Narayana Murthy Criticizes Work-Life Balance: ‘5-Day Workweek Disappointed Me

Narayana Murthy work-life balance

Narayana Murthy Criticizes Work-Life Balance: Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy once again voiced his dismay with the five-day work week concept and restated his belief against the concept of work-life balance. Speaking at the CNBC Global Leadership Summit, Murthy called for relentless hard work to propel India's progress.

"I don't believe in work-life balance," Murthy said bluntly at the event. "I will take this belief to my grave," he added. He also cited KV Kamath, Independent Director and Non-Executive Chairman of Jio Financial Services, who earlier said that in a developing nation like India with so many challenges it cannot afford to think of work-life balance.

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There have been a lot of noises in different sections critical of the decision to switch from a sixday to a five-day work schedule in 1986. "When PM Modi works for 100 hours a week, we must introspect on how we too can contribute by putting in our efforts," he said, emphasizing India's progress relies on sacrifice and constant effort rather than indulgence.

He promised that he would work harder than he does when he would get at the helm of affairs. "I used to be in the office at 6:20 AM and leave after 8:30 PM," Murthy said. The CTP leader feels that hard work forms the backbone for individual success and that of the nation at large. "I worked 14-hour days, meaning six and half days a week," he added.

Murthy also added that prosperity of any nation has always remained impossible without hard work and consistent effort. "My parents taught me very early on that in order to get out of poverty, you have to work very hard, assume productivity from each hour of work," he noted.

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The 70-Hour Work Week Debate This discussion followed a similar remark by Murthy in October last year, when he proposed that the young Indians should work at least 70 hours a week to raise the productivity of the country. The statement proved to be an avenue for serious debate because opinions have emerged that suggest both sides are valid depending on whether the productivity is driven by the quantity of work or quality.

Earlier, in an interview to The Economic Times, Murthy told he used to work up to 85-90 hours a week till 1994. While some supported his views, others felt that it is effort minus efficiency that produced the best result. Freebies and 'Compassionate Capitalism' Murthy has been talking of self-reliance and responsibility. In fact, speaking at the Bengaluru Tech Summit recently he criticized the concept of freebies advocating for "compassionate capitalism" as the strategy that would aid India's development.

He suggested that disbursals of subsidy be tied up with measurable outputs, such as higher attendance at school. "For example, if you give free electricity, link it up with a 20% rise in attendance of primary and middle schools," he explained.

Murthy's comments continue to create a buzz about the work culture, productivity, and India's growth path. Still, whether you share his point of view or not, surely his fighting spirit in seeking sterner work does compose part of the very heart of his vision concerning the future of the nation.

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