Infosys, India’s second-largest IT services firm, has begun actively reminding employees about the importance of maintaining a work-life balance, even as its founder, NR Narayana Murthy, makes headlines for championing a 70-hour work week. As reported by The Times of India, the company recently launched a cautionary drive addressing staff who exceed their standard working hours, particularly during remote work.
Personalised emails have landed in the inboxes of employees whose logged hours tip over the firm’s prescribed limits. An employee divulged to Economic Times that one such email pointed out, “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.”
The email nudges staff to remember that health and personal time matter. And, not so incidentally, that they also help one’s long-term professional prospects.
Infosys’ human resources team closely monitors work-from-home patterns on a monthly basis. When extended hours are flagged, employees receive detailed reports outlining their daily averages and the total time spent on official tasks from home. This system was put in place after hybrid work models took effect.
The Times of India noted how these advisories arrive at a time when young tech workers face mounting health scares, especially heart issues linked to chaotic eating and sleep routines. With roughly 3,23,500 employees on its books, Infosys seems keen to balance its own founder’s ambitious vision with a bit of moderation, also requiring staff to show up at the office at least 10 days a month since November 20, 2023.
Despite Narayana Murthy’s call for India’s youth to embrace a 70-hour work week to accelerate national progress, Infosys’ internal advisories tell a different story. They encourage taking regular breaks, discussing workload with managers, delegating tasks when necessary, and truly unplugging after work hours — a timely counterpoint as conversations around work stress and health continue to pick up steam, both at home and abroad.
