There is a growing call from CEOs in the private sector urging employees to work more hours. One CEO previously proposed a 70-hour workweek, and more recently, another suggested a 90-hour week. This could become the new private sector ethic. A 90-hour workweek works out to 15 hours a day for a six-day week or 18 hours a day for five days. Even if stretched to seven days, it would mean almost 13 hours of work daily. Aside from the controversies these statements have sparked, this is a serious issue for anyone working in the private corporate sector.

Two Points to Consider

Before delving into the issues, two points must be made. First, it is not uncommon to hear top CEOs express that post-retirement, they wish to take a holiday or spend time with grandchildren. Evidently, their regimen in office didn’t allow such luxuries in their youth. Second, an RBI Governor who headed the central bank during some of the most turbulent times made it a point never to miss a new Bollywood release. His view was that such things happen constantly, and one cannot halt their life merely because the rupee is losing value. This makes sense.

The 70-hour ethic originated from a person who led an IT start-up that has since undergone a metamorphosis to become one of the top earners in the market. The 90-hour rule refers to one of the oldest companies in the world, which operates in........

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