Work Life Balance: For some time now, there has been a big debate about the work-life balance in India. A few days earlier, L&T chairman SN Subramanian had advised the general public to work 90 hours a week. This has also been discussed in the economic survey presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday (January 31). Economic surveys cite studies stating that working more than 60 hours a week can have a very bad impact on health.
What did the Economic Survey say in working hours?
Economic surveys say that sitting at a desk for long periods of time is detrimental to mental health. It states that people who spend 12 or more hours a day at a desk may have poor mental health. There is also a lot of fear of their stress.
Which study has been cited?
The Economic Survey cites a study from the Sapian Labs Centre for the human brain and mind. “It describes, “”People’s who spend 12+ hours at a desk may have mental health issues.” They may also suffer from stress or depression. Citing a study by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the survey said that about 12 billion days are wasted annually due to global depression and anxiety. This equates a financial loss of about one trillion dollars.
What is the expert’s opinion?
Commenting on the economic survey, Shweta Shroff, partner at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co., told PTI that it underlines the profound economic impact of not focussing on the mental health crisis in corporate India. Shroff said, “Improving workplace culture not only promotes a healthy lifestyle, but also enhances the company’s profits.”
What did the L&T president say?
A video of SN Subramanian, chairman of technology-to-construction group Larsen & Toubro (L&T), went viral on social media. In it, he had said that people should work 90 hours a week. Subramanian had said, “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you see your wife?” Before Subramanian, Infosys founder N Narayan Murthy had also advocated working 70 hours a week several times.
