How long can you stare at your wife? Come on get to the office and start working.”

 

In a now-viral video, Larsen & Tou
bro Chairman SN Subrahmanyan has ignited a storm of criticism for suggesting employees should work 90 hours a week, including Sundays.

During an employee interaction, Subrahmanyan lamented over not being able to make staff work seven days a week, jokingly asking, “What do you do sitting at home? How long can you stare at your wife? Come on get to the office and start working.”

“If I can make you work on Sundays, I’ll be happier. Because I work on Sundays also,” he stated.

Drawing comparisons to Narayana Murthy’s controversial 70-hour workweek comment, Subrahmanyan’s statements have fuelled debates online about work-life balance in India’s private sector.

One user quipped, “How long can employees stare at screens and fatass managers?” Another accused Subrahmanyan of hypocrisy: “This same person will dump his workload on juniors and go home to stare at his wife. Two-faced much?”

The outrage didn’t stop there. Critics called out L&T’s corporate culture, with one claiming, “L&T hires graduates at peanuts, makes them work 6.5 days a week, and gives only seven casual leaves a year. No wonder 90% leave in three years.”