After Narayana Murthy's 70-hour workweek idea, Infosys' new ‘work-life balance’ policy

IN counterpoint to founding father Narayana Murthy's 70-hour week set up, Infosys is asking its employees to defend a ‘work-life balance’, warning them against working overtime.In an internal campaign, the Bengaluru-headquartered company sent emails to employees individually, urging them to stick to regular working hours, especially during a remote work setup."We must work for 9.15 hours a day for five days a week, and if we overshoot this while working remotely, it prompts a trigger," an employee told The Economic Times. Those receiving this personalised mail are also being told that their previous month's average work hours were higher than the company's standard limit.The HR keeps track of an employee's working hours and sends an email to the person if they have spent longer hours while working from home in a month's span.ALSO READ | Serum's Adar Poonawalla speaks out on work-life balance: 'Can't go beyond 8-9 hours'The emails reportedly remind the employees to take care of their health and maintain a work-life balance to ensure their own effectiveness and success at work in the long run. "While we appreciate your commitment, we also believe that maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for both your well-being and long-term professional success," the email sent by HR was cited by The ET."We understand that work demands and deadlines can sometimes lead to longer hours. However, it is important to maintain the balanced work-life schedule to enhance productivity and overall happiness," the email added.“Take regular breaks during your workday; Let your manager know if you are feeling overwhelmed or need support with reviewing priorities. Speak to your manager about delegating tasks or redistributing some responsibilities as appropriate; Take time to recharge during off hours, minimising work-related interactions whenever possible," the email further read.Infosys rolled out this new initiative after adopting a hybrid work model. The company, with around 323,500 employees, introduced the return-to-office policy on November 20, 2023. This policy requires employees to work from the office at least 10 days a month.Since then, HR teams have been regularly recording the time spent by each employee on office work while working from home.Narayana Murthy's 70-hour workweek pitchThis entire initiative is in contrast to what co-founder Narayana Murthy stood for last year. He had advocated for a 70-hour workweek, clarifying that young people need to understand that "we have to work hard and work towards making India number one".ALSO READ | Narayana Murthy defends 70-hour workweek idea' Indians have a lot to do'Speaking at the centenary celebration of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata last year, Murthy reportedly said, "At Infosys, I said we will go to the best and compare ourselves with the best global companies. Once we compare ourselves with the best global companies, I can tell you we Indians have a lot to do. We have to set our aspirations high because 800 million Indians get free ration. That means 800 million Indians are in poverty. If we are not in a position to work hard, then who will work hard?”Later, Murthy had also said that he did not believe in the concept of "work-life balance", advocating for sacrifice and rigorous efforts.Earlier in January this year, he issued a clarification on his 70-hour workweek remark and said that his schedule "was his personal choice", adding that it should not be forced on anyone."There's nobody who can say you should do this, you should not do it," the Infosys co-founder was reportedly quoted as saying.Since then, debates over long working hours and the subsequent effect on employees' health conditions have been taking place.