Why Karnataka’s 14-Hour Work Hours Suggestion Might Not Be a Bad Idea 

You might no longer need motivational quotes to hit work every day as the Karnataka government may soon amend a proposal to fuel IT employees.

The Karnataka State IT/IteS Employees Union (KITU) has reported that the state government will soon raise the IT employees working hours to 14 hours (12 hours + 2 hours of overtime).

Amid these developments, it’s worth noting that many Bengalureans have already been working extended hours, often reaching up to 45 hours a week.

How is it for Govt Employees?

In January, the finance ministry said that India is expected to become the third-largest economy in the world with a GDP of $5 trillion in the next three years and touch $7 trillion by 2030 on the back of ongoing reforms.

The IT sector is seen as a major contributor to this vision. In FY23, the industry accounted for 7.5% of India’s GDP, and it is expected to contribute 10% by 2025.

Meanwhile, IT spending in India is projected to grow by 11.1% in 2024, reaching $138.6 billion, up from $124.7 billion in 2023.

The Indian software product industry is anticipated to reach $100 billion by 2025. Indian companies are increasingly investing internationally to expand their global footprint and enhance their global delivery centers.

Hence, the employees in the IT sector are often expected to put in many many hours to achieve the same.

Meanwhile, in 2022, the Indian government reduced the working hours for government employees to 7 hours per day, while private sector employees were required to work at least 9 hours daily.

Narayan Murthy’s Dream Come True

These days, every discussion around long working hours takes off from Infosys founder Narayana Murthy’s suggestion that Indian youths should work 70 hours a week.

Many media houses highlighted the issue, fueling a debate over the unhealthy and unrealistic work culture. However several industry leaders backed Murthy’s statement.

Bhavish Aggarwal, the CEO of Ola Cabs, emphasised the importance of dedication “It’s not our moment to work less and entertain ourselves. Rather, it’s our moment to go all in and build in one generation what other countries have built over many generations.”

Sajjan Jindal, the chairman of JSW Group, echoed this sentiment and further criticised the five-day workweek, arguing that India’s unique challenges required an approach different from the developed nations.

According to a 2016 survey, nearly one-quarter of Japanese companies required employees to work more than 80 hours of overtime a month.

Further, TV Mohandas Pai, the chairman of Aarin Capital, supported Murthy’s call for longer working hours, stressing that hard work is crucial for national progress.

CP Gurnani, the co-founder of AIonOS and former CEO of Tech Mahindra, too expressed his agreement with Murthy’s perspective, reinforcing the idea that commitment and hard work are vital for India’s growth

What’s Next?

The new amendment proposal has raised concerns about work-life balance, pay, and mental and physical health.

Many employees with degrees from prestigious institutions are turning to part-time jobs as their incomes fall short of meeting the requirements. This trend has boosted the food delivery industry to serve as a financial backup.

A YouTuber from the channel Full Disclosure interviewed riders from delivery companies and uncovered that riders can now earn between INR 40,000 and INR 50,000 per month, surpassing the average monthly income of IT workers.

Interestingly, one worker mentioned that he managed to save INR 2 lakh in just six months.

Working long hours might not be entirely negative, as some employees feel bored during weekends. In a post on X, Venkatesh Gupta, a techie, shared that he met a senior Microsoft engineer in Bengaluru who drives an auto rickshaw on weekends to combat loneliness.

Long hours would leave him too tired to seek additional activities on weekends. And who knows he might even apply for the Wakefit sleep internship programme next if he’s ‘tired’ from over-working after turning to ‘Namma Yatri’, to beat ‘loneliness’.