not what a rapidly developing nation of our size needs.
Our PM @narendramodi ji works over 14-16 hours everyday. My father used to work 12-14 hours, 7 days a week. I work 10-12 hours everyday. We have to find passion in our work and in Nation Building.

¡ª Sajjan Jindal (@sajjanjindal) October 27, 2023

In the SparX podcast, CRED Founder and CEO Kunal Shah and Myntra founder Mukesh Bansal had said that no big achievement can come from work-life balance.

However, not all leaders agreed. Marico founder and chairman Harsh Mariwala offered a different perspective, saying, "Undeniably, hard work is the backbone of success, but it is not about the hours clocked in."

Reflecting on the recent sentiments expressed by Mr. Narayan Murthy regarding the youth working 70 hours a week, I feel compelled to share my perspective. Undeniably, hard work is the backbone of success, but it is not about the hours clocked in. It's about the quality and¡­

¡ª Harsh Mariwala (@hcmariwala) October 29, 2023

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