Larsen and Toubro (L&T) has been at the leading edge of India’s infrastructure and industrial growth for many years. In a publicly contentious and highly publicized statement, the Managing Director (MD) proposed a 90-hour work week which started a debate about production, work-life balance, and corporate sustainability.
In the drive for faster and increasingly global growth and competitiveness, this proposal asks whether and what the implications are for workers, managers and the macroeconomy.
L&T: A Beacon of India’s Growth
Being an institution established in 1938, as an infrastructure tailwind of the Indian economy, L & T has made valuable contributions in the construction, information technology computing services and power utility sectors.
Revenue Highlights:
2024 Revenue: L&T reported consolidated revenue of 2.2 lakh crore (26.5 billion) in FY24, reflecting strong growth in the constituent segments.
Expected 2025 Revenue: Analysts have made a projected rise of 10-15% for FY25, along with an estimated revenue of 2.5 lakh crore $30 billion which will be driven by infrastructure related works, defense production, and expansion to the foreign market.
L&T’s contributions to the Indian economy extend beyond revenue. The company has a large permanent workforce, provides economic leverage to connected industries, and serves as a focal point for delivery of government infrastructure objectives, such as the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP).
The 90-Hour Work Week Vision
In other words, the notion of a 90-hour week, i.e., a day which is the 15-hours workday, six days a week, seems absurd to think about in today’s work environment. The MD’s answer is one of higher production and hence of work intensity, but critics have also arisen.
Positives of a 90-Hour Work Week
- Enhanced Productivity:
Nonetheless, with increases in work and workloads growth, the workforce can accumulate an ever-expanding body of work, pushing for faster project deadlines and outputs that are achievable with tight deadlines, particularly in the high-pressure work situations such as that in construction engineering.
- Economic Growth Contribution:
As long as output hours can be increased in some of the bigger sectors of the national economy, the increased national production volume can be used to increase the index of the same by some of the bigger companies so that it can be used to contribute to the GDP of India] .
- Skill Development:
For instance, workers on overtime could, due to their experience, attain a higher level of technical depth of their work and higher ability to perform this work in an expert labor force.
- Competitive Edge:
But the companies with production volume, ie, infrastructure and technology, located at the center of the world market make their profit.
Negatives of a 90-Hour Work Week
- Employee Burnout:
Extended work time per day is likely to lead to both physical and mental fatigue and in the long run lower production, and produce poor workers’ health outcome and work performance.
- Reduced Work-Life Balance:
Work could be at risk of being destroyed for staff to come into balance between work and life, resulting in unhappiness and resignation.
- Health Concerns:
Overwork has been found to be linked to the onset of chronic cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and mental health issues and, on the part of both employees and employers, an increase in healthcare cost
- Feasibility for Higher Officials:
Although the on field direct work force may be most impacted (90 h/week), it is not immediately obvious whether the directors i.e., the ceo, the executives, and the management of the higher echelons will also abide by this schedule. A perception of unequal workloads could exacerbate workplace tensions.
Sustainability and the Workforce
Sustainability, both for the sake of the wellbeing of employees and for the sake of the environment, is essential for the sustainability of L&T in the long term.
Employee Sustainability:
Morale and retention as well as employee engagement would likely decline if a 90h work week is introduced. Companies in every nation are transitioning to non-normative work patterns of non-standard time schedules (compacted hours) and flexible schedule in order to keep human resources.
Environmental Sustainability:
More site and office building energy usage and carbon footprint can be translated to longer operational hours. Balancing economic growth with environmental responsibility will be crucial.
Global Context and Alternatives
In other parts of the world companies have undertaken a range of measures to restructure work in some of the following ways:
Four-Day Work Weeks: Demonstrated to improve productivity and employee satisfaction.
Flexible Work Schedules: Allowing employees to manage their time effectively.
A balanced work, in which work hours are optimized rather than intensive, might provide a better outcome than a strict intensive work week for L\&T.
L&T’s Role in India’s Economy
L&T’s mega infrastructure projects are at the heart of India’s determination to unfold its developmental agenda. The company has been developing pioneering efforts including, Smart Cities, metro rail and concentrating on renewables.
- Employment Generation:
L&T offers direct and indirect employment to millions of individuals by creating employment across India.
- Innovation and Technology:
Through the application of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics, and those associated with green energy, L&T contributes to India’s enhanced global competitiveness.
- Strategic Contributions:
L&T is an indispensable player in the real of defence production at the country level by enabling reduction in import dependency level thereby attaining self-reliance in the context of the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign.
The MBS’s recommendation for 90 h/wk of work is at the same time audacious and controversial. It emphasizes, on the one side, a drive to unprecedented speed and productivity, and, on the other side, critical issues with regards to workers’ health and ecological responsibility, as well as corporate ethics.
For 2025, at a time when the company needs to maintain a high revenue and a global development, it is possible to reach an equilibrium between utopians and pragmatists. A sustainable, equitable work environment (i.e., overtime) will be of utmost importance in guaranteeing that the legacy of leading India’s economic development gets sustained.
