The Work-Life Balance Debate: A Tale of Two Leaders

ITC Ltd's Sanjiv Puri prioritizes employee empowerment over long work hours, rejecting the controversial 90-hour workweek proposed by L&T's S N Subrahmanyan. Puri emphasizes flexibility and goal achievement, sparking a wider debate on work-life balance amid criticism from business leaders like Harsh Goenka.

In a recent debate over work-life balance, ITC Ltd Chairman Sanjiv Puri has criticized the idea of a 90-hour workweek, proposed by Larsen & Toubro's S N Subrahmanyan. Puri believes that empowering employees and allowing flexible work arrangements are more beneficial than strictly monitoring work hours.

Puri highlighted ITC's approach to creating a supportive work environment, noting that the company permits working from home two days a week. His stance contrasts sharply with Subrahmanyan's call for employees to work 90 hours a week, which stirred significant controversy on social media.

The discussion emphasizes the difference in work culture philosophies and has been fueled by remarks from other industry leaders, including Infosys's Narayana Murthy and the Adani Group's Gautam Adani, who have also weighed in on the work-life balance discourse.