Harsh Goenka On Debate Around 70-Hour Work Week: "5-Day Office Is Dead"

Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy's recent take on India's work culture has stirred a storm on the internet. Mr Murthy adviced a ''70 hours-a-week'' work formula for the youngsters to increase the country's overall productivity. His remarks have sparked a national debate and invited both, harsh criticism and voices of agreement. Several prominent business leaders have also dived into the ongoing debate and have been sharing their opinions on social media.

Now, RPG Enterprises Chairman Harsh Goenka weighed in on the issue and rejected the idea of measuring productivity by number of hours. ''It's no longer about working 50 or 70 hours, but about your own ambition, your purpose, and your productivity,'' he wrote. 

Talking of productivity, Mr Goenka noted that the traditional five-day workweek structure is ''dead'' and batted for a hybrid work model, which according to him is both the ''present and the future.''

''The 5-day office week is dead! People are working nearly 33% of their office time remotely, and it's a game-changer. Flexibility is worth as much to people as an 8% raise. What we value most is skipping the daily commute and the sense of flexibility!''
 

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🚀 The 5-day office week is dead! 🏢 People are working nearly 33% of their office time remotely, and it's a game-changer. Flexibility is worth as much to people as an 8% raise. 💰 What we value most is skipping the daily commute and the sense of flexibility! 🚗🚆
🌟 Hybrid work…

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) October 30, 2023

''Hybrid work is the present and the future. It's all about blending office and remote work to suit your needs. It's no longer about working 50 or 70 hours, but about your own ambition, your purpose, and your productivity. Embrace the shift, adapt to the new work landscape, and find your sweet spot between office and home. It's time to prioritize what truly matters in your work life,'' he added.

Several users agreed with the concept of a hybrid work mode and called Mr Goenka's views as ''sane, sensible, and balanced.''

One user said, ''Flexibility is hugely valuable for motivation, creativity, and work-life harmony. Companies that rigidly cling to outdated norms around presence risk losing top talent and hampering innovation. Saving commutation time is beneficial for both employees and the organization.''

Another commented, ''Productivity has gone another level since remote working started. Companies should recognise this as a win-win method. Employees who are comfortable with hybrid working and producing good results should be given the space to continue to that.''

A third stated, ''Finally, someone has embraced the new work culture. Evolution and adaptability keep the wheel moving.'' A fourth added, ''Productivity cannot be measured in working hours (What @SrBachchan earns in 1 hr a labourer takes years to earn that..) Working capacity varies from person to person. Excellence of a circle lies in its roundness not in its bigness.''

Yet another added, ''Absolutely! The right mindset and skills can make a world of difference. Efficiency and effectiveness can allow some individuals to achieve in 7 hours what might take others 70 hours.''