Weekly 70-hrs Work: ‘biwi bhag jayegi’

Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s pitch for 70-hour work week triggered a debate in the nation. Narayana Murthy said that 70-hour work week will enable India compete with the advanced economies.

Though late, Asia’s second richest man Gautam Adani, the chairman of Adani Group, made a sardonic remark on the concept.

The multi-billionaire indirectly hinted that the 70-hour work week would hit the work-life balance. The industrialist said that one feels balance when they do things they like doing, and reminded that life becomes simple when one accepts the fact that they are mortal.

Explaining about the balance, Adani said that one’s work-life balance should not be imposed on others. “Say, someone spend four hours with family and finds joy in it, or if someone else spends eight hours and enjoys it, that’s their balance. Notwithstanding that if you spend eight hours, biwi bhaag jayegi (wife will run away),” Adani observed.

Further, Adani echoed the feelings of many parents who raised concern about their kids, if they spent so many hours at the office. Adani said that children also observe that one does not have a world out of their family and work, and emulate the same.

“Your work-life is balanced when you do things which you like doing. For us either it is family or work, we don’t have a world out of this… Our children also notice that only and take note of it… No one has come here permanently. When one understands this, life becomes simple,” Adani said.

Through these remarks, Adani tried to emphasize three important things in life.

When life is not permanent, man needs to make the most of every moment and try to channelize his energy into the paths that mean the most to him, which changes from person to person.

Adani also tried to emphasize that progress does not mean only monetary gains. An individual needs to prosper in various other fronts as well.

Further, Adani tried to broaden the horizon from self to the society when he said it is not work and home alone in one’s life.

Being a billionaire himself, Adani rooting for time to family and even the outside world is an eye-opener.

Man is a social animal which means family and society also are integral part of a human being.

Emcure Pharmaceuticals executive director Namita Thapar, during a recent interview, pointed out to the huge difference between company founders and employees. She also said that the idea of working long hours is not practically possible as it would have an adverse impact on their physical and mental well-being.