The Harsh Reality of a 90-Hour Workweek Work Culture in India
Imagine working 90 hours a week—that’s 15 hours a day for six days straight. If you’re lucky, you get eight hours of sleep, leaving just one hour for everything else—cooking, commuting, cleaning, or simply catching a breath. Where does life fit into this equation?
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Recently, a call for a 90-hour workweek by a top corporate leader sparked controversy. “I regret I’m not able to work make you
work on Sundays if I can make you work
on Sundays I’ll be more happier I work
on sunday also there’s a gentleman Mr SN
subaman he’s supposed to be the chairman
at Larson and tubo and has very casually
called for a 90-hour work
week
” Many employees already struggle with long hours, poor work-life balance, and job insecurity. If 70 hours a week wasn’t enough, now they are expected to work on Sundays too. Is this sustainable, or is it another step towards exploitation in the workplace?
With increasing unemployment, many individuals feel stuck. The fear of becoming jobless in India forces employees to accept extreme working conditions, leaving them with little to no personal time. But does working more hours truly lead to better productivity, or is it just a way to extract more labor without increasing wages?
Work Culture in India: The Unfair Expectations
When influential leaders promote a 90-hour workweek, it sets unrealistic expectations for employees. Middle management starts enforcing long hours, making it a mandatory hustle rather than a personal choice. Employees are judged on visibility rather than productivity, and staying late in the office becomes a necessity rather than an exception.
This approach ignores the importance of quality over quantity. Productivity doesn’t increase linearly with work hours. Research shows that working 55+ hours a week increases the risk of stroke by 35% and leads to mental and physical exhaustion. So, if 55 hours is already harmful, what happens at 90?
In a world where work-life balance is already a struggle, pushing for excessive hours only worsens employee well-being. Many workers already spend 10-12 hours daily in the office, only to return home exhausted. For them, ambition is not a luxury—they work to survive, not thrive.
The Economic Perspective: Who Truly Benefits from Long Hours?
Corporate executives earning millions per year demand extreme working hours from employees who barely make enough to cover their expenses. Consider this: a top executive may earn ₹68,000 per hour, while the average employee struggles to make that amount in a month. The disparity is staggering.
When questioned about these unfair expectations, companies shift the narrative towards nation-building—as if working long hours is a patriotic duty. But let’s be honest: businesses exist for profit, not charity. If companies truly cared about employees, they would offer fair wages, better working conditions, and realistic expectations.
For many workers, the reality is harsh: despite working 12-14 hours daily, they barely save money. Rent, groceries, transportation, and family responsibilities leave them with nothing at the end of the month. Yet, they fear speaking up because there are millions of jobless individuals in India willing to take their place for lower pay.
This oversupply of labor makes it easy for companies to exploit employees. If someone refuses to work overtime, another desperate job seeker will gladly accept the offer, even if it means sacrificing their well-being.
The Psychological and Physical Toll of Overworking
The human body isn’t designed to function at maximum efficiency for 90 hours a week. Long working hours lead to:
Increased stress levels
Higher risk of heart disease and stroke
Mental burnout and anxiety
Weakened immune system
Over time, exhaustion affects productivity, creativity, and decision-making. No one can sustain continuous high-performance without breaks. Even elite athletes follow structured rest and recovery periods to maintain peak performance. So why should office workers be expected to function like machines?
The Impact of Work Hours on Productivity
Studies consistently show that working beyond 50-55 hours per week reduces productivity. Employees start making more mistakes, losing focus, and suffering from burnout. Instead of improving efficiency, longer hours lead to diminishing returns.
Countries that prioritize work-life balance tend to have higher productivity and innovation rates. Nations with a four-day workweek experiment report increased job satisfaction, lower stress levels, and improved efficiency. India, on the other hand, still struggles with the belief that more hours equal better output, despite evidence proving otherwise.
If quality of work is the goal, efficiency should be prioritized over hours spent. Employees should be evaluated based on their output, not their time in the office.
Why the 90-Hour Workweek Model Will Fail
A 90-hour workweek is simply unsustainable. Here’s why:
Read Also: Why the Middle Class in India is Dying
Employee Burnout: Excessive work hours will push employees towards physical and mental breakdowns.
Reduced Productivity: More hours do not guarantee better results. Instead, exhaustion leads to inefficiency.
Increased Job Dissatisfaction: Employees will either quit or disengage, leading to poor workplace morale.
Health Risks: Increased stress leads to long-term health problems, adding to medical expenses and absenteeism.
Limited Career Growth: Employees won’t have time to upskill, innovate, or invest in personal development.
While corporate leaders romanticize long hours, they ignore the real challenges faced by the workforce. India’s economic growth does not depend on burnout—it depends on a motivated, skilled, and healthy workforce.
The Need for a Fair Workweek
The workweek structure in India needs reform. Companies must understand that overworking employees is not a sustainable strategy. Instead, businesses should:
Focus on efficiency rather than hours clocked in
Encourage a healthy work-life balance
Offer fair wages and benefits
Create opportunities for career growth and skill development
Ensure that work hours do not exceed sustainable limits
Employees are not just machines to generate profit—they are the backbone of a thriving economy. Companies that respect their workforce will see higher retention rates, better productivity, and long-term success.
Read Also: Why Life Insurance Is Important
Conclusion: Rethinking Work Culture in India
The call for a 90-hour workweek highlights a deeper issue in India’s corporate culture—the exploitation of labor without fair compensation. Employees should not be expected to sacrifice their health, family time, and mental well-being for a job that barely pays them enough to survive.
With the increasing number of jobless people in India, workers often feel trapped in unfair work conditions, fearing that refusing long hours may cost them their jobs. But this cycle needs to break. India’s workforce deserves better—a balance between work, life, and fair wages.
A country’s progress should not come at the cost of its people’s health and happiness. The focus should shift from working harder to working smarter. Employees should be valued, respected, and compensated fairly for their contributions.
It’s time to rethink the future of work in India. Instead of glorifying unrealistic workweeks, businesses should invest in creating sustainable, productive, and fulfilling work environments.
A thriving economy is built on a motivated workforce—not exhausted employees.
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