Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan, who recently suggested that employees should work up to 90 hours per week, including Sundays, to remain competitive.

Gender Inequality in Work Life Balance

• Domestic Contribution of Male Employees: Male employees often contribute minimally to domestic chores, even on weekends. 
  • Responsibilities such as raising children, tending to their needs, managing social obligations, and caring for elderly parents are largely handled by others. 
  • Homes are maintained, and family and social commitments are fulfilled without significant male participation.
• Work Over Domestic Roles: The MD proposed that instead of idling at home, male employees could utilize their time to enhance productivity at the workplace.
  • This view stems from the idea that men, as primary earners, may feel justified in being exempt from domestic duties.
• Argument for Rest and Recharge: The counter-argument suggests that as breadwinners, men need rest to maintain their earning potential and recharge for their professional responsibilities.
• Broader Implications: This perspective opens up discussions on the balance between professional and domestic roles. It raises questions about gender equity in domestic responsibilities and the societal expectations from working men.

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• Disparities in Domestic Work: Indian women perform 10 times more unpaid domestic work and care responsibilities compared to men, leading the world in this gender gap.
  • The disparity is even higher in certain states (e.g., Haryana at 17X, Gujarat at 14X) and persists across demographics, including rural/urban, education, and social class. 
  • Even wealthier women, despite hiring help, remain primarily responsible for managing domestic work.
• Gender Disparities in Workforce Participation: The imbalance in unpaid domestic labour directly reflects in gender disparities in the workforce. 
  • Female labour force participation remains low, with only four women for every ten men employed.
• Patterns of  Informal Work: Uneducated women and those in the lowest income quartile experience lower gender disparity in domestic work, as their husbands contribute more. 
  • However, these women work precarious, poorly paid jobs, often exceeding 90 hours a week without security or benefits. 
  • Evidence from India’s informal sector shows that extended work hours do not necessarily result in greater productivity.
• Work-Life Balance :Rest and recuperation are vital for all workers, irrespective of gender or job type. 
  • The analogy of drained batteries applies — overwork without adequate rest diminishes human productivity and well-being.
• Inequality in Corporate practices: Disparities in rewards compound the issue. Managerial salaries in companies like L&T rose by 20.38%, while worker salaries increased by just 1.74%. 
  • Employees in corporate jobs working 70–90 hours a week face wage stagnation, inflationary pressures, and persistent gender inequality both at home and in the workplace.

Impact of Greedy Jobs on Gender Roles

• Greedy  Jobs: Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin identifies “greedy” jobs as roles offering substantial wage premiums but demanding long hours, extensive networking, late-night meetings, and frequent travel. 
  • These roles often exclude individuals from personal and family responsibilities, prioritizing professional commitments over all else.
• Challenges for Dual-Working Families: In families with two working parents, only one can typically take on a “greedy” job due to the demands of raising children. 
  • The other parent is relegated to a secondary role, often referred to as the “mommy track,” where they manage domestic and childcare responsibilities, such as school activities, medical needs, and extracurriculars.
• Gendered Dynamics of the “Mommy Track”: While the “mommy track” role could be filled by either parent, societal norms and expectations often place this burden on women. 
  • As a result, women frequently forgo career advancements and higher wages in favor of family responsibilities.
• Career Progression: Women’s career trajectories are often stunted, limiting their opportunities for leadership roles and career growth.
• Gender Wage Gap: The division between “greedy” jobs and the “mommy track” exacerbates the pay gap, even among highly educated individuals, as men dominate higher-paying, demanding roles.
• Reinforcement of Inequality: This dynamic perpetuates systemic gender inequality in the workplace and society.

Argument for Longer Work Hours

• L&T’s Ethos and Achievements: Under Chairman S.N. Subrahmanyan, Larsen & Toubro has grown remarkably, taking on challenging projects like the Ram temple construction with dedication and success. Employees have shown loyalty, citing the family-like atmosphere rather than a workaholic culture.
• Cultural Roots: Drawing from Indian traditions, such as the Bhagavad Gita, work (Karmayoga) is seen as a duty rather than a burden. Historically, Indians have devoted themselves to responsibilities before seeking leisure, aligning with the idea of longer, purpose-driven work hours.
• Critique of Western Practices: The growing “holiday culture” is viewed as a borrowed concept that deviates from India’s ethos of dedication and commitment to work.
• Public Holidays as Political Tools: In India, governments often declare birthdays and death anniversaries of community leaders as public holidays to appease voter bases. This trend reflects a shift towards prioritizing symbolic gestures over fostering a culture of productivity and work commitment.
• Freedom from Karma: A preference for leisure and vacations is emerging as a dominant trend, overshadowing traditional values of dedicated work (Karmayoga). 
  • Such practices risk diluting the ethos of duty-driven work that has historically been a cornerstone of Indian culture.
• Regional Comparisons: Vacation-centric trade union practices contributed to the decline of West Bengal’s state’s economy and eroded its work culture, serving as a cautionary tale.
  • Conversely, Gujarat’s “work hard” ethos made it a hub for entrepreneurship and economic growth, demonstrating the benefits of a productivity-focused work culture.

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Way Forward

• Sustainable Work Schedules: Long work hours should not be glorified; instead, the focus should shift to sustainable and efficient work schedules that promote both productivity and employee well-being.
• Fair Compensation: Equitable pay structures and genuine inclusivity are essential to create a balanced and motivated workforce. Recognizing and addressing systemic disparities can foster a fairer work environment.
• Value of Well-Being and Family Life: A thriving workforce acknowledges the importance of personal well-being and family life, integrating these values into workplace culture.

Conclusion

The goal is to build a society where men and women achieve professional success without compromising health, family, or personal time, unlocking the full potential of all workers for an equitable and prosperous future.

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